Editor,
I am not against bandhs and nor do I support them. I am an observer of what happens a day before the bandh call. The markets and street are crowded. There is heavy traffic which starts from the afternoon. In every nook and corner of the city, shops are crowded by affluent customers whose requirement is for 1-2 days of grocery but will do the purchasing for one week as if all the commodities will vanish. And the buying spree continues till late at night. There is no ending to the exercise of buying. It is interesting to note that the happiest lot are the traders. They have a field day and they enjoy every moment of it because the sale for that particular evening exceeds the sale for one week in normal times.
We have another class of people called office goers (employee- state, central, banks, insurance, etc). For them bandhs, office picketing (not night road blockades) are welcome breaks, because it is a paid holiday for them. In fact they are great supporters of bandh/office picketing irrespective of the issue. The bandh of 36 hours this time had an added bonus because of one day of picketing on the 13th December. Enjoy! Alas! The bandh was short-circuited.
But there is another class of people called “aam-aadmi” – the common man. They earns their livelihood by hard labour every day. They come from long distances to sell their goods to earn two square meals. The issue for calling bandhs are many but the suffering is only for the common man. For them bandhs are not paid holidays, but nightmares. Loss of one working day for them is loss of one meal. Nobody pays any attention to their complaints/grievances because they are people with no voices. For them life must go on, bandh or no bandh. Long live aam-aadmi. Its time to have the Aam Aadmi Party here!
Yours etc., ,
K. Khongrymmai
Shillong -6.
Public outcry against sand mining
Editor,
The other day there was a public outcry from the citizens of Shillong asking the government to “ban sand quarrying”, as this is causing damage to the water adjoining these areas. The excess sand has fallen into these areas clogging up the streams. Take for example the Umtyngar.river. From ancient times this river has served the people residing all along the banks for miles and miles. Its sparkling, clean, clear water is used by the people for drinking, washing and bathing. The animals come here to drink also. But now, within a short time, the water is polluted by a thick layer of sand seeping into it. Its no longer potable. The Scouts and Guides and others cannot swim there anymore. When asked how he would deal with this problem, Dr Sangma gave a glib reply, “we will regulate the supply”. Dr. Sangma do you have a policy chalked out for this? This is a policy matter. We cannot be fooled any longer, but we want to see your Policy in black and white to believe you. Many times when we point to the problems around you always say, “the matter is being looked into”, but no matter how many reminders are sent, no action is taken and five years just disappear with total unconcern from the government. Or do you mean the matter has been locked in, never to be heard again?
What are the Legislators doing? Keeping quiet?. As a body they should stand together with the opposition party and fight it out before all our water resources, rivers and streams dry up. In the hills we can’t dig for water, then we will have to migrate to the plains, and on bended knees and folded hands, beg the” U Dkhar”, who at present we look down on, for a place to live in. Now our Khasi men, youth and women should team up with Toki Blah and his team to stand up and take up this cause. It’s a case of Do or Die. Time moves fast. Don’t delay. I am referring to the Chipko movement where the people surrounded the trees, and the forest and the trees were saved. Their livelihoods were ensured. Without that forest they would all die. I dread to think that we will lose all our water resources and be forced to migrate. Act now and ban sand quarrying for 10 years immediately otherwise all our forests and water resources are doomed.
We have always entrusted most of our affairs to the Rangbah. So long they have come to our rescue. Of late they seem to shy away and back out. Their voices are no longer strong. Look at the Smit incident not even one man tried to save 3 lives! It’s an urgent call – a case of life and death. Agitate till the sand digging stops. There are means of getting wealth. Tourism preserves the environment, Let us promote horticulture. What will happen to your betel nut and betel leaves without that drip irrigation?
Yours etc.
Queenie Rynjah,
Shillong-4