Editor,
The Urban Affairs Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh in yet another impressive function flagged off 20 more buses(special) for the benefit of students and office goers. Hats off for the concern, but for which constituency? As everyone can see that these non- stop public transports including the maxi taxis are moving only towards Laitumkhrah and onwards; we see them every five or ten minutes. We , the residents of Upper Kench’s Trace, Bishnupur, Rilbong, Madan Laban and Laban are deprived of this benefit. We have to walk half a mile to reach the taxi stand. Having reached there the driver may or may not wish to transport us depending on his mood. Are these constituencies outside the Shillong Municipal jurisdiction? Don’t they pay taxes too? Ironically some constituencies which are not paying taxes are enjoying the most benefits. Will someone please justify this?
In the interest of fairness and justice the Government should provide the same facilities to all residents of Shillong city. Here are some suggestions: Buses should have numbers and the name of the destination; the routes they pass through should be flashed in the front and at the back of the vehicle. Time table boards with destinations should be displayed at all the main stations. Lastly, random charges should be stopped. Fares should be fixed according to distance, and information about this should be made available to the commuters.
Yours etc.,
Mary Louise Kharmawphlang
Via e-mail.
Do we know our Constitution?
Editor,
Sometimes I wonder if any one of our elected politicians, appointed bureaucrats, government officers (both high ranking and low), government servants and the general public really read and understand the Constitution. Do we know that the Constitution is the supreme authority of the country? Yes, politicians quote the Constitution in cases where they feel that it would benefit them but the depth of their understanding and knowledge seems doubtful. Take the case of the Chief Minister’s utterances a few days back on implementation of regulations to check influx. The CM cautioned that “there was a need to strike a balance between controlling migration of people from other parts of the country into Meghalaya and the Constitutional rights of citizens of the country to settle anywhere in India.” I don’t know why it was not mentioned that as per the same Article 19 of the Constitution guaranteeing the freedom of citizens to settle in any part of the country, the right is subject to subject to reasonable restrictions by the State in the interest of the general public or for the protection of the scheduled tribes, because certain safeguards as are envisaged here seem to be justified to protect indigenous and tribal peoples from exploitation and coercion. Take again, the common excuses that the members of the KHADC and JHADC give for not restricting the issue of Trading Licenses to non tribal businessmen. They quote another freedom out the five freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 19 – the Freedom to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business. They say that non issue of trading license would violate this freedom. However, they fail to notice that firstly, while guaranteeing this freedom, the Constitution had provided that the State may impose reasonable restrictions on the freedom in the interest of the general public. Moreover, Para 10 of the Sixth Schedule gives the District Council the power “to make regulations for the Control of money-lending and trading by non-tribals”. The only restriction on enforcing this power by the District Councils is given as, “Provided further that it shall not be competent under any such regulations to refuse the grant of a licence to a money-lender or a trader who has been carrying on business within the district since before the time of the making of such regulations.” Yet, here we are, with the geniuses quoting bits and pieces of the Constitution, justifying God knows what.
Yours etc.,
T Wanniang,
Via email
How transparent is MPSC?
Editor,
Through this letter, I wish to air my views on the so called transparency and clean image of the MPSC under the new Chairman who has a reputation of having a clean image and who give weightage to merit. The recently concluded interview for the post of Inspector of Excise and the declaration of the results just hours after the interview shocked me. Did the MPSC take into consideration the performance of the candidates purely on the interview or on the written examination as well?. If the MPSC is really transparent why not declare the percentage/ marks obtained by candidates. My ward is a good student right from his school and college days and the efforts put by him during this examination was tremendous. But how did he suddenly become so bad during the interview? Is it because the Chairman & Co. have already finalised the candidates even before the interview was over? I know the questions raised will fall on deaf ears and for many it might look like a case of sour grapes, but to a few who care to understand, it is a matter of great concern.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request