Editor,
The video showing GNLA militants brutally beating up villagers of Pakregre in East Garo Hills made national headlines as national televisions splashed this shameful scene repeatedly. The video recovered from a slain militant also went viral in the social media. This cruelty in the footage has further tarnished the image of Garo Hills. Garo Hills only stands to lose. No one will come to work in this region. Too much and too many instances of violence and atrocities on innocent people are happening.
In Captain William Sangma College, South Garo Hills, Science teachers were appointed but they refused to come. The result South Garo Hills had only one candidate in HSSLC examinations 2014. Talking to a top officer in one of the districts, he revealed that entrepreneurs, businessmen, bankers, hospitals and educational organisations refuse to come and set up units in Garo Hills because of militant violence.
It’s a pity that in this land of immense natural beauty and hospitable people the outside world is made to see only the negatives of militancy, violence and atrocities.
Yours etc.,
Albert Thyrniang,
Via email
Dreamers’ paradise
Editor,
For sure we all have dreams and why shouldn’t we? What is essential is not only to dream and aim for the stars but for us to work hard and realise those dreams. In reality we cannot afford to be Mungerilal with all his haseen sapne. After all, all that Mungerilal does is dream. Sadly, our Chief Minister is apparently only living a dream. Seriously at this juncture and at the risk of being called a pessimist, can Shillong think of, Times Square, Mono rails, mobile airports, cable cars? It is indeed very good to have a bright vision for a better tomorrow but it is also essential to have the road-map and the determination to fulfil these tasks.
No different from the governments in the past,,the present government has not been able to re-build a permanent Assembly building and here we have our Chief Minister once again taking the people of the state for a ride. All that our government has been doing is realising those dreams that are of personal benefits at the expense of the state exchequer. It is and has always been the motto and the mantra of personal gain before that of the public. Can we the people be fooled again and again? All that we have seen are the numerous failed projects that are making our state amongst the least developed state in the country. Time and again if Meghalaya is in the national news it has always been for a wrong reason. Take the recent GNLA video that shows the brutality and highhandedness of the militants. What tall claim does our CM and his entourage have to tackle this act of barbarism towards human beings. The answer will be as always in the negative. As such, one is of the opinion that the government should try to be practical and focus on the tasks at hand than simply aiming to reach for the stars.
Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email
Game of musical chairs
Editor,
The game of musical chairs played both in the State Government and the Khasi Hills District Council is despicable. Why do our elected representatives apply their whimsical ideas at the cost of governance? Instead of concentrating on governance they hanker after power and selfish interests. Law and order is in turmoil in Meghalaya because our politicians are not far sighted. Kudos to the vendors of Iewduh who stalled the attempts to dislodge the CEM, Ardent Basaiawmoit, who has many plans to improve Iewduh. Our representatives suffer from the crab mentality. Instead of working with the leader for the purpose of developing the State, they try to pull him down. This happened in the JHADC too during the tenure of Lamdibok Sumer. The present Council has no authority to enforce the shifting of Iaw Musiang to the new market. Instead several markets have come up under the aegis of some religious organizations. Who built these markets to satisfy those vendors? When there are several empty stalls in the new market why can’t the vendors be told to shift there? The JHADC does not bother to use its legitimate authority for the right causes. Jowai could have been a place a developed town because the Pnars are enterprising people. Yet development here has a negative aspect.
The residents of Jowai are complacent people. In an article by Mr K.L.Tariang (ST Aug 12, 2014) he rightly mentioned that ‘the competitive spirit of the Jaintias has become subservient to political patronage. The pride of expressing themselves as residents of Jowai is no longer inherent in the spirit of the present citizen. The concerned people of Jowai are aware of these negative developments but are rudderless and are looking to their revered leader who only thinks of the next election. The filthiness of this town frustrates everyone. At present the Municipal Office has removed roadside vendors and one hopes this will continue in the days to come. In Jowai even PWD land is not spared. The compound of the Inspection Bungalow (IB) is full of cement and furniture shops which are owned by vested interests. Everyone knows that the IB compound is in PWD land but the PWD does not bother to do anything. The authorities prefer to turn a blind eye to all these encroachments. The NGOs of Jowai don’t care about the cleanliness of the town. If a merchant at Umshyrpi can be told by the KSU not to sell goods and hire houses which belong to PWD then why is the same not done in Jowai? I write this with great pain as I see the deterioration of this once beautiful town. Adjacent to the IB, the vendors dump garbage right in front of peoples’ homes. Where in this world would one would find such insanitary and unhygienic conditions?
Let us pray that the JHADC follows the good example of Ardent Basaiawmoit and like the vendors of Iewduh let us be courageous to fight for the progress of Jowai town. The inhabitants of Jowai are educated enough to take the town forward. Let us not give way to despair but pray that one day Jowai will see the light of day and that the evils of the present can be overcome through public mobilization.
Yours etc.,
Omarga Laloo
Mynthong Jowai