Editor,
While appreciating our Hon CM’s concern for our state having failed to tap its hydel resources (S.T. 6th August, 2012) I would like to point out one geographical error in the content of his speech. Meghalaya has an area of roughly 19,200 sq kms and to expect that we can tame our rivers not to repeat flood havocs in the mighty Surma Valley of 1,02,000 sq kms is asking for too much. When the monsoon is in its fury the rivers of the Brahmaputra are no match to the rivers of the Surma. Soso Tham’s poem “Ka Lyiur” says “Hangno ka Brahma ha khmat ka Surmah” which in literal translation means ” The Brahma rivers will shy away from competing with the Surma feeding rivers. If the purpose of a dam is to benefit power generation then yes, but if it is to tame these rivers to be soft and considerate to the Surmah Valley then it is a misconceived idea. No power on earth can ever stop the flooding of Surma during monsoons. It is a natural course of event and it would be prudent if this topic of floods is left alone.
Yours etc.,,
Wandell Passah,
Ret. H.O.D.
What a justification!
Editor,
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Bindo Lanong has done it again! In the latest of a series of embarrassing gaffes, the minister has come into the limelight again for the wrong reasons – providing a service extension of 2 years to his favourite bureaucrat in the State Sports Council. Faced with condemnation by the entire population, the minister did a quick about-turn and reduced the extension to 1 year, justifying it with the remark that the person concerned was indispensable to sports projects and his absence would create delays. One wonders what earth-shattering contributions this bureaucrat has made in his line of work to justify this remark. As I understand it, the man is a diploma holder and not a full fledged engineer who rose through the ranks by currying political favours. A diploma holder who becomes Chief Engineer of a government department does not bode well for the state in any case.
Lame excuses seem to be the order of the day for Mr Lanong. Not too long ago, the minister was in the news for using the police to harass an eminent journalist from the Jaintia hills, just because he didn’t like what was written about his inefficient style of functioning! The minister is already being roundly criticized by all and sundry for refusing to bring out a mining policy. He has hemmed and hawed and brought out a string of lame excuses to justify his inaction. Promises have been made and broken almost instantaneously. This can be interpreted as pandering to the moneybags of the mining belt to finance his next election. Despite a recent horrific incident in which a large number of people lost their lives working in the dangerous coal mines, Mr Lanong has chosen to keep mum to protect his benefactors. Its time people like Lanong are held accountable and not allowed to slip away. Mukul Sangma has lost much credibility in the eyes of the people by closing his eyes to the misdemeanours of ministerial colleagues like Mr Lanong.
Yours etc.,
Mylene R
Shillong -14
Need for introspection
Editor,
With regard to the recent controversy regarding the extreme difficulty parents face in meeting the principal of St Mary’s College, I have to say that I found the response of the Vice Principals to be in extremely bad taste. It shows that the institution treats important feedback in a flippant and dismissive manner and reflects badly on the college. One would definitely take strong exception to being addressed as “dear brave parent” publicly. It implies an unspoken threat to the concerned parent and the tone used is insulting to say the least. The fact that a parent had to resort to writing a letter in the newspaper in order to get their attention speaks volumes of the way the institution is being run by the administrators. Instead of wasting time in targeting the parent for making a genuine complaint, they should focus on addressing the problem. More importantly, they should be “brave” enough to take feedback positively and make changes. Just getting students and teachers of the college to write glowing testimonials is not going to make the problem go away! So dear administrators, be brave and listen to what people are saying about you before it is too late
Yours etc.,
Richard Lyngdoh
Shillong -4