Coal ban, business down
Whoever you talk to these days says ‘business is down’. Reason? The ban on coal mining beginning April this year! Garment stores, and shops selling draperies are the worst for wear.
The owner of one of the big drapery shops in downtown Shillong says that their curtains and upholsteries have ceased to be fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). Also down with everything else is the real estate business, complained real estate agents who go around depressed because the five per cent they get out of each transaction is not forthcoming.
But, guess who the biggest losers are after the coal ban. Not a tough one this. The liquor barons are finding it tough going. With so many labourers suddenly packing their bags and leaving the coal mines of Jaintia Hills, liquor sales have slumped.
This has made a travel writer visiting Jaintia Hills recently to cover the impact of the ban to pronounced that 50% of the people of Meghalaya have been affected due to the ban on coal.
Heard it being mentioned by some activists that the militant coffers are also running dry; hence they are kidnapping people for ransom amounts as low as Rs 5000. A wit observed, “If the coal ban continues militants will not have to be flushed out; they will climb out of their holes voluntarily. But Government funds will have to be carefully monitored for these will be the next targets of militants in Garo Hills.
Lost in translation
Sankardev College organised a half day seminar on the theme “Translation and the media,” on July 4th, last. Dr Badaplin War spoke of the different methods of translation and how the best method of translation is the literal method so that the meaning of the content is not lost on readers. Dr War rued the fact that the Government has never pushed for recognition of the Khasi language.
“No Member of Parliament has ever raised the issue in Parliament,” she said, adding that as a result Khasi language has just languished. She recalled that the only MLA who raised the issue of pushing the Khasi language in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution was late Ardhendu Chaudhuri. Dr War urged those in Government to take the matter seriously before the language suffers irreparable damage because of lack of resources for its development.
Senior journalist and editor of Dongmusa pointed out the mistakes that could occur when the translator is adept in one language. Once when a certain hearing regarding violation of Schedule X of the Constitution was to be conducted by the Assembly Speaker PG Marbaniang “in camera,” journalists of the vernacular media said the “hearing would be videographed.”
Later Raphael Warjri distributed a booklet with common English words and their Khasi equivalent to the journalists present.
MLCU self introspects
On Saturday July 5th, Martin Luther Christian University faculty and management went through an organisation development process facilitated by an external resource person from Bangalore. The University invited former faculty and external stakeholders to give their honest opinions about the University.
Although the feedback was brutally honest and must have hurt the management, they were game enough to take things in their stride. But that’s the only way that organisations grow. Those with no courage to look within remain stunted. If only NEHU too could do such an exercise!
