Editor,
Today, as I was passing via Wards Lake on my way to City Hut Dhaba I saw certain shameful sights which I believe have completely eroded the fabric of morality in our society. I have heard of such things taking place openly in the metropolitan cities (such as the Victoria Memorial Gardens in Kolkata where people make love in the open), but never in a million years did I think it would reach such an unprecedented level here in Shillong. There were shameless couples performing all sorts of pathetic and lowly acts. Some of them tried to do things under cover of an umbrella. Others however were daring enough to display their immoral acts for public viewing. Let me be honest. As a young man, I am devastated by these incidents. Teenagers in the age group of 15 – 19 years and young adults in their early 20s, enjoying shamelessly with their so called “soul-mates” in the open to satisfy their hormone rush is not what the Wards Lake is for. Wards Lake is not a hotel room or a brothel. One thought that the Forest Department would prevent such indecencies from being exhibited to little kids who were accompanied by their parents to the Lake. But the guards seemed to have taken such things in their stride.
Later, when I had passed the main entrance of the Lake, another filthy site greeted me. A couple, in their early 20s, were openly lip-locking in full public view on the main road! Is this really what parents teach their children? Where is, “ka raiñ ka rem” (shame) which Khasis are so proud of? Where is “ka akor ka burom”? This is not the USA ! Seriously, such people should just get a room and understand that private acts cannot be performed in public places. At least not here in Meghalaya!
I appeal to our policemen and our concerned administrators to keep a check on these tourist spots. They have become havens of sin and evil. Such teenagers should be rounded up and sent to some counselling centre. They seriously need help. If their parents don’t do anything about it, then the concerned authorities must act. Unless we take a very tough stand, instead of promoting tourism, we are promoting teenage indecency! Is this what we want Shillong to be?
Yours etc.,
Keith Nongsteng,
Via email
Erratic Power Supply
Editor,
We have ceased to trust so called State Electricity Corporation to supply uninterrupted power especially in the most interior villages. Perhaps those sitting in their cushy, swanky offices at Lumjingshai supposedly the head office of MeECL could give a better answer and clarify as to why even health centres like CHCs’ and PHCs’ continue to function without proper and uninterrupted power supply? Patient care and critical services are interrupted off and on due to the disco lighting system supplied by the Corporation. Now adding to this is a huge bill that burns a hole in every consumer’s pocket. Such a story of erratic supply is often found in the PHC falling under Mawryngkneng Block along NH 44 as told by friends working in this crucial health centre. So we hope that all the tall stories and dreams of making our state self reliant should actually start from home. As they say ‘seeing is believing.’
Yours etc….
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3
Police handing out clean chits
Editor
I fail to understand why Meghalaya Police is always in a hurry to hand out clean chits without investigation. Take the case of the murdered police officer which was labelled ‘suicide’ even before investigation
had begun. Ultimately MLP was forced to admit its lapses and order an internal inquiry into the matter (which will probably never see the light of day). Now it has happened again in the case of
the 14 dead labourers from Dhubri, Assam. GHP Raju, spokesman of MLP, has gone and put his foot in his own mouth again. Even before a post mortem could be conducted, Raju went ahead and ruled out
foul play. Seriously, what kind of policemen do we have in our State? They always shy away from investigative duties which is probably due to their lack of skill and brain power. They are always
seen to be in a hurry to close cases without investigation. It is easy to see why MLP is the longtime record holder for lowest conviction rate in the entire country despite the high crime rate. Start earning
your pay for once, Meghalaya Police! Shoddy police work coupled with absurd statements from spokespersons is making the force look like a bunch of clowns at best.
Gary Marbaniang
Shillong-4