SMB Garbage Vans
The Shillong Municipal vans which are supposed to collect garbage from householders and shops have gone kaput like the SPTS bus service in the city.
The civic authorities seem unable to maintain the rhythm of these vehicles as they arrive once a week in localities of the town said residents.
One can identify these vans as they blow their horn for half a minute after they arrive in a locality. But of late residents are seen running at the wrong vehicles thinking them to be the SMB vehicle in the morning.
The horn life in most of these vans is gone, too. Despite his best efforts the driver cannot get the horn to produce any sound. These horns too have gone kaput due to the continued pressure on the button. Perhaps SMB should have try other ways of sounding the horn to inform the public instead of depending on the normal ones attached to the steering.
The last time one heard kudos for SMB was during the eviction drive on some liquor dens from the Lower Laban area of the city. But that was during the British Raj when Sir Keane was the commissioner here. Post independence and Meghalaya’s own statehood all we have is a decrepit SMB! No offence meant!
Why did we vote him for?
Looking at the dilapidated roads, water scarcity, crooked lanes, in the the oldest village of Shillong – Laban one wonders how the MLA was voted for two consecutive terms.
The road near St John’s Church has huge craters. At the Last Stop, Amarnath Bhattacharjee Road, Bishnupur junction, Rilbong and elsewhere roads have deteriorated to a point of no return.
And then there is water scarcity in Howell Road, Madan Laban, Harisabha, Kench’s Trace among other localities. You begin to wonder what the role of an MLA is.
People from Greater Laban are furious that the present legislator has no policy when it comes to addressing these grave public issues.
The clogged public drains, need for drainage system in localities, staircases, water supply amenities, lane repairing etc. are crying for attention. But who cares? The votes have already been counted and people have to wait for four and a half years for change.
That is if the enlightened people of Laban-Rilbong actually want change. The present legislator is partial towards Lumparing whereas Greater Laban gets the short end of the stick. Amazing how peoples’ eyes remained closed during the run-up to the elections and suddenly opens up once the votes are counted.
No vision for a bigger market place
Iewduh is no longer a market but a den of anti-social activities especially once darkness sets in. There is no electricity to light up the market.
Shop owners say that even if electric bulbs are fitted to the street lighting facilities, those looking for trouble quickly shoot at those bulbs with their catapult. The Syiem of Mylliem admits complete helplessness say the shop owners. The sloppy cops/guard of the Syiem of Mylliem are laggards. State cops never step into Iewduh because apparently that is not within their beat or jurisdiction. Wonder who the shop-owners of Iewduh complain to when a crime is committed inside the market.
Today there are very few tribal shopkeepers in this market, although the place is more than just a market but is also the repository of ancient beliefs and rituals. All the lanes inside Iewduh are overcrowded as people sell their wares right in the middle.
The chicken market at Khlieh Iewduh is a classic case! The chicken baskets occupy the middle of the lane. No government has so far thought of developing alternative markets to decongest the Iewduh. It’s a pathetically unthinking set of legislators that we have! Perhaps they never visit Iewduh once elected. The Speaker should insist that MLAs visit Iewduh first before gallivanting abroad on useless trips at public expense