Editor,
The science page of your esteemed paper has made reading more interesting and useful. What appeared under ‘Health Briefs’ May 22, 2013 is heartening indeed. For a while now I was worried about the radiation phobia our common people have about mobile towers. They have every right to do so and their fears of getting cancer from the radiation are genuine enough. As a science lecturer dealing in this field of study, I did think of writing to your paper to allay the fears of common people. But as the subject is highly scientific, it was not possible to reduce it to the level of the common person’s understanding. It is this unfounded fear of towers that has deprived us the full satisfaction of using iphones, ipads or even a simple mobile set. The above write-up in the ST will not only save the existing mobile towers but also encourage more towers in between for the sake of more signal power. Let us also not allow the people who fear these towers, be they our community leaders or common people to have a upper hand in decision making, otherwise we would have to revert to the land line. The trans- cables planted across the seven seas which give us the speedy information we now enjoy globally, of the order of 100 kilo bits per second would no longer be possible. Above all civilization would retreat to the 1970’s.
Yours etc.,
Wandell Passah,
Retd. HOD, Deptt of Electronics,
St. Edmund’s College
Cherrapunjee Ecological Project
Editor,
The project ‘Cherrapunjee Ecological Project-Restoration of Degraded Land under Sohra Plateau’ covering 45 villages of Sohra has been hailed by the local residents as an effort in the right direction to ameliorate the ecology and environment of Sohra Plateau amongst other things. The Soil Conservation Department has taken up the Project in right earnest with active participation of the residents of Sohra. But the sudden withdrawal of the project has shocked us. We wonder what prompted the State Government to take such drastic action. Our loss is perhaps due to one individual, Gilbert Rani whose address is dubious and who has expressed his profound joy at the sudden death of the project (ST April 23, 2013). He has given up hope of similar projects succeeding in Sohra. Wonder where he derives his expertise from. The Additional Chief Secretary, PBO Warjri has elaborated on the steps taken by the Department before coming up with the project, which I need not go into. He has in fact invited Mr Rani to engage in a discussion and share his expertise and knowledge with him or with the Soil Conservation Department but the person cannot be reached at his given address.
I invite Gilbert Rani to come and meet me and the people of Sohra at the office of the Syiem of Sohra any day during office hours to discuss the matter. Perhaps we could learn a thing or two on the said project.
Yours etc.,
Kansel Diengdoh,
Pdengshnong Sohra-twa,
Sohra
Football versus Cricket in Meghalaya
Editor,
Much before the state of the art, football infrastructure came to Shillong, football lovers of the city thought about the future prospects of the game and formed a club prefixing the name Shillong against the name of the club as ‘Shillong Lajong Football Club’ (SLFC). The efficient management of the core committee of the club viz: Sponsors, Managers, Coaches and Captains gave the club a national reputation. The club became entitled to participate in I-league against many affluent and renowned football clubs since 2009. We, Meghalayans are proud to say that Lajong is the only Football Club from North East India which is embedded in the football map of India. Though the Club is still young, its performances in the last season of I-league were creditable. If it continues with the same zeal the day will not be far off when it will acquire a berth amongst the top three Football Clubs in India. The recent recognition of one more football club from Meghalaya – ‘Rangdajied United Football Club’ (RUFC) added more charm for football lovers of North East India. It was happened only because of the complete dedication of the players and their mentors and the progressive attitude shown by the football lovers of Shillong/Meghalaya. As a football fan I wish all success to both the teams. Considering that football has been able to make such great leaps I wonder why another popular game – Cricket in Shillong has been running at snail’s pace? Is it due to mismanagement on the part of the Meghalaya Cricket Association or because of lack of financial resources? The answer is best known to the Organisation. If Cricket in Meghalaya is in a moribund state due to organisational problems then it requires to be immediately revamped to come up to the status of other sports in the State. .
In Shillong cricket is played in a different format and is still at the amateur stage. The Game is mostly confined to school/college/working personnel only. Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) though affiliated to BCCI, has, till date not made any headway. Nor has it been able to establish the credibility of the MCA. Till date no national level Cricket game has ever taken place in Shillong. The Cricket players/lovers of Meghalaya need revamp the management of the Meghalaya Cricket Governing Body and also seek the support of the Union Sports Ministry for assistance. All sport lovers of Shillong wish to see that Cricket like Football is elevated to the national level. Once national level Cricket is played here the BCCI will begin to scout for promising players from the State. Only then will lovers of Cricket be able to see their own young people playing at the national level. Will it not be a moral booster to sports lovers of Meghalaya?
Yours etc.
P B Das
Shillong-3