Editor,
We the undersigned landowners were shocked to read in the Letter to the editor’s column under the caption “Shillong Golf Course” by A.H. Scott. Lyngdoh” where he has mis-read the lease as well as the legal status of the Golf Course and we being one of the land owners of the Shillong Golf Course comprising an area of 54.77 acres more or less, wish to clarify that we are still the legal and absolute owners of our land and the status of the Shillong Club is nothing more than a lessee (tenant). At no point of time was the Golf Course acquired from us or from our predecessors in interest by the Shillong Club as falsely claimed. Further, the Shillong Club is paying the yearly rent to us, the landowners till date.
So, in this matter our valuable legal and constitutional rights over our property cannot be allowed to be taken away by the Shillong Club.
Yours etc.,
Unikey Kharkongor,
Nearly Kharkongor (Landowners)
Shillong-3
Wanted more ATMs in Tura
Editor,
The State Bank of India (SBI) ATM service in Tura is very erratic. SBI makes huge promises through advertisements about their services and to a great extent they are successful in fulfilling those promises in many places, but their service in Tura is far from satisfactory. There are very few ATM counters around Tura. These cannot cater to the needs of thousands of SBI customers. One has to stand in the queue for long hours to withdraw money, thereby defeating the very purpose of an ATM. To add to our woes many ATM counters remain shut after sunset. The customers of SBI in Tura turn to the ATM to avoid standing in long queues in the branch to withdraw money. The branch staff too encourage their customers to use ATM cards, but after reaching the ATM counter they experience the same hurdle. At times people literally pull and push each other to withdraw their hard earned money. Customers often are so agitated that they all try to enter the ATM room together thereby violating the mandatory secrecy rule. I request the SBI authorities in Tura to set up a few more ATM counters with one security personnel attached so that the customers feel comfortable to approach it. After all SBI is the largest Bank in India.
Yours etc.,
S D Sangma
Police Reserve,
Tura
Confusion about the IBDLP
Editor ,
In the news item “Not much to cheer about” (ST 17th June 2013) it was reported that the Government continues to give importance to the Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Programme and the Aquaculture Mission. Being curious as to what the Basin Development is all about, I searched the internet and also made enquiries. I am really amazed by what I got. The approach and the strategy of the programme as laid down are fantastic. The ideas are wonderful and creative but only if we live in a perfect world where everything gets done at the snap of a finger. To those who have conceived the project it appears that there are no barriers which could concern people living in the real world. In fact, I learned that a book about the programme has already been published. I am sure it will be a best seller in the fiction section. I also wonder why the term “Basin” is used. It not only sounds big but basin is surely massive. Much more than catchments or watersheds! However, from what I have heard the implementation so far is done in small patches with a little polishing of what has already existed in some cases. There is no plan even for a micro watershed approach. Therefore if the “Basin” is the target then it will be a long way from here to eternity. It is doubtful if the programme would even last for a decade . It is also projected that there will be various Missions under the programme though missionaries are yet to be in place. For instance, in the Aquaculture Mission, the same government officials who over the years have been used to simply doling out fishery grants to the public are responsible for the implementation in the field. Surprisingly, I also learned that the majority of the officials who are engaged in spearheading the Basin Development programme are themselves confused as to what it is all about and could hardly convince other officials or the public
K Dkhar,
Shillong-2
Coping with loneliness
Editor,
Today many teenagers and youth suffer from depression as a result of prolonged loneliness. So how do we cope with loneliness? We have evolved to be social animals and work, live and cooperate together to survive. If people don’t get adequate social interaction and that too, intimate enough, then they experience what is called loneliness. When we interact with others many chemicals are at play from oxytocin and serotonin to dopamine and epinephrine and so on. These chemicals bring about the many feelings we experience that have to do with bonding, happiness, contentment, flight or fight response, etc. However interacting with certain objects that need not necessarily be humans also releases/produces certain chemical processes that would also happen when one interacts with others. When we lack adequate intimate relation with like-minded people then we could temporarily keep loneliness at bay by inducing similar physiological responses through interacting with objects such as watching TV, reading books, taking a walk out in a crowded place and just observing people without having to actually talk to them, playing with pets (if we have any) and writing amongst other activities.
Yours etc.,
Abner Ingty Watre,
Via email