Editor,
Our state politicians and every other person involved in the coal mining industry are crying foul that their livelihood is at stake because of the NGT ban. That they have made vain attempts to band together to tell the world they are victims of starvation is absurd considering that not a single death is reported, to substantiate this claim. It is evident that the ban has taken a severe toll on the income of those who sell ” ja and sha”, (tea and rice) but the high masters of the coal industry remain the fattened lot, biding time till the Centre caves in to their tales of woe and misery. There are recent reports in the media, that the Government is contemplating to ease the Environmental laws for easier acquisition of mining lands. This surely must be music to the coal mine owner’s ears. However, in all the protestations by those who claim tremendous suffering, and the Government’s lame assurance that continuous serious efforts to get the NGT ban lifted is their goal, one vital question has evaded the Finance Department think-tank. Under the Sixth Schedule, all income earned within the State of Meghalaya by the indigenous people is exempt from income tax. Since just a miniscule percentage of Meghalaya coal is consumed by the state, and the bulk is exported to Bangladesh and the rest of India, are these filthy rich coal mine owners complying with the CBDT taxation laws and is Income/Sales/Excise Tax being collected? Will the Central Government take note of this as the revenue earnings from this source is substantial. It is about time that rich coal mine owners are taxed and such taxes can in turn be utilised to develop the infrastructure of our underdeveloped state.
Yours etc.,
Lewis Sooting,
Via email
Who is politically motivated?
Editor,
The drama at the KHADC amongst the three political musketeers as I would term it has finally resulted in the UDP relenting and backing down from its demand to change the current CEM Ardent M Basaiawmoit. Even after the so called ceasefire, the opposing party is still bent on its demand. It is not surprising for them to harp upon vague conceived ideas of having an all party government, unlike the present Congress led-MUA. To say that it is a hypothetical question is funny; nothing is hypothetical in politics everything is pre-planned. The UDP has an old habit of asking for more than their required quota of power and as they say old habits die hard.
Yours etc…
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3
Ignorance of law, no excuse
Editor,
Apropos the learner lady driver’s letter regarding the problem she faced with her car stalling in Laitumkhrah, it appeared that she was alone in the car and probably did not know that, as per the law, a learner driver with an ‘L’ displayed is required to be always accompanied by a licensed driver when the learner is driving for a period of at least six months, if I am not wrong. Had she done so she would not have been in the predicament that she had found herself in. Another reason, of course, is that in Meghalaya the powers that be are not really too bothered about enforcing such laws which are considered trivial.
D.M.Pariat
Aberystwyth,
Wales.
Teachers losing moral compass
Editor,
The very first letter of the word, ‘Teacher’ is ‘T’, which stands for ‘Trustworthiness’. A teacher must be trusted by students parents and society. In ancient India, a teacher (Guru) was respected more than a king. A Sanskrit proverb goes like this, “Swadeshe Pujjyate Raja, Bidwan Sarbatra Pujjyate”, i.e. a king is honoured in his own country only, but a teacher (a man of learning) is honoured everywhere. So people would respect teachers and entrust their children to them. A teacher’s status in society was very high. They had no high academic qualifications like today, but their main resources were morality and honesty. They would build the character of the students on the foundation of morality and discipline. Their teaching was, “Character is the crown and glory of life.”
The educated and civilized society of today is undoubtedly indebted to teachers of the past, who could build a civilized nation. Much is said about teachers being the builders of the nation. Indeed they are the main architects that shape the morals of children to enable them to be worthy citizens. Today, sadly the moral sense of some teachers is degenerating day by day. In some cases it has crossed limits of decency. Right from the top level to the primary level, some teachers are involved in inhuman and anti social activities like molestation, rape, misappropriation of money etc. Many such stories have appeared in the newspapers. This has in turn affected the society, and tarnished the image of the teaching community as a whole. The ethical and dedicated teachers feel humiliated. I too, being a retired teacher, share the same humiliation. My question is why should such degradation of morality befall the teachers? Have they lost their conscience? How could they pollute the sacred relation of a teacher and student? It is almost a parent-child relationship and it is an accepted truth that teachers are next to parents.
Teachers don’t only teach but are the guardians of the students while in the school premises. That sacred trust between teachers and students is broken because of the immoral behaviour of some teachers. It is painful to note that even at the University level a research scholar had to lodge FIR in a police station, against her teacher cum guide who is alleged to have sexually harassed her. (The Shillong Times 30.08.2014). When guardians turn predators then society has lost its moorings. There are other instances of teachers meting out inhuman treatment to students and driving them to suicide. Very recently such an incident took place in a school at Kanpur, where a girl of 12 years who brought a mobile phone to school was stripped by her teacher and paraded before other students, for the whole period. The girl could not keep her mental balance and hanged herself [Juga Sankha, 25thAugust]. A teacher has every right to upbraid students like a parent does but corporal punishment is passé. How can such heartless individuals become teachers?
Immoral teachers bring shame on the entire teaching community but there are teachers who have been exemplary in their conduct. It is this second group of teachers who maintain the dignity and respect of the teaching profession. These are the real trustworthy teachers because of whom the teaching profession is still held in high esteem.
Yours etc…
Uma Purkayastha,
Shillong-4