Editor,
Like putrid rotting drowned flesh, scams too have this funny habit of resurfacing to expose themselves to all and sundry. The latest are the hand in the tiller, let-me -help -myself and my family to public funds by the CEM of Jaintia Hills District Council. No shame, no remorse, only denial! The message instead being, “If in power its OK to pick everyone’s pocket.” I hope no offence is taken by the word “Pickpocket” but what other description can fit those who dip their dirty little fingers into the public exchequer. The second scam is a perverted example of the cliché- Love is Blind. A father /mother duo love their children so much as to allow this love to rob 77 other children of their hard earned merit. Yes I’m talking about foolish parental love as exhibited by the Director of Higher and Technical Education and his wife for their two undeserving girls. Idiots, like scams, will always be exposed. But that really is not the issue. The pertinent point is if a petty thief can be arrested why not thieves like those mentioned above!
But can’t let the above two feel lonely and neglected can we? Let’s dig up some more dirt shall we? At this juncture it would be pertinent to remind ourselves that Govt had leased out the weigh bridge (WB) along the NH at Umling, Ri Bhoi Dist. The job of this particular WB is to regulate the carriage of coal trucks to 9 tonnes per truck and to off load all coal found in excess. The toll agreed upon for each such 9 tonne load was Rs. 500. Now a lot of explanations are called for from this particular WB.
If the intention of the WB is to regulate carriage of coal at 9 tonnes, then why have the WB near Guwahati. Why not at the source of origin? Makes no sense. Secondly it seems that all coal trucks of Meghalaya are a shining example of integrity and honesty in the road transport system. For the last 10 years, not a single kilogram of overloaded coal has ever been off-loaded at the WB site. Exemplary honesty. But then why are the trucks being charged Rs 8000 per trip? Yes folks a whopping Rs 8000 per truck of coal at this WB! Govt gets Rs 500 and Rs 7500 per truck is pocketed by the operators.
So let’s calculate the damage being done. Minimum 1000 coal trucks ply this NH everyday. The operators therefore pocket 75 lakhs per day! In one year it comes to 273 crores and for the last 10 years its 2730 crores. Unbelievable and mind boggling but that’s the truth. Isn’t this a ripe juicy scam just waiting to be exposed? Where are the opposition party members in this? Why are they not raising a stink? And guess who is running this profiteering show? One is a sitting MLA who has been assigned an important portfolio in the Taxation Department. So even RTIs into the scam might not reveal anything. The second is the son of an ex CM. Powerful pickpockets. Something Meghalaya seems to have in abundance.
Name withheld on request.
Highway robbery and NGOs hypocrisy
Editor,
I fully agree with Lamchwa Mukhim in his letter to the editor of this esteemed daily (ST, 7th Feb. 2014) on “Rampant looting on the highways”. As a regular traveller along NH-44 in Jaintia Hills, it is very distressing to witness men in uniform brazenly rob from vehicles in broad daylight. In East Jaintia Hills District, these looting stations are not far from one another. It is not too distant from Ladrymbai to Khliehriat, from Khliehriat to Byndihati and from Byndihati to Lumshnong and so on where law enforcement personnel are conducting looting business. Not quenched with looting only from police stations, checkpoints etc.., some desolate places along the highway are also used by these people as extortion points. This shameless act conducted on the highway that connects Meghalaya with other states of the North East is showing our State in bad light on the people of other North Eastern states travelling through this route.
It is very unfortunate to see that the NGOs of Jaintia Hills who claim to work for the sake of the common man are silent on this. They have been very smart and overactive in going from one government department to another claiming that they have been righting all the wrongs detected but shut their eyes on these illegal actions committed by them. Is this because there is collusion between them and the law enforcement personnel? Is it because they too have a big share in that ill-gotten money? If these NGOs are right minded to do something to clean the dirt in the society, they have to do it by beginning from the hearths of their own organizations.
Yours etc.,
G.Rani
Shillong -8
Foul Journalism
Editor,
It is most distasteful to read in a vernacular daily the news item appearing on 07/02/2014 which maligned Pope Francis, the Vatican Chief for reasons best known to its Editor. The concerned U.N. report is in total contrast to what is being reported in the published news item, hence, a mere 6 (six) line clarification of a translation error is ridiculous apart from raising serious questions on the professionalism of the media house.
During the year when it celebrates 25 years of its journey with wide publicity of its activities, it would be prudent for the paper to issue a front page unconditional apology of the miscarriage of news as it has hurt the religious sentiments of lakhs of faithful who read the item in disbelief and shock.
It is also expected that the media fraternity, such as the Shillong Press Club and other organisations in Meghalaya come forward with a word of condemnation against the misdeeds of one of their own.
Yours etc,
B. Blah
Shillong – 3