Editor,
I have been maintaining the garden and plantation around the Khyndailad rotary (the heart of Shillong) for the last four years. We all earn a meagre salary. We are not doing this work for the money but because we get the satisfaction of keeping Shillong ‘green and clean’. On Aug 16 and even before that, (unfortunately I was in Guwahati) my team of boys called up saying that government officials or drivers raised their hands and abused them for cleaning the long divider. These were all ML-01 vehicles; they were parking where they are not supposed to. We have been cleaning as much as we can all the weeds, rubbish, broken bottles, used condoms, dead rats and even human excreta from this ‘prime’ location for so long. All collected rubbish is heaped everyday in a corner for the Municipal authorities to pick every morning. My question is, why hit village boys (orphans, uneducated and poor that I chose to help me with the work)? Is it because they are not educated to be able to stand up to you? Well I am not rich or a big official either. But I dare our esteemed ‘frustrated officials and government drivers’ to come help clean the above mentioned “rubbish” instead of bullying people who are quietly and respectfully doing their jobs. I shall be grateful if you would kindly use your esteemed newspaper to bring this incident to light so that the concerned authorities will do something to stop this ‘ktah kti and abusing’ which is an extra burden on us.
Yours etc.,
Ashley Erasmus Lyngdoh.
Via email
Why is Social Welfare Dept worried?
Editor,
Apropos the letter by one Margaret Bamon, (ST Aug 14, 2012) I would like to reiterate that the CSWO complained to the Director, Social Welfare with regards to the upper age limit not being mentioned in the advertisement for the post of Mission Director for the Women’s Resource Centre. The States of Haryana and West Bengal have clearly mentioned the upper age limit for the same post while the advertisement of the Social Welfare Department, Meghalaya, clearly gave this a miss. So there was no question of misleading by the CSWO in any way. Our main concern is that procedures and rules be upheld in the strictest manner so as to avoid corruption especially of centrally sponsored schemes. There is no need for the Social Welfare staff, Margaret Bamon to feel insecure as we are just trying to point out certain procedures that may have been overlooked by the Social Welfare Department.
Yours etc.,
Agnes Kharshiing
President CSWO.
Matter of pride
Editor,
We turned six on August 14 2012. The cobalt machine started treating cancer patients six years ago and around 2000 patients have benefited from it since then and from the dedicated staffs of the department of Radiation Oncology Civil Hospital Shillong. I salute the Health department, the Civil Hospital Shillong, the staff, the Cobalt machine and foremost our patients.
Yours etc.,
Dr Judita Syiemlieh.
Civil Hospital Shillong, Meghalaya,
Wanted equal treatment
Editor,
We are all Indians. The intention of the comment is not to accuse anyone but to say that there should be same treatment and equality for people from other parts of India residing in the north east. But people of this region label those coming from outside the north east as ‘outsiders’. Indians cannot be outsiders in their own country. The word outsider is used as a mockery. Others cannot buy property, do business, buy a house, and get a job in the north east. To go to there we need permission though we are Indians. But they have full access outside their own region. Moreover, the tribes of north east enjoy reservations. The media in the north east is also very biased. The extortion and killing of the people from outside the region is never highlighted. Many underground outfits extort money from the people working in the north east and when searched by police they come to hide in places like Bangalore. Some insurgent groups have even demanded a separate country. The other states have integrated with the country after Independence. The north east too should integrate. North easterners claim full rights outside the region. Similar treatment should be meted out for people from outside the north east who reside there. They should also enjoy all constitutional rights. We are brothers and sisters to each other. Come to Bangalore but also allow us to also work and stay in the north east.
Yours etc.,
Stany Fernandes,
Via email
Taming our rivers
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.,