The Body Shop comes to Shillong
UK Cosmetic brand, ‘The Body Shop’ founded by Anita Roddick, UK with over 2500 franchised stores in 61 countries made its appearance in Shillong recently. Owned by Shakti Laitflang, a local entrepreneur, the store at GS Road, Police Bazar was inaugurated by Health Minister AL Hek. The Body Shop is popular because of its ability to source natural products which the company claims are processed in ethical conditions, strictly adhering to the principles of “not testing products on animals.”Following the death of Roddick in 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid glowing tributes to her saying, “She campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable to do so and inspired millions to the cause by bringing sustainable products to a mass market. She will be remembered not only as a great campaigner but also as a great entrepreneur.”
In 1986 The Body Shop struck an alliance with Greenpeace in the UK to save the whale. Roddick also launched other promotions tied to social causes. She became a great critic of environmental insensitivity practised by cosmetics industry. The Body Shop is a pioneer in instituting social audits in mid 1990s and continues to support its values.
Shillong has a clientele for such cosmetic products and what can be better than using nature’s best. But even while The Body Shop in Shillong tends to a growing number of environmentally conscious clients will it also champion some green causes in and around the space where it is located today?
Travellers’ plight
The Khyndailad tourist taxi stand has become a ‘dalal’s’ paradise of sorts. Travellers are pulled to the right and left and sometimes even their bags are snatched away to a car favoured by a particular ‘dalal.’ Passengers are harassed more often than not and are at times not even allowed to make an informed choice about which taxi to opt for, for the travel to Guwahati. Recently a passenger who was pulled against his will to a tourist cab was assured by the dalal that the taxi would take off early but the moment he had put in his luggage in that particular cab his wait lasted forever. This is the plight of all passengers who wait at the stand for a shared taxi. Tourist taxis and Tata Sumos also park near the Civil Hospital and in the stand opposite to Anjalee Cinema. Despite the Shillong Traffic Police’s “No Parking” sign near Civil Hospital, these so-called tourist vehicles merrily pick up passengers from there. Shillong in any case is known for its free-for-all culture. Laws are made to be broken. Governance is near absent at the lowest levels. The Tourist Taxis and Tata Sumos have made their own laws and abide by them and their Associations could not care less about the passengers’ comfort. It’s almost as if the passenger is asking for a free ride. Unfortunately the harassed passengers have no time to form their association or air their grievances in a way that yields result. Most of them only visit the city for a few days and those from Shillong know how to get around these hassles. Clearly the Deputy Commissioner and his team need to make a round of the Tourist Taxi stands on any day and take note of the lawlessness prevailing there.
