Editor,
Apropos the letter “ILP debate” by RG Lyngdoh it is correct that the demand for ILP is not something new. It has been the demanded of certain pressure groups since ages. But the question is how effective the system is the ILP? It is an open fact that the system has not been very effective in states where it is in force now. That means there is something wrong with the system and there is an urgent need to find an alternative to this system such as a three tier ID as suggested by Toki Blah and others. This is the age of globalization and we cannot remain untouched by it . Moreover, Shillong is a bustling metropolis. Trade and tourism are its lifeline, hence introducing ILP will certainly put it on the back foot. As we all know, ILP is an outdated system and its implementation will only bring about chaos rather than goodwill. Surprisingly, while on one hand we want to bring more tourists to this state by providing incentives to those setting up Home stays and Resorts, yet on the other we are hell bent on introducing something which will deter a genuine tourist from entering the state. We can take an example from the European Union where citizens of one country can enter another country just by producing a driver’s license or a national ID card. They can simply drive in and out of any country within the Union just by showing the above mentioned ID cards. Boundaries are disappearing there but here we are busy creating more boundaries amongst ourselves. So, the need of the hour is to develop an effective mechanism where unabated influx can be checked both for the benefit of genuine indigenous and non-indigenous inhabitants of this beautiful state. I support RG Lyngdoh’s call for a public debate on this ILP issue so that we can come up with a viable solution.
Yours etc.,
Rajesh Swarnakar,
AIWS,
Via email