By Eric Calvin Ranee
NONGPOH: After 21 years of getting the district status, Ri-Bhoi is still lagging behind in many spheres; yet there have also been some rays of hope for the people of the district to look forward to in the coming years and to hope of being at par with other developed parts of the country.
Ironically, there has been three Chief Minister from the district – (L) EK Mawlong (Umroi constituency), DD Lapang (Nongpoh constituency) and JD Rymbai (Jirang), but they have not been able to contribute much as is evident from the present state of affairs in the district.
The situation is clearly evident when one compares the tenure of the three Chief Ministers from Ri-Bhoi and the one-year tenure of (L) FA Khonglam as CM, who represented Sohra constituency in East Khasi Hills and set up many government offices in his constituency such as the office of the Executive Engineer, PWD and the Executive Engineer, PHE, among others.
Though, education is one of the topmost priorities of the State Government but even today there is no government college in the district. The Ri-Bhoi College in Nongpoh neither offers science or commerce streams at the higher secondary level nor does it offer honour courses at the degree level.
There is only one government higher secondary school in the entire district in Patharkhmah and the condition of the school is also not up to the mark due to lack of initiatives on the part of the government.
For the people of the district, a ray of hope emerged in the field of the education with the launch of noble schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Mid Day meal and Right to Education Act, all Centrally-sponsored schemes aiming at universalization of elementary education.
Due to these programmes, the conditions of the lower primary and upper primary schools showed improvement and the teachers, who were earlier poorly paid due to lack of funds, began to earn better salaries.
Another sector, which is accorded highest priority in the State, is the health sector, but even in this aspect, Ri-Bhoi has fared well. The Nongpoh Civil Hospital is a hospital just in name as it still functions as a Community Health Centre (CHC) in term of doctors and staffs strength and infrastructures.
There is no orthopedic surgeon, pediatrician and ENT specialist among other medical specialists in the hospital and the hospital is functioning sans a blood bank, endoscopy, CT scans and even the X-Ray machine is out of order.
The Primary Health Centres and the CHCs located in various parts of the district is functioning either with no or few doctors and nurses as per prescribed norms and some of the PHCs and CHCs run without proper water facilities and power supplies.
Due to the pathetic conditions of the PHCs and the CHCs, the patients from far flung villages have to rush to Nongpoh Civil Hospital and most of the time the patients in critical conditions are referred to Shillong.
However, after the introduction of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), there have been positive changes in the health sector in the district.
Despite the fact that five hydro-electric dams are located in Umiam in Ri-Bhoi district, yet the power supply in the district is erratic which has often lead to outbursts from the NGOs as well as the general public. There is power shortage in the district due to the setting up of Export Promotion Industrial Parks in Umiam and Byrnihat.
Safe and potable drinking water is still an unfulfilled dream in several parts of the district as many villages including Nongpoh, the district headquarter, is yet to be fully connected with water supply by the Public Health Engineering Department.
In the law and order front, the district has witnessed spate of violence from the NGOs over various issues such as construction of the four-lane project and uranium mining, among other issues.
However, the district has generally remained peaceful except for some sporadic arrests of HNLC and GNLA cadres in the district and the killing of Raymond Diengdoh (DSP) in Pahamdoh, Byrnihat in an encounter with the HNLC in 2007.
The GNLA are attempting to make the district as one of their areas of operation in Jirang areas but due to swift police actions their activities has still remained under check.
Another matter of grave concern for the people of the district and which has been an election agenda for all the politicians is the long pending border disputes with Assam in Raid Nongtung areas, Jirang and Khanapara among other where there has been regular interference and encroachment by Assam.
Road connectivity is still a matter of concern as most of the roads connecting various parts of the district with the district headquarter are kutcha roads, but the district has been fortunate enough to be blessed with the four-Lane project under construction and the Shillong Bypass in Umroi areas.
Despite having many grounds for developing into outdoor stadiums as well as indoor stadiums, there has been no keen initiative by the government to develop sports in the district which is one way to wean youths from indulging in anti-socials activities and landing in undesirable camps.
The Kurkalang Stadium in Bhoirymbong which is yet to be completed for donkey years itself speaks volumes about the Government’s apathy.
The coming of 6th MLP Battalion in Ri-Bhoi district was one of the most welcoming news for the people of the district especially the unemployed youths but to their utter disappointment only eighteen youths were recruited in the Battalion.