It is perhaps an old habit
of the government to talk
big and make a thousand promises without fulfilling them.
‘Consider it done’, this is what the policy makers would usually say just to get rid of complaints.
Abraham Lincoln once said — Leave nothing for tomorrow what can be done today.
It’s funny when politicians would quote the Great Abe on this because what comes out of their mouth would very well contradict their actions.
‘Leave nothing for tomorrow’…..nah!!! That’s just not it, in the context of Meghalaya; it is more like ‘Leave everything for tomorrow’.
‘What can be done today’… well, this second half of Lincoln’s quote does holds true to some extend but a phrase that follows after that, gives a complete make-over to the whole statement.
It goes more like… ‘What can be done today then do it but if it goes incomplete then leave it forever’.
This is evident from the numerous projects that the various government departments has undertaken which when started would go incomplete and the most suitable example of them all is ‘The Crow borough’ at Khyndai Lad.
They would either fall short of funds, materials, manpower or the like but what they failed to realize is that, the end receivers are the general public who are perhaps, the worse sufferers.
When it comes to completion of any project, the next step is definitely maintaining the same or repairing the damaged area.
But, this sure doesn’t happen here as the departments would simply pass the bug on to the other saying ‘This is not my domain’.
Recently, the residents of Last Stop, Kench’s Trace have complained of a damaged, filthy drain in front of the Pala Complex at Last Stop here.
They said that the drain emitted bad odour as a result of accumulation of filth and unwanted things. Moreover, the area surrounding the complex was infested with flies and mosquitoes just adds to the fear of an epidemic.
According to the president of the global social welfare organization Martin Lyngdoh, the organization has approached the concerned departments for repairing and maintaining the drain, being the MUDA, PWD (Roads), the Municipality and even the local MLA.
However, their efforts proved futile. “They put off the matter for one reason or another but mainly for paucity of funds”, Lyngdoh said.
Moreover, the organization had personally contacted the Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh who according to them had given the assurance but till date, nothing could be done.
“The Safaiwalas (cleaners) of the Municipality never clean the drain even on request”, the GSWO president said adding that the duty is of the PWD (Roads).
When they approached the PWD (Roads), the answer that they received was ‘It’s the duty of the Municipality’.
Leave aside the departments, even the local MLA has sidetracked the maintenance work of the drain for want of the fund.
This is the lackadaisical attitude of the government departments and the MLAs here. They would simply pass the bug on to others and they are least bothered if the people are suffering because of their negligence.
Surely, if they claimed that they are responsible towards the public, they could all converge to repair and maintain the drain to regulate the flow of water and give a slab which could be used as a footpath so that nobody could throw rubbish and filth inside the drain.
Standing in the podium and making big speeches is not going to solve the problem. What they really should be doing is coming out of their stuffy office to feel the suffering of the people and make changes.
(By Ibankyntiew Mawrie)