Editor,
The State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners’, Miners’ and Dealers’ Forum has declared a “Bandh” on 6th August in protest against Govt bungling vis-a-vis the NGT ban. This is like going on a hunger fast after being convicted of a crime. This Forum of Unscrupulous Businessmen cannot be allowed to impose bandhs on people at their whim and fancy. The people of this state support neither mining nor bandhs. It is only the corrupt who are in favour of both. Would the Chief Minister please place the members of this forum under preventive detention immediately? There must be zero tolerance to Bandh calls from now on. Swift action must be taken to arrest anybody giving out bandh calls. Heavy fines and long jail sentences must be imposed on the leaders.
While there is a clear case of conflict of interest against the Chief Minister (he is married to a mine owner), Mukul Sangma must place the interests of the people before his personal interests this time. The Chief Minister is under a microscope. The nation is watching with interest to see which way he bends.
Yours etc., ,
W.C. Lyngdoh,
Shillong -3
Fairy tales of narrow escapes
Editor,
Try as they might, the Meghalaya Police cannot do better than spinning yarns of ‘narrow escapes’ after every failed attempt. Garo extremists are running rings around the demoralised MLP but policemen and politicians won’t admit it. Why? Because that would invite Central intervention which they are keen to avoid. The DGP’s press statements from his safe headquarters in Shillong reads like a book of bad excuses – bad equipment, understaffed force, less firepower, uncooperative public, etc, etc. But questions are being raised about his own morale and leadership skills. He seems averse to leading from the front in Garo Hills. Is he simply whiling away his time safely till retirement, in true DGP tradition? Maybe he should do everyone a favour and opt for early retirement. He won’t be missed at all in the present circumstances. The army is the only way to rid Garo Hills of militancy. Crooked politicians are against it because they too will be caught in the same net. Therefore logic demands that common people should continue to die by the daily dozen, in the best interests of shady politicians and dishonest policemen. This is the real face of Meghalaya!
Yours etc.,
Bipul Momin,
Shilong-4
Thank you NGT!
Editor,
The people of Meghalaya owe a lot to the National Green Tribunal. If it wasn’t for NGT ban on coal mining, our environment would have been devastated beyond hope in a few years time. Not that it is in great shape now. But at least there is an outside chance that some of the damage to our rivers, hills and forests can be reversed with time and effort. Reputed environmental agencies can be brought in to guide this effort at the ground level, working side by side with locals. It will never happen, if left to the whims and fancies of Govt agencies, Forest Dept, traditional bodies or civil society. These agencies are more interested in making a fast buck than protecting the environment. They will inevitably be manipulated by politicians. Organizations like HANM and MIPRL-M which claim to fight for the rights of the tribal have dubious records. Their motives are questionable and their purpose is profiteering. In the present case, it is apparent that HANM and MIPRL-M are working for the economic interest of the coal mafia. This mafia comprises of well-known politicians, senior bureaucrats, police officials, toll-gate officials, NGOs, militant groups and coal mine owners. In other words, the entire Who’s Who of Meghalaya have been getting their ‘cut’ from the coal trade. This makes it impossible for any local body to fight this corruption without the help of Central agencies like the National Green Tribunal. The citizens of Meghalaya therefore have a lot to be thankful to the NGT for, starting with –
(a) Protecting the environment, by banning unscientific mining of coal (b) Curbing militancy and extortion, by cutting off its oxygen from the coal trade (c) Putting a dead stop to illegal migration to the coal mines (d) Extracting some measure of accountability from the corrupt political establishment, probably for the first time in our history (e) Encouraging us to think outside the box (coal mine) and look at Eco-friendly activities for a sustainable future. Could any of our politicians or NGOs have done more? I think not, and most people would agree with me.
Yours etc,.
Edwin Sangma
Shillong -14