Editor,
Meghalaya is truly a land of bandhs. The office-going crowd love these bandhs because they get paid for staying at home. This culture has its strongest supporters in the State Government. Government employees will unquestionably support every bandh without fail. Therefore any Tom, Dick or Harry who calls a bandh for any stupid reason can boast of “100% success” in Meghalaya. So why should our politicians be hypocritical and talk about things like development and job creation? Instead, they should talk about spreading the bandh culture. The State should declare bandhs for 8 months in a year and mark it up in the Holiday Calendar. Government employees can draw their fat salaries without doing work which will make them happy. It doesn’t matter if children miss school, businesses fail, economy nose-dives and farmers starve! Who cares about such little details? Our Coal Barons, Politicians, NGOs and Extremists must be accorded ‘Top Priority’, so that they can continue to declare Bandhs and make us prosperous!
Yours etc.,
Aaron Nongkhlaw
Shillong-6
Why are we still sleeping?
Editor,
Garo Hills, a place so enchantingly beautiful, a place of true scenic beauty, that could have been one of the many tourist interests of Meghalaya. A land locked away with hills, forests and rivers. This tropical paradise which should be, and needs to be, preserved and safeguarded by us- the Achik, and by the administration of GHADC (Garo Hills Autonomous District Council), is being used and abused for our own greed and personal benefits. Unlike the district councils of Khasi and Jaintia Hills , GHADC has taken little initiative to develop in our communities and to conserve our culture and heritage. While KHADC & JHADC have already started implementing schemes and work orders in full swing, GHADC is yet to have its general elections which were due in February-March 2014. Not only are our MDCs enjoying the extension of their 5-year tenure, some of them are illegally holding posts as MLAs! To add to our woes the elections have been given another 6 months extension to provide them more time to eat into the accounts of our beloved Garo Hills Districts.
Groups like the ANVC, ANVC (B), UALA, LAEF, ANLCA, ANUF, ASAK, ANLA & GNLA have created mayhem and reigned over us with terror tactics over the years and now we have other groups creeping out to get their share. We cannot even keep a 2- wheeler, or car, a daughter or son at home without fear of it/them being taken away. In a region that is anyway struggling to create livelihood for its people, even small general stores owners risk kidnapping. Ceasefires or no ceasefire, the life of the common man in Garo hills alternates between fear of extortion, kidnapping, seizure and cold blooded murder. Are we and our representatives choosing to ignore it because we have grown immune to it, or are some sadistic people benefiting from this? Are we voting for a representative that will paint a true picture of the situation back home? If Khasi and Jaintia leaders can be concerned about the tempestuous situation in Garo hills then why can’t our own leaders be!
How can the leaders of Meghalaya not term Garo hills as a “disturbed area” when there is so much of tension and chaos in the region? How is it that the targets are never the leaders but we the civilians are in the line of fire? While militant groups crush our dreams, MLAs too are not far behind. Close associates of MLAs are awarded tenders and loans. Those who fall out of their favour get their due payments withheld. Educational qualification and work credentials are irrelevant. At this rate, the word ‘Member’ in MLA ought to be replaced by the word ‘Mafia’! We aspire for a separate state but are we really sure that we will be in capable hands? We, the Achik people, are doing what we do best,- watch our administration rake in the benefits of their posts without doing any real work, while we crib about it around bonfires.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
On Jowai town
Editor,
A town, very much like any undertaking runs on competence and responsibilities – two attributes that the people running Jowai town grossly lack. It betrays their intellect in the worst possible way and the result is there for everyone to see. It proves that money can buy position and power but certainly not competence and capabilities. The story of Jowai is one of failure and that too at many levels. For a while it seemed like a change of guard at the Municipal Board is finally possible thus ushering a hope that some change is possible in the town but that is not to be! The current CEO who has been here for ages has decided to hold on to his seat for reasons best known to him and has managed to wrangle this position from the Govt. After all, it pays to have family in high places. Good for him but bad for Jowai. Another failure in Jowai is Traffic. The traffic management in Jowai is atrocious with traffic jams happening for only one reason i.e taxis. But the police department is here on a goodwill mission rather than to bring order. That is why the cabs are allowed to literally hold everyone to ransom. The police is fearful of reining them in for reasons best known to them and for us to speculate. I don’t entirely blame these people, but it will do everyone a lot of good if the people in question are sent for intensive Management Training at the earliest. A little knowledge won’t hurt anyone. Also, the local religious organisations be they of the indigenous faith or the Churches are certainly not making things easy for anyone. They are concerned with the fattening of their pockets. Jowai has 3 markets, owned by 3 religious organisation in close vicinity to each other, with no planning whatsoever. These markets don’t have mechanisms for waste disposal and the result is everywhere and for everyone to walk on. Failures at many levels! The people of Jowai deserve better but who will deliver? Certainly not the lame ducks!
Yours etc.,
Lamchwa Mukhim,
Via email