SHILLONG: A festival in Shillong, but a funeral in Garo Hills!
At a time when the bodies of the missing persons due to floods and landslides are yet to be recovered from Garo Hills, a celebration in the form of ‘ 18 Degrees’ is already on in Shillong to benefit a few.
The worst ever devastation due to any natural calamity in the state since its inception has claimed as many 60 persons, while a few are still missing.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma himself had admitted that the natural calamity had taken Garo Hills to 10 years back.
In this context, the timing for celebration by way of organizing ’18 Degrees’, a festival for three days in Shillong at the cost of Rs 1.40 crore has come under criticism.
’18 Degrees’ means the normal climate of Shillong, hence the organizers have coined the word for the festival which needs to be appreciated, but the critics only question the timing of the celebration when the whole state is yet to recover from the shock of the tragedy due to floods .
Moreover, the Chief Minster’s Golf Cup tournament for nearly Rs 50 lakh is also scheduled.
Neither of these initiatives are fund raising events for the victims of natural calamities.
Among the 60 people, who lost their lives, as many as 13 persons are from East and West Khasi Hills-Jaintia Hills and Ribhoi.
The natural calamity also caused devastation in terms of destruction to houses, other properties, livestock besides washing away of roads and bridges.
In an ironical appeal, the Government has put up a small banner at State Central Library, the venue of ’18 Degrees’ to motivate people to donate funds for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, while the critics have pointed out that the whole Rs 1.40 crore meant for the 18 Degree festivals should have been donated to the victims .
