Editor,
Just once, can we see our Government take real steps to kill the 6th August bandh by the coal mafia? In the past we have seen the Government put on a big show against bandhs but the perpetrators were allowed to escape. Even MPDA which was slapped on pressure group activists was later withdrawn. This shows that Government lacks courage and is weak. This is why our problems never end. This time we hope to see MPDA slapped on the coal mafia as a lesson to other troublemakers. But it should not be revoked conveniently at a later date. If Mukul Sangma cannot handle even minor issues then President’s Rule should be declared in the State.
Yours etc.,
Kevin Kharshiing
Shillong-3
Hoardings & visual pollution
Editor,
Apropos the picture of signage on footpath in ST dated 30thJuly, 2014, I fully concur that permission should not be accorded for such specious exercises. In fact there should be a removal campaign like that carried out by the then Chief Secretary Ranjan Chatterjee in April 2009 to remove hoardings on all footpaths from IGP point up to Khyndailad and Don Bosco.
Each city and town has its character which is largely defined by the mindset of its people. This is relevant more so for hill stations which traditionally have been characterized by pristine greenery and small cottages. We as a people have eroded much of that character and have turned our hill towns into concrete jungles full of clutter and visual pollution of signage and hoardings.
We should in fact draw lessons from Gangtok which has been able to keep itself free of visual pollution. Likewise there were reports of an anti visual pollution drive in Rio De Janeiro just before the world cup and interestingly a friend who returned from the event found the city of Sao Paolo without any commercial signage whatsoever. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India practices a very strict Code of Conduct not allowing its members any signage and publicity. In Shillong too there are many examples that come to mind wherein good Samaritans had protested against this menace and ensured corrective action by the Municipal Authorities.
The following areas need immediate clean up. All foot paths from Civil Hospital to Fire Brigade, Khyndailad (Multi storied hoardings) , Secretariat hill (Opp. DC’s office, Shillong Club, Youth Hostel), Barik Point (opp. Nurses Hostel, Rectangular Arch), Dhankheti Point (Near statue of Jesus Christ) , Don Bosco Point etc. We conveniently forget the need for self regulation and Municipal & MUDA enforcement is almost non-existent except for BIG ticket projects. This apathy ultimately results in courts clamping down with sweeping judgments like the timber ban or the NGT ban, at which point we cry foul for loss of livelihoods & revenue. Let’s not forget a PIL which is under way in the Shillong High Court against 50% of the mobile towers which are Illegal and against which MUDA is yet to act! Imagine a day without mobile network!
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
MeECL and its new bills
Editor,
MeECL has introduced the new billing system which they say is better technology but resulting in bills being abnormally high. They say that no one has come to complain. Who has the time to stand in queue to pay bills and also register complaints? As it is, paying bills is in itself a waste of time when most bill payments are now being done online. The newly introduced bill itself is of very inferior quality and not legible. It takes time for many of us to understand the figures mentioned. An ordinary middle class family will obviously know how much a regular monthly bill comes to and adjust the budget accordingly. But now when the bill goes up by three to four times the amount will they not be in a dilemma?
As usual the meter reader puts the bill in the meter box or pushes it through the door for the house owner to collect. This time, the paper bill is so small that when I saw it on the floor, I did not bother to pick it up, thinking that it was waste paper. Not only that, in the earlier bills one can easily comprehend if there is any delayed payment or unpaid bill in a particular month because it is clearly mentioned int eh current bill. In this new bill, it just indicates ‘previous balance’ which makes the customer wonder whether all the previous bills are paid. To add to our plight it was detected that the figure indicated does not match with any of the previous bills. Moreover, with limited time for payment, many customers end up paying after the due date.
Hence improvement for MeECL means greater inconvenience for the public when it should the other way round.
Yours etc.,
F Diengdoh
Shillong -14