Editor,
Travelling towards Khliehriat in Jaintia Hills is a nightmare for passengers and drivers alike. Between Wapung and Lad Sutnga one would see how haphazardly the national highway is constructed. Actually the drive should be comfortable and less time consuming if it is not dotted with potholes of various sizes and shapes. I would ask the PWD Minister to travel for a week along this stretch to experience the dangers and risks people endure. Crores of rupees are spent on unproductive foreign junkets but there is hardly a road you can term a national highway. People too share their responsibility of having elected MLAs and MDCs from that area who have never taken the responsibility to demand the right to good and safe roads. But this is not surprising considering that the developmental paradigm in East Jaintia Hills is on a downward slide. Hope some political sense and social responsibility awakens these representatives.
Yours etc.,
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3
Flood fury in Garo Hills
Editor,
We have seen many floods happening elsewhere on television. The latest was in Kashmir. It never bothered me until I personally experienced this nature’s fury. It was on 22nd at 5.30 am when my colleagues and I were coming down after the morning walk when we saw water rushing in from the main road through the gate. In five minutes the water had reached the verandah. The river nearby (Dedram) had overflowed. We barely managed to remove some files and documents upstairs. In 15 minutes the ground floor of our three-storied building was filled to the brim. It was like a dream. It is still like a dream. When the heavy downpour stopped at around 1.00 pm and water began to recede we heard that a teacher in a Chichotchenggre near Bajengdba was washed away after saving a girl child. A more saddening news was that a whole family was carried away by the flood in Rari. Your paper said that 10 people lost their lives and 14 were missing. This is an initial report. It is feared the number could sharply rise as the worst flood in 70 years devastated Garo Hills. Things became worse as the persistent rain triggered landslides thereby blocking many roads. The Paikan-Tura road was completely cut off for two and probably more days. I offer my condolences to all who have lost their near and dear ones in this tragedy. Lakhs have lost their homes and property. People are suffering immensely. There is no food and water. No electricity and mobile connection. Government help is non-existent. Though flood occurs every year, the government is caught unawares. This shows unprofessionalism.
As I started so too I will end on a personal note. The water has receded but it has left heap of mud and debris in classrooms of the first floor and the entire campus. It will take at least 10 days to clean up and resume classes. Computers, library books, books kept in the book-room, science apparatus are all damaged. This is a calamity that has struck us. We can only hope that it is not repeated.
Yours etc.,
Albert Thyrniang,
Via email
MPS main exams
Editor,
On 16th September the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) conducted the MPS examination in the subject of Economics. On getting the question paper the candidates were shocked to see only 5 compulsory questions carrying 60 marks each in Papers I & II respectively, leaving no choice for the candidates. This manner of setting questions reeks of laziness and utter disregard for the candidates . How can the MPSC set strictly only five (5) compulsory questions for an optional subject as tough as Economics and that too when there are 7 main units in the MPSC syllabus for Economics Paper I and 9 main units in Economics Paper II. After due inquiry about the other optional subjects it was found that it was only in the case of Economics that there were NO optional (choice) questions. Nowhere in India, not even in the civil service exams conducted by the UPSC has there been a case where all the questions of a particular optional paper have been made compulsory with no options. This is highly irregular and inconsistent on the part of the MPSC and it diminishes the chances of those who have opted for Economics as an optional Paper to clear the MPS exam 2014. Therefore, it would be desirable for the competent authority to look into the matter and perhaps conduct a re-examination in Economics Paper I and Paper II to serve the ends of justice and also to provide equal opportunity to all the candidates who had opted for Economics as one of their optional subjects.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request