Editor,
It is only March and the water level in the Umiam reservoir is already alarmingly low, with many island-like land masses protruding high above the water as though trying to indicate that this is the ideal time to dredge the lake bottom and make it deeper so that it can hold more water.
The rains are still a long way off and judging from what we have seen over the years, the monsoons are receding, and rainfall in Meghalaya has become sparse and intermittent. For the last several years the Umiam reservoir has not filled to over flowing as it used to previously.
The reason for this change in climate is glaringly evident as rampant unabated tree felling is going on all over the state, ostensibly in the name of ‘development’ as more and more settlements are sprouting up everywhere. When one travels in the night, one can see lines of fire burning on the hillsides as more forest cover is denuded perhaps for ‘Jhum’ cultivation. How can clouds possibly bring rain if the hot air rising from bare hillsides keep blowing them away before they can condense into water?
If the government is helpless in tackling such matters, can’t some NGOs step in and try to stop further deforestation before things get worse, since such organizations seem to wield considerable clout in the state? Unless the people, right from the grass roots level, are made aware of the consequences of this thoughtless destruction of nature, everyone will have to suffer. In a state where water is always in short supply, rainfall is crucial to everyone’s existence. If something is not done soon to address this problem, there is every likelihood that Meghalaya might soon be known as ‘Megh-away’, as rain clouds give us a wide berth and go on their way in the coming monsoons.
Yours etc.,
Paramita Sarma
Powergrid Colony
Shillong.
AAP’s national ambition
Editor,
For a moment let’s believe that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) promises to make revolutionary changes in the political system to eradicate corruption and the humiliating VIP culture to which the common man has literally succumbed. But we need to understand that the AAP started its political career with the Delhi Elections for which they started their preparations a year ago with most of their founding members from the NCR region. They not only raised some valid issues pertaining to the common man like corruption, VIP Culture, etc but also resorted to some extreme populist measures like free water and subsidized electricity. They ended up forming the government with the support of Congress, the same party against whose corruption the Anna movement was launched and through which Kejriwal derived its equity.
Their government barely lasted 50 days before Arvind Kejriwal decided to quit for his inability to introduce the Lokpal Bill leaving all his other tall promises in hanging mode. This decision of AAP not only got widespread criticism but also allegedly revealed their desire for Lok Sabha seats for which they needed a few months time to prepare and campaign. But it does not take rocket science to understand that the Lok Sabha elections cannot be compared to Delhi Assembly elections. India has not been able to give a clear majority to any party since 1996 and the dominance of regional parties has proved time and again that coalition politics is here to stay. But with the emergence of AAP the situation is all set to get worse. Though it is virtually impossible for them to form a government of their own as Kejriwal is himself aiming to reach a tally of 100 seats only, whatever seats they win, will only deprive the single largest party/alliance to reach the magic figure of 272.
One has a feeling that the AAP is team B of the Congress and is hell bent on stopping the BJP from forming the government at the Centre. It seems that AAP is investing all its energy to defeat the BJP them. Even if we believe that this is not a deliberate attempt, the dangers could be real as AAP’s tactics could lead this nation towards a disastrous HUNG PARLIAMENT- a situation which will hit the common man much more that what the AAP if fighting for. Even if we accept for moment, that they could win 100 seats, are they planning to stimulate a series of re-elections until they reach 140, 180, 220 and 272?
Arvind Kejriwal needs to understand that at this moment, his primary responsibility is towards the citizens of Delhi, to whom he made tonnes of unfulfilled promises. And if at all they have the capacity to convert their noble ideas to reality then why just Delhi, there are a series of Assembly and Municipal Elections coming up in the next few months/years which they can easily target the same way they did in Delhi. Why not gain some useful experience in the next 5 years and prepare for the Lok Sabha Elections of 2019?
Yours etc.,
Raghav Bajaj,
Via email