For every customer a different attitude
If the shops and commercial establishments in the city are not accepting 50 p coins and do not return Re 1, Rs 2 etc for lack of change then the banks too are not far behind. Recently, a high valued customer visited SBI, Laitumkhrah to withdraw a large amount and asked the cashier to make him the payment in 4/5 denominations. But the cashier refused to pay him so and told the customer that he would be paid in the available denominations. The customer who has a high deposit base in the said bank is normally treated with respect because of his financial clout but the particular staff member did not know that. He was indifferent and rude. Later the staff asked him who he was and where he came from. The moment he learnt about the customer’s antecedents, all his ego vanished. He immediately acceded to the customer’s request and paid him all in the denomination he wanted. But is this how bank staff should pick and choose how they behave with their customers? In this respect some of the private banks behave much more professionally with one and all.
Who will punish the nuisance makers?
There is a place opposite the IT Department, Government of Meghalaya which is meant to provide it with uninterrupted power supply. This place has become the latest urinal. Here the male species is the guilty party. The workforce from every office nearby and even the passers-by use this corner to relieve themselves. The result is that the transformer has now got completely rusty with uric acid. Rust is like cancer and if that is not addressed at the nascent stage then it will spread into the entire body. It may be mentioned that there are several other DG sets in place adjacent to the rusting one but they are well guarded with boundary walls and so no passerby can openly urinate on those sets. Recently, the rusting DG set developed some snags and the department engaged some technical persons from another state to repair it. The technicians had to wear masks to combat the stench that emanated from the side of the DG set that has actually become an unofficial urinal. How did the citizens of this city turn so shameless? Interestingly even while the technicians were repairing the set there were still some people who opened their zips and freely urinated on that space!
The dimming DD
Mr DD Lapang the Congress chief seems to be completely overshadowed these days. Recently when Union Power Minister Veerappa Moily was in Shillong and addressed the media, it was Dr Mukul Sangma the Chief Minister who fielded all questions from nosy scribes, whether it was about power deals in Meghalaya or about other party matters. Mr Lapang was sitting quietly on Moily’s left while Dr Mukul Sangma was on his right. Is this an indication of things to come? While politics is unpredictable particularly in coalition politics, it seems pretty much like Dr Mukul Sangma is on the saddle both in the party and government. This is not a very healthy trend said one political observer. He observed that even in the Assembly all tough questions are handled by the Chief Minister himself. This time the Power Minister, AT Mondal was not even heard saying anything on Power. Interesting development! Is the CM doing the backseat driving for all departments? Is this a healthy trend?