HH Morhmen’s writeups (ST July 13 & Aug 31, 2015) are anomalous and misleading. The writer cites 1972 as the date of establishment of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council; the duration of the Behdienkhlam festival in Jowai for three days four nights and the disappearance of the lawchibdi clan from the social setup in Jowai. As a research scholar, he should base his writing on facts and not jump to conclusions. Such write-ups raise several questions about the creditability of the writer. For the information of the public a separate Autonomous District Council for the Jaintias was established in 1964 under the nomenclature of Jowai Autonomous District Council which later changed to Jaintia Autonomous District Council. The Behdienkhlam festival in Jowai was held for four days three nights (this year from July 8- 11) and the lawchibdi clan used to hold the office of patorship in the past. The present pator is not from the lawchibdi clan. Last but not the least, fish is never used as symbol by Christians.
Mohrmen has repeatedly written about the pollution of the water downstream of the Myntdu River but remains silent about the upstream which is one of the most polluted, especially the areas in and around Jowai town. Open toilets, waste disposals from different localities of Jowai town flow directly into the Myntdu river. Spraying of pesticides across the paddy fields adjoining the river is rampant, thereby leading to contamination of the River. Futher, the upstream is the source of drinking water supply of Jowai town. This is not a coal mining area but it has become a death threat to fishes and human lives due to the toxic condition of the water. The documentary by S N Lamare has been shown to the public but that is useless if the river upstream is not shown as well.
Yours etc,.
Stelin G. Laloo
Jowai
