Editor,
I had the good fortune to meet the Meghalaya I.G.P, C.R.P.F last week, prior to his next posting in Delhi as I.G.P, R.A.F (Rapid Action Force). He is a person of great charm, instinctively drawn to serve the public good. The loss of his presence will be felt by many. What I have to say is about the lamentation of the I.G.P, that 500 vacancies (which could be stretched to 1000) cannot be filled. Is it the reluctance of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo youth to leave hearth and home, or some gaps in the recruiting process which stand in the way? After all, a starting salary of Rs 30,000/- per month (lodging, food etc free) is enticement enough, given the shrinking vacancies in the Govt. sector. Even height concessions and the prospects of a ten year home posting for tribals have not helped. Your columns, having such a wide coverage, should enable interested readers to respond with suggestions how not to miss such opportunities.
Yours etc.,
A. H. Scott Lyngdoh
Land Ceiling Act – an imperative
Editor,
Barnes Mawrie in the article “Wanted a Land Ceiling Act” has pointed out how rich coal miners are aggrandizing themselves with land acquisition. The fertile farmlands of Bhoi are being grabbed en masse by coal barons from Jaintia Hills who are buying up everything in sight and not for innocent activities like farming, mind you. Their agenda is far more twisted. First, exploit Jaintia Hills to the fullest till the coal runs out (which won’t be long) and the place cannot sustain another living being. Then abandon ship and smoothly migrate to greener pastures elsewhere, where the same modus operandi can be applied till every tree has been cut, every rock has been upturned and every stream has been poisoned to fill their coffers. This is the gruesome fate which awaits us if unscrupulous coal barons are allowed to gain a stranglehold over land and natural resources in farm belts. That is the biggest reason why the Land Ceiling Act becomes so crucial to our survival. It is to stop these environment-murdering, child-enslaving coal miners from doing to the rest of the state what they have done to the Jaintia Hills. Jaintia Hills is no longer a disaster waiting to happen. The disaster has already happened and there is no turning back the clock from here on.
The city of Shillong has seen a planned exodus from Jaintia hills in the past few years. Over 70% of prime land and properties have been quickly bought up at astronomical sums by rich coal miners which has driven real estate prices through the roof and beyond the means of ordinary working class citizens. The mantra has been to “buy, buy and buy” regardless of the cost. Prime properties are being quickly converted into malls and apartments to enable the rich miner to transition into his new avatar of rich landlord, thereby burying his infamous legacy in the coal pits soon to be forgotten. What will instead emerge is a God-fearing, church-going, righteous individual, the new face of the destroyer of Jaintia Hills. At the rate of current acquisitions, it is only a matter of a few more years before Shillong and Ri Bhoi become the private property of a few rich coal miners from Jaintia Hills. Unless we stop them now through concerted efforts at all levels.
Yours etc.,
Charles Lyngdoh,
Nongpoh.
Innovative thinking
Editor,
Considering the alarming state of our environment due to human activities like deforestation, unhygienic dumping of wastes, forest burning etc., it is high time to think seriously but also go for alternative practices with renewable and sustainable ones. What interest me is to learn that the government has come up with a solution in the form of a pilot project for Bio-digester toilets as proclaimed by C & RD Minister, Prestone Tynsong (The Shillong Times, Dated 04/07/2013). Initially introducing Bio digester toilets in few selected villages would be an ideal plan so that on successful operation, the same projects can be replicated in the rest of the villages.
Bio digester toilet works on the simple principle that methane gas is generated by the anaerobic breakdown (in absence of oxygen) of organic matter (human excreta, animal excreta, household or agricultural wastes). Methane gas being colourless, flammable and non toxic can be allowed to minister the gas stoves of our kitchen to get our food cooked. These types of renewable energy projects have been implemented and are now running successfully in some states like Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep and Uttarakhand (with climate almost identical as Meghalaya) and therefore there is no doubt that the same technique be feasible in Meghalaya. I strongly believe, if the government implements these type of project, thousands of trees would be saved; Carbon dioxide concentration would be under control consequently maintaining the earth temperature under limit, besides providing a source for decentralised power generation. Hence, I hope this letter goes to the ears of main agencies, Meghalaya Non Conventional & Rural Energy Development (MNREDA), Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission (MSERC), Meghalaya Energy Co-operation Limited), Meghalaya State Designated Agency/ Inspectorate of Electricity (MSDA) and in fact the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) which is part of the flagship program “Integrated Basin Development Livelihood & Promotion Program (IBDLP)” with “Energy Mission” under its umbrella.
Yours etc.,
Fullmoon Lyngdoh
Langtor (Mairang)