Editor,
Apropos to the Letter to the Editor (ST April 26, 2014) captioned ‘Harassment at DTO Shillong office’ I would like to clarify to Mr. Patrick W.T. Syiem as follows:-
If Mr. Syiem felt that he is being harassed for a small work in our Office, I suggest he should not have sent his ‘someone’ but should have come himself. If the ‘someone’ has been harassed by my staff he could at least meet and complain to me, since I reach office always well before 10 am. If ‘someone’ could have met me, the matter could have been solved across the table then and there or at least I could have explained to him about the reasons for the harassment meted out to him rather than go to the media to air his grievances.
Regarding the issue that the Cash Counter opens late I want to categorically clarify that our office Cash Counter opens on the dot at 10 am coinciding with the siren sound. This allegation that the counter opens late is an excuse to tarnish the image of the office. Since Mr. Syiem did not visit the office personally, I would like to clarify that our cash counter opens at 10 am and closes at 1.00 p.m. except on certain days where there are unavoidable circumstances due to load shedding or systems failure which is rare. Even after the counter/s have closed people who are in the queue are allowed to make payments.
The DTO’s Office being a public office is open to any criticism/ suggestion regarding function of the office and staff. If any member of the public is being harassed or victimised, he or she is free to meet the undersigned for redress at any time during office hours.
Yours etc,
H.F.Khongsit,
District Transport Officer,
East Khasi Hills, Shillong
Is it really about livelihoods?
Editor,
The front page news under the caption ‘Coal baron cum minister to fight against NGT ban’ (ST Apr 28,2014) smacks of political opportunism and self-centredness of the highest order. It reeks of vote bank politics and crony capital mindset. They must know that unscientific mining in Jaintia Hills has been in the news (both national and international) for many wrong reasons and has been a case of concern. Therefore such a ban is a sure thing to come. They must be prepared but now it’s too late. Regarding the coal barons and the JHCM & DA’s concern for the people the questions one is tempted to pose are: Where was that concern for the people’s livelihood before the NGT ban? Where was the concern for common good? What about the rights of those people who died inside the mines? Where were the safety nets for the workers? What about the rights and welfare of workers/miners? What about the crime rate and the degradation of social fabric and exploitation in the mining areas? If they have shared the wealth from coal mining more equitably by now the per capita income of all people in the coal belt areas would have been higher. Also, if the political parties and mining barons can fund crores of rupees for election campaigns, they can now do the same for those people affected by the ban or find temporary alternatives with that kind of money.
For the government, this is the time to put into practice real governance; the ‘for, of, by the people’ ethics not a cosmetic action. The coal baron and the JHCM&DA must also know that in comparison to the NGT ban, unscientific mining will positively do more harm for the generations to come, except perhaps the coal barons and coal dealers’ kith and kin. The areas under mining are actually sitting on a time bomb of nature’s wrath which is more dangerous and fatal than NGT ban. I don’t think coal barons care. They already have property in Shillong and elsewhere, but what about those people who don’t have the wherewithal and financial capacity to move away permanently from desolate, hostile and inhabitable area? The onus for the suffering of the people due to NGT ban is actually at the door step of the Government and the political leaders of the area. This is due to the failure of framing and implementing a sustainable and scientific mining policy and the lack of farsightedness of the political leaders representing the coal mining areas.
Mining (coal, limestone) and quarrying in our State is at a pace faster than any rural road construction. It has already put us in grave danger of environmental degradation and ecosystem collapse. Any constructive criticism against these activities is considered anti-people and anti-livelihood; actually a sound or healthy natural environment promotes livelihood and social progress. To hide its apathy and inactivity towards correcting unscientific and rampant mining/quarrying, the Government, by design or default will use the multiple-firewalls of; (1) Tradition (2) Land tenure system (3)Livelihood issues. Lastly, coming back to coal mining, it is a shame, that it took the persistent All Dimasa Students’ Union to prompt the NGT to ban mining. Where are our NGO’s and Students’ Union?
Yours etc,
U.D.Tmar,
Via email
Online news erratic
Editor,
The Shillong Times Online News update is as much laid back as the lifestyle here in the deteriorating and degenerating Scotland of the East. Till the time of writing this article at 0720 hours on 30th April 2014, there is no sign of the online news for today and when logging on to this supposedly “esteemed” Daily of the North-East, the news of yesterday still appears on the page. Why have an online service when such is the state of this 1945 established news portal. Much needs to be improved and it would be a gracious acceptance if the Editor permits the printing of this letter as The Shillong Times must achieve excellence as a worthy reading daily.
Yours etc.,
Lewis Sooting ,
Via email