Editor,
The Jaintia Students’ Union is agitating from the June 26, 2013 as a mark of protest against the State Government for its alleged failure to address the demand put forth by the Union especially on health care matters such as the urgent need to set up a blood bank at Jowai, the upgradation of the existing Jowai Civil Hospital and the delay in shifting of the Civil Hospital to the new building at Ialong (ST June 24, 2013). No doubt , it is the primary duty of any government to provide the best health care that it can afford to its citizens. Therefore I see no hint of political motive in the movement of the Students’ Union. In fact, the shifting of the Civil Hospital to the new building at Ialong is beyond politics now since the Health Department has already incurred a huge expenditure for the constructions at the site . If called for, politics should have been played at the time when the proposal was initiated. At this juncture, generating protests such as against the distance of the new building or other ludicrous complaints are unfounded. In any case, a short distance is of no concern for the people of Jowai or for those from the other parts of the two Jaintia Hills Districts since in spite of the many inconveniences, they never hesitate to come all the way to Shillong or elsewhere far away from Jowai in search of the much needed health care. However, if it is mooted instead to expand the existing Civil Hospital building at Jowai , it can be taken up in due course as the demand for buildings for providing health care facilities is never ending. Jowai would eventually need a School of Nursing as well in line with that of Shillong and Tura . But as of now , public money that has been spent for the new building at Ialong cannot be allowed to flow down the drain. Therefore, shifting of the Civil Hospital to the new building and alternatively establishing a maternity and child care hospital at the old building at Jowai would be the ideal proposition for the present. The new building is conveniently located near the highway and it can be also utilised as the much needed trauma centre as well. This in itself is part of the upgradation process. Likewise setting up of the blood bank at Jowai is also an issue which needs to be taken up in right earnest and administrative problems should be addressed quickly . Now with the students agitation going on which undoubtedly is a movement for a genuine cause, it remains to be seen as to whether the people’s representatives from Jaintia Hills and particularly the longest serving representative from Jowai can really appreciate that the health of the people is wealth for which it has to be regarded as a priority issue before other trifling or paltry considerations
Yours etc.,
KL Tariang,
Via email
Down with the VIP tag
Editor,
It’s an unpleasant sight to see V.I.P’S cruising around in their S.U.V’s with tinted glasses on. The sole reason, as explained by the men in uniform is because some people need extra safety. May I ask the Government and the Police Department why the lives of only certain men/women is important in Meghalaya while the lives of the common man with a car is dispensable?
Ironically more crimes have been reported after the tinted glasses were done away with, so blaming the tints for crime isn’t rational. It is sad that in a democracy some people are more equal than others although they are supposed to be serving us the common man. Isn’t that the meaning of the word minister?
Yours etc.
Damien Cain Wankhar,
Shillong-3 .
Demand a blanket ban on mining
Editor
Coal is a supremely dirty fossil fuel and the largest single source of global warming and pollution in the world. From the destruction of mountain tops to the poisoning of our water and air to global warming, coal is a threat to health and environment. The people responsible for digging it up have proved to be even dirtier than the goods they peddle. Over the years, coal miners in our state have become rich and all powerful like no other community in Meghalaya. This they achieved through unscrupulous business dealings, environmental devastation, large-scale bribery of govt officials and ministers and tearing apart the social fabric of our society. The coal community makes no contribution to society and pays a paltry sum to the govt for carrying out mining activities. They bring in cheap labour from Bangladesh by procuring false papers and care not a whit about the demographic changes in the mining areas. The high crime rate in these areas including murder, rape and child labour is a side-effect of mining activities. As far as environmental devastation is concerned, enough material has been already published in your columns with specific examples by well-known environmentalists. I do not need to add to the ever-increasing list of poisoned streams and bald hills which we owe to our mining brethren. It is time to enforce a blanket ban on all mining activities in Meghalaya in the interest of the land and the people. Other states like Goa have done it successfully, so why not Meghalaya? Mere assurances from this Govt, known to be controlled by the mining lobby, are just not enough! If the Govt continues to vacillate like it has been doing for so many years, then it would be fitting for the Court to take suo moto notice and step in to safeguard our future. Mining has to be stopped immediately.
Yours etc.,
Kenneth Jyrwa
Shillong-4