Editor,
Apropos the letter “Heartless rules of 108” GVK EMRI (ST July 13, 2012) I would like to thank Fr Devasia Vazhayil for his appreciation of the 108 services in the state of Meghalaya. He has acknowledged that the EMRI 108 services have been prompt in treating and transporting sick patients to hospitals. We would also like to appreciate the fact that he has brought to light the deficiency in transporting the unfortunate cases of patients that die or are already dead, to their respective homes. The case mentioned by him relates to an Inter-state Facility transfer whereby the patient was being shifted from Nazareth Hospital, Shillong to Guwahati. However the patient expired on the way. As per protocol we shifted the deceased to the nearest hospital so that the formalities could be completed. The patient was handed over to the hospital at Nongpoh.
The responsibility of shifting a deceased person, from the hospital to his/her home, lies with the patient’s relatives but in some such situations GVK EMRI goes out of its way to help arrange for mortuary vans (NGO/Govt), upon request. As per GVK EMRI protocol shifting of the deceased person in an emergency service ambulance is prohibited for various reasons and it is a known fact that such transportation is not permissible by any other ambulance as well.
We also wish to stress that even if the rule permitted us, the time taken to shift the deceased back to their home would have engaged the ambulance for a considerable period of time and many emergency cases that could be saved would be missed as a result of transporting one who has unfortunately passed away
We understand the emotional trauma that the patient would have gone through and our prayers are with the bereaved family.
Yours etc.,
Aurelius Robert Passah
Marketing and Media Relations
GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute
Shillong
Khasi not Cossyah!
Editor,
In the article, When we were Khassyahs (ST. Canvas, July 15, 2012) the writer, Collin Wanñiang reminds us that the nomenclature Khasi used today to identify us is a derivation from the word Cossyah used by all writers who wrote on or about us before the 1840s. It was only since the later half of the 19th Century A.D. that the appellation Khasi was used to substitute for Cossyah.
Like other concerned Khasi thinkers and opinion makers, past and present, he is apprehensive that the use of a hyphenated appellation like Khasi-Pnar, Khasi-Synteng, may prove divisive in the end. Khasi is the current appellation used to identify us since we began to be literate and chose to identify ourselves as a racial entity in conformity with the practice of our immediate neighbours from whom the Christian missionaries and officers of the British empire had adopted the word Cossyah to refer to us. As is stated here Khasi is a derivation from Cossyah. It has served us well so far for more than a hundred years and the rest of the world seems quite comfortable with it. It would, therefore, be futile to think of another appellation which may confuse future generations as, for example, the change of nomenclature to identify a country like Burma into Myanmar.
I would suggest that we stick to the present appellation without reservation and go on with our endeavour to march on into the future without any distraction. After all, some wise bard had said, “A rose by any name would smell just as sweet…”
Yours etc.,
Morning Star Sumer,
Shillong-2
NGO rule in Meghalaya
Editor,
The night road blockades are a menace to the development and fair name of our state. It is amazing that a handful of so-called activists are allowed to get away with it time all the time. Our government is made up of knee-jerk politicians who only think of vote banks and winning elections at the cost of growth and development (except their own). Therefore they are always ready to bow down before every blackmailing organization or individual who threatens their political careers. Organizations as CoRP, KSU, RBYF, HNYF and others have been castigated time and again for calling road blockades and bandhs for any and every issue under the sun. The people of Meghalaya want nothing to do with these people any longer. They have been corrupted by power and turned into commission agents and extortionists who have violated all rights. We want the government to ban all such NGOs that threaten the fundamental rights of citizens. Mukul Sangma has not shown any guts when dealing with the NGO problem. He has merely followed in the footsteps of his predecessors and surrendered meekly. Why do we need to have elections in Meghalaya if this is the case? Just ask the KSU and their kind to rule the state because they are the real power and government only a figurehead! I hope people wake up this time and vote this government out of power.
Yours etc.,
Richard Marbaniang,
Via email