Don’t trust NGOs and media
The political science department of St Edmund’s College could not have invited a more learned chief guest for their function.
They have been counseled by Union Minister of State for Water Resources, Vincent Pala, not to trust a section of NGOs (political opportunists?) and the media.
They are also told not to be misled by anti-establishment, anti-government types.
What a lesson for a Department whose students are supposed to critique government policies and be skeptical of development packages.
Does Mr Pala believe that the students of Political Science should stay away from activism and also be disdainful of the media?
Is this a new lesson in political theory and praxis?
One would have thought that a dignitary speaking to college students, particularly of Political Science would have enough respect for their intellect and encourage them to become questioning citizens; questioning especially the acts of omission and commission of those in authority like himself!
Anyway the penchant of colleges to have politicians as chief guests is bizarre. The other day at Women’s College another politician arrived 40 minutes late and when it was his turn to speak he rambled on and on not knowing where the full stop should arrive.
Finally the seminar ran one hour late! Does an academic function require the paraphernalia of political pomposity? Time to debate this issue!
Mining Policy to be out soon!
Does the approval and implementation of the State Mining Policy (to be corrected to State Mineral Policy)depend upon the number of dead bodies in different coal mines in the state?
Everyday some life or the other is lost in these rat hole mines, yet the department is silent about the Policy.
The other day, Mr BM Lanong speaking as chief guest at a college seminar said, “If Government tells the mine owners to conduct their activities in a more responsible way, they turn back and ask, ‘Who are you to tell us?
The land is ours and we have a right to use what is above it and under it the way we choose to.’
It is not that we have not tried to regulate mining activities,” Lanong postulated…. Those present at the seminar looked at one another questioningly.
One scholar from outside Meghalaya asked a person next to him, “ Is Meghalaya out of the purview of the Constitution of India?
If not, then should the same principles of the Constitution that guide other states not prevail in Meghalaya?
How can one state enjoy the licentiousness to self destruct the environment?”
The person to whom this question was addressed told the quizzical onlooker to go and ask the Minister for Mining.
Yet again, the Mining Minister told the gathering at the college seminar that the Mineral Policy would be passed very soon.
How soon? No one knows.
But insiders privy to the new Policy say that the present one gathering dust in the chief minister’s secretariat is a hugely diluted and not the one that’s hanging in the Department website.
Apparently it underwent a major surgery after the Government invited stakeholders over for a discussion.
And pray who are the stakeholders?
All those with a vested interest in not having a Mineral Policy at all! What an irony indeed!
Too little for too many
These columns are about rumours that have the potential of turning into bitter facts.
The Secretariat grapevine says Meghalaya’s financial position is not exactly pretty.
Most departments are functioning on a shoe string budget.
And within that budget there are so many prospective wooers for Meghalaya’s money that very little actually remains in the State.
In recent times Meghalaya has entered a new phase of inviting experts on every subject under the sun.
They pay a flying visit here and give their worthy views on issues that the State has been unable to solve for years.
Is this because Meghalaya has no scientist/hydrologist/environmentalist/ geologist/ structural engineer / electrical engineer of repute and credibility that we need to import these brains from outside and pay them a bomb?
Looking at the quality of our roads and the faulty water supply system it evidently we would need to outsource even road construction and the entire water supply system.
A wag said it would be interesting to know how much of Meghalaya’s budget actually goes out to pay “experts.”