Editor,
The ST editorial “Help the accident victims” brings good news to all. My big “thank you friends’ to the NGO sponsoring the related public interest litigation (PI.L). This world has changed a lot when ‘Good Samaritans’ in the society ‘Good Samaritan doctors’ in hospitals are few and far between. The only good ‘Good Samaritans’ left are the poor and downtrodden who would now be more prompt than ever to help accident victims. The only modification I would like to suggest is regarding the comprehensive list of hospitals to be listed out by the government. An accident is an accident and the nearest hospital (nearest by way of time not by kilometers) should be selected to bear the responsibility of treatment. Accident tribunals should act in full swing and let us from now on see the true meaning of Insurance Cover. Let every vehicle owner realize that Insurance Cover is not so much about damage to his or her car and its decoration. It is more to do with compensating the family of the accident victim. While Insurance cannot restore a life lost but financial relief to the surviving members of the family is of great help especially if the deceased was an earning member. It will also serve as a lesson to the culprit driver that the life lost due to his/her negligence or arrogance is not free of cost. And to help the police with investigation let us see that all vehicles have legible number plates. So long as number plates can be folded, or hid behind some photos of Shah Rukh Khan or any celebrity, catching the culprits in accidents of hit and run cases is not easy.
Yours etc.,
Wandell Passah,
Nongkrem.
Bandits in uniform
Editor,
On a recent visit to Tura, just after Goeragre, our vehicle was stopped by a number of persons in camouflage dress and with black bandanas covering their faces. They had AK series guns and their leader could speak English while others knew only Hindi. I found the same thing happening at Lower Chandmary, Tura on July 31, 2012. They stopped all the vehicles to check their papers and enquire about the place from where they were coming and their destinations. We were told by others that these are Meghalaya Police Commandos checking for militants. While we support such checking and would like to request all the members of the public to cooperate with them, can the police authorities please clarify as to why these commandos have to cover their faces while conducting the checks? Are they genuine police personnel or are they bandits and thugs, trying to extort money from the public who may not have their vehicle papers in order ? How can we be sure that they are not the militants themselves? Why do they need to cover their faces with black bandanas? Why are they scared to reveal their identities? They neither carry their identity cards nor reveal their Belt Numbers even when challenged. Will the DGP or the IGP concerned please ensure that such checks are carried out in a legal and transparent way so that the members of the public are not harassed unnecessarily ? The personnel conducting these checks were also rude and mis-behaved with a number of persons inside the vehicles. It looks like they are showing off power just because they have guns in their hands ? It is high time the Meghalaya Police top brass get their personnel trained in “protocol and procedures in public handling” as is being done in other states of our country and in other countries. Politeness and courtesy by such persons coming in direct contact with the public would go a long way in building trust and confidence of the public in the Police Department. In return the police will get the whole hearted cooperation from the public.
Yours etc.
Nikwat Sangma
Shillong
Inefficient SMB
Editor,
I am a businessman from Shillong and have to renew all the licenses for running my business smoothly. I want draw the attention of the concerned authorities about the inefficienct functioning of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB). One has to visit the office at least 4 times before one can meet the person in the licensing department as he is never in his chair. One can understand if the CEO is missing since he must be holding other charges as well but what about the person whose only job is to be there in the office for issuance and renewal of licenses?
Its only when you have to make payment that one visit is sufficient. But again when u have to collect your license the people there make u feel that are a beggar. I have visited the SMB 13 times but half the time the person in the licensing department (I know his name but would rather not disclose it) is either not available or gives the excuse that the CEO is not there. In such circumstances it can be understood how difficult it is to do business in Meghalaya. The license fee has also increased by more than five times than the previous years and we the common people are harassed by these workers of the SMB who only need a government job so that they have a regular income without working.
Yours etc.,
A Lyngdoh,
Via email
Meghalaya Govt website
Editor,
The website of the state government is not secure. When you visit the site it shows
“There is a problem with this website’s security certificate. The security certificate presented by this website was not issued by a trusted certificate authority. The security certificate presented by this website was issued for a different website’s address.
Security certificate problems may indicate an attempt to fool you or intercept any data you send to the server.”
I don’t know whom to contact. Kindly visit the website and verify for yourself.
Yours etc.,
Eric Pakma,
Via email
Porous borders
Editor,
Apropos the letter ” Kokrajhar Violence” it is indeed very true that the land belonging to local indigenous population bordering the areas of Meghalaya is slowly being usurped by the illegal migrant population from across the border. The borders are so porous that one can easily walk in out of Indian to Bangladesh and vice versa without any hassle and I have witnessed it myself in the past. Just the other day the I heard a Union Minister commenting in Times Now that nobody is an illegal immigrant in Kokrajhar district and that all of them are Indian citizens. He also had the audacity to say that the borders are sealed and no one can pass across it . What a shame ! It seems he is not familiar with the ground realities. I challenge him to come here, take a walk with me in the adjoining border areas and I can show how him how easy it is top cross the border; that too in broad daylight. Its very easy to sit in Delhi and make comments!
Yours etc.,
Rajesh Swarnakar,
Via email