Editor,
The letter, “Can pressure groups deport migrants?”, posed by Mr Biraj Goswami to the Govt. of Meghalaya (ST Aug 8, 2014) is interesting. The short answer to that is “No”, but the long answer is a definitive “Yes”. Pressure groups have been doing inspections and deportations for donkeys years without a single eyebrow being raised. In a way they have an unofficial understanding with the State Government in this regard.. Therefore, Mr Goswami is right when he uses the term “Outsourcing”. The Government of Meghalaya is silently abetting these acts by outsourcing unpleasant duties to pressure groups. It covers itself by looking in the other direction and dousing fires from the resultant hue and cry. This has been Government’s novel strategy of tackling the dilemma of illegal migration without having to exercise its authority. The instances where pressure groups have overstepped their limits and committed mayhem and murder will never come to trial. The Government is aware that if these crimes are brought to the attention of the Court, its own role will come under scrutiny. Therefore when it comes to defending itself against these charges in a court of law, the Government doesn’t have a leg to stand upon. It is guilty as charged.
Yours etc.,
Ronald Syiemlieh,
Shillong-1
Sohra marathon: some suggestions
Editor,
As one of the participants in the Sohra Marathon held recently, running the Full Marathon (42 Km) in the above 50 years category for men and completing the race in 7 hrs plus I was among the only two runners in this category including 52 yr old Mr V. Jayaraman to complete the distance, I would propose some suggestions for the organizers for future reference.
In every marathon there are officials of the organising committee after a distance of every one or two miles, who will note down the number of every runner who has passed/run through their check post. This is to ensure that no runner tries to cheat by taking short cuts or hitching a ride on two or four wheelers. At the end of the race, all these notes are crossed checked to verify that the runners ran through all the check posts before prizes/certificates are distributed.
According to members of our support team who followed our group of 5 runners from the Crinoline Swimming Pool (2 in the half marathon and 3 in the full marathon) this was not done on this Marathon. Quite a few runners, especially those lagging behind had taken advantage of this absence of check posts and also the rainy and foggy weather by climbing into bikes and cars and getting down just 2 or 3 km before the finishing line and ‘completing’ the race. It was sad to see that they were awarded with completion certificates. Therefore for those of us who really struggled to reach the finishing line it was a great dampener.
However an interesting and important contribution to this marathon was the participation of a Senior Citizen – 64 yr old Mr. Disil Nongrum who not only took part but also completed the Half Marathon (21 km). If his participation had been acknowledged by the organisers it will have been a great motivation for the young and the elderly to remain fit and healthy. If there could be a special category for Senior Citizens I am sure this motivating factor will have a multiplier effect which is badly needed especially for our Jaidbynriew today.
Of course there are hiccups in every first attempt and this writing is not meant to criticize the organisers of this Sohra Marathon but to help them improve this first of its kind, and hopefully, not the last of this truly great, promising and inspiring event in our state and to make sure that the Sohra Marathon becomes ‘ THE’ marathon in the international arena where top runners from all over the world will want to take part in the world’s wettest place.
Yours etc,
Michael .N. Syiem,
Via email
The coal mafia and their pets
Editor,
The Shillong Times carried a picture of 5 pet politicians of the coal mafia, viz D.D. Lapang, Martin Danggo, HDR Lyngdoh, Prestone Tynsong and ‘Desperado’ Vincent Pala submitting a memorandum to the President of India seeking his intervention in overturning the NGT ban. Naturally they are free to approach anyone they like, as long as their plea is based on facts. But these men can be accused of twisting facts and acting for personal profit. Their memorandum is based on a series of lies. It is a sheer lie that “the ban has crippled the lives of lakhs of tribal people in Meghalaya”. The only people who have been badly affected are a handful of rich miners who have turned our fertile land into wasteland. It is also a lie that the NGT ban “has completely devastated the traditional and customary mining activities of the tribals”. Mining is neither traditional nor customary in Meghalaya. So that is another lie. These Congress pets are hoping to use their influence and past relationships with the President (a Congress nominee) to overturn the ban. A sneaky move indeed! I wonder how much they are being paid for this mission.
Yours etc.,
R.S. Shullai
Shillong – 1