Editor,
I concur wholeheartedly with Remington Lyngdoh’s letter, “Ridiculous Electricity Bills” (ST 10th May 2014). For certain, a massive fraud is being perpetrated by MeECL upon consumers with connivance of top Government officials and politicians. It is sheer arrogance, as Lyngdoh puts it, that MeECL expects common people to approach them for succour for illegally inflated bills. They should be taken to Court instead and charged under Prevention of Corruption Act! It is one thing to be grossly inefficient, but quite another to defraud the public out of their hard-earned money through devious means. A PIL should be filed against MeECL immediately. Since this lame-duck Government is interested only in protecting the interests of politicians and coal barons, we can expect another major cover-up as in other scams, most notably the Education Dept recruitment scam, unless we take up the matter strongly. A case must be filed against MeECL immediately. The matter should be pushed all the way to the Supreme Court to get justice if needed. The crooked politicians and bureaucrats must be punished for cheating the public.
Yours etc.,
Ronald Warjri,
Via email
Kudos MeECL staff
Editor,
We normally criticise government employees for their uncaring and lackadaisical attitude. However when people go out of their way to perform their duties it behoves us to put our appreciation in the public domain. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for Mr. Tradit Kumar Thiang, an employee of the MeECL at Umiam who has promptly come to our rescue whenever the power supply has given us trouble at our cut off location at Umsaw. This has happened on a number of occasions and whenever the above named gentleman has been on duty we have received dedicated help even on Sundays and holidays. I also take this opportunity to thank the driver of the vehicle, the young linesman accompanying him (whose names I do not know) and Mr. Lakhiat our previous linesman, for years, who have regularly and promptly come to our aid.
I am sure that there are many such employees who go out of their way to do their duty and it is on their shoulders that the Corporation functions. Thank you all.
Yours etc.,
Catherine Nongrum
Umsawkhwan,
Ri Bhoi
Pathetic service at Shillong Civil Hospital
Editor,
On May 10, 2014 I was told by the doctor in charge of Orthopedics Department, Civil Hospital Shillong, to get an X-ray of my daughter done. But on going to the X-ray Department I was told that the X ray machine of the Civil Hospital has not been working for the last two days. I was advised me to get the X-ray done at some private clinic. I was amazed that a private clinic could maintain their facility whereas a Government hospital with all the resources at its command could not get their machine repaired. Should the Shillong Civil Hospital not have a back-up facility? Who should be held accountable for this type of harassment meted out to patients who come from very poor backgrounds of our society? Is this because no minister or bureaucrat goes to Civil Hospital for treatment since all of them fly to Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai to be treated at the most expensive hospitals? Don’t the ordinary citizens deserve these basic services from these Government establishments? Or has the health care system completely collapsed in Meghalaya? Will the Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital please answer?
Yours etc.,
Indrajuit Bhattaccharjee,
Via email
Public buses running at a loss!
Editor,
Apropos media reports that MUDA under the aegis of the Urban Development Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh has voiced a commitment to increase the availability of public buses now that the election code of conduct is an obstruction of the past, it would be a positive blessing for the travelling public at large. However, the Minister also laments the unhealthy financial viability of this transport service, specifically remarking there is lack of profit in the venture. The reason is because these buses do not issue mandatory tickets and therefore pocket the money earned by these buses. How can the conductor simply continue with the illegality of not issuing bus tickets to passengers once the fare is paid? One sees the buses over-loaded most of the time, so how can MUDA claim no profits? But of course accountability has never been any Government’s forte. The Government as usual does not do a back to back exercise. Its commitment is only to ensure public transportation but a sustainable business model is none of its business. In the end expenditure on these buses will be inflated to make up for cost overruns and then seek more state funding. Government never seems to worry about losses. Who cares if more buses mean added traffic snarls, and chaotic roads remain the order of the day even while driving licenses are issued indiscriminately. For now will the Traffic Police get cracking on the overloading of taxis? Taxi drivers don’t care a hoot about any law. Earlier when Mr B Nongdhar was Deputy Commissioner he cracked the whip on overloaded taxis. But with the change of DCs taxis have also changed their style of functioning. Today they are a law unto themselves.
Yours etc.,
Lewis Sooting,
Via email