Editor,
Apropos the letter of Donbok Syiemlieh (ST May 21, 2014) on good leadership I would like to express gratitude to Mr Barkos Warjri the Acting Chief Secretary for exercising his authority and ability as the head of the bureaucracy in Meghalaya. We need people like him at the highest echelons of administration who will discipline the notorious characters in the Secretariat who shun hard work and take advantage of every agitation. It is good that Warjri is also now holding the reins of the MeECL. Under his able leadership we hope the power scenario of Meghalaya will improve. Improving the power generation and supply system in Meghalaya is not such a big deal. The only thing that MeECL needs to do is discipline the corrupt engineers and retrench those engineers who are lethargic. The Unionism culture of MEECL should be brought under control as it has become a stumbling block to the Corporation. Those who are perpetual rebels should be shown the door.
It has been observed that almost all MeECL officers and staff posted at Byrnihat in particular and Ri Bhoi district in general work only from Tuesday to Thursday and in Garo Hills the MeECL employees work only two weeks in a month but their pay and perks are higher than those of state government employees of similar ranks. MeECL is a corporate body and like other corporate bodies all employees should be made to slog for their pay. They should learn multi-tasking. For example a peon has also to clean, sweep the office and do errands etc. An engineer should also maintain the accounts of his department. The Corporation should have separate working hours and man-days and not blindly follow the state government’s module.
If efficiency is restored in MeECL we are sure the Corporation will make profits and power supply in Meghalaya will improve. This will make it a win-win situation for all – the employees, contractors/suppliers, consumers and the public at large.
Yours etc.,
Kitbor Nongkhlaw,
Umiam,
Violating rights of the disabled
Editor,
Through your paper I would like to highlight the blatant violation of the rights of young people with impairment and denying them equal opportunity. Two young girls with visual impairment had a harrowing time trying to procure application forms for admission to class XI in at least four prestigious institutions of the city, in the last two days. In one school, one was told that since LCDs and boards were used for teaching she would not be able to cope, in another they did not even get past the “help desk” and were informed that it was pointless to meet the Principal since the school had no facilities to cater to their needs, in a third they were told to come after a week! In a fourth while forms were given to others they were refused forms. If schools do have a such a discriminatory policy of rejection they should be transparent enough to put up a notice, “Young people with impairment need not apply!”
Since supply is greater than demand, one does not question the right of schools to deny admission as per their norms, hopefully, based on the principles of social justice. However, denying application forms because of an impairment and deciding beforehand a person’s lack of ability to cope is grossly unfair and is a clear case of discrimination and denial of rights on an equal basis with others!
Yours etc.,
Carmo Noronha
Bethany Society.