By Rajib Roy and Ibankyntiew Mawrie
As Meghalaya gears up to vote with less then a month to go, there are several public related issues that need solution.
According to a survey carried out by The Shillong Times in a few constituencies of Shillong, touching almost every aspect affecting public, it is gathered that apart from lack of drainage system and sanitation, street lights, bad roads, lanes etc are among the problems plaguing every constituency.
Public are of the view that irregular supply of PDS (public distribution system) items, domestic LPG cylinders, paraffin among others should be addressed by the MLAs who play the role of lawmakers in the parliament and State ssemblies. These respondents from every constituency in the city said that it is also the duty of the MLAs to ensure that beneficiary items are delivered at consumers’ doorsteps.
The respondents observed that they have to deal with untimely and irregular supply of PDS items whereas bogus entries are made on the customers’ ration books about those items that are never supplied. They have blamed the state consumer and supply department for this daylight robbery meted upon by the Government Fair Price Shops (GFPS) for not carrying out inspections to check such malpractices. These respondents have alleged that the officials of the said department are working ‘hand in glove’ with the GFPS to carry on with these ‘open lootings’.
Bad roads and lanes are a common sight including the major thoroughfares and highways with big potholes. A Keating Road resident observed that unless the PWD engineers and officials are held responsible with warnings to the extent of suspension from service for doing such ordinary work nothing can assure better quality.
Street lights have been another persistent problem faced by residents of many localities. With dysfunctional street lights in every constituency of the city leaving them in steep darkness everyday after dusk with nuisance mongers gaining control over, public response said that they stand mostly affected by this.
This problem is closely followed by illogical and colorless speed breakers with no road signs or names to indicate particularly those vehicles which are new to the city. A resident of Garikhana said that in some areas the speed breakers exist after every few meters.
The biggest bone of contention for the residents of every neighborhood in the city is the irregular supply of domestic LPG cylinders. There are demands from consumers to allot more gas agencies particularly in those areas where there is no agencies and the nearest such agency exists miles away. These areas are identified as Lawmali, Bishop Cotton Road, Madan Laban, Malki and parts of Jaiaw, Laitumkhrah, Mawprem among other areas. A resident of Mawprem said that refill supply within 48 hours and home delivery may never become a reality in the city where gas agencies run their own regime.
Public transport has improved comparatively in Laban whereas Jaiaw, Nonghtymmai remains aloof. Water scarcity is found to be the next big bone of contention after domestic LPG cylinder as Laban, Laitumkhrah, Nongthymmai, Malki are suffering from acute shortages. The people of Pynthorumkhrah said that this is the most neglected constituency in the city followed by Jaiaw.
There are responses from the residents of Pynthorumkhrah that the sitting legislator have not done anything towards delivering public services to the people of this constituency as crooked roads and other infrastructures, lack of flood controlling measures, water scarcity, PDS supply remains affected largely.
Similar comments also came from the people of Jaiaw whereas Laban is comparatively better developed followed by Mawprem, said their respondents.