Editor,
The road leading from Shillong Commerce College to Bajoria School has become a garbage dump. Ironically the Municipal authorities don’t seem to notice this and even if they did they do nothing about it. I take this road regularly towards Polo and enjoy the ride after office hours on the way home. But of late the place stinks. Last year, I remember, the Police had registered a non-FIR case against some people who were caught dumping garbage alongside this beautiful road. Besides, no effort is being made by PWD (or other concerned authorities) to clear the shrubs and lantanas that have taken over the small park installed midway. Such irresponsible acts deserve condemnation by all. This is a common practice everywhere nowadays. Forest areas, roadsides, drains, etc have become a dumping place. There is no sense of shame or guilt on the part of the offenders.
I think the Municipality and the Urban Affairs Dept need to do a mass awareness campaign across the city and suburbs on this dumping menace and also bring in some stringent punishment on the offenders. Let us be responsible for a cleaner Shillong and cleaner environment.
Yours etc.,
R N Rymbai,
Shillong-8
Database of Indian flora
Editor,
The electronic database of Indian flora as developed by the Botanical Survey of India is an excellent electronic archive. This will not only help in the process of popularizing plants among the general public, students and kids but, would also contribute significantly in making people aware of the need for successful plant conservation. The electronic database generation also has far reaching impacts as this will be available to researchers and plant enthusiasts across the nation and overseas. Future cooperation and collaboration with botanical researchers, academics, universities, research institutes and botanical gardens across the nation and the globe will be well facilitated through such initiatives. Furthermore, quick check and references would be possible for doubtful identification of plant species in legal cases by the BSI, the customs and forest departments and the judiciary for preventing illegal trade on vulnerable ornamental and medicinal plant species. Commercialization of several potential plant species could also be explored by referring to the database and the current status of the plant resources of the mega-biodiverse country could be estimated by the simple click of the mouse without spending hours in the library and botanical archives. In short, the e-flora opens up new opportunity for plant research and conservation in the nation and should be appropriately funded and supported in future to develop into a premier global resource showcasing plants from the entire Indian subcontinent representing divergent plant habitats and ecosystems.
Yours etc.,
Saikat Kumar Basu,
Lethbridge AB Canada
Smart city not a priority!
Editor,
The UP minister, Azam Khan while criticising the Letters to the Editor must have the full name, address and contact number of the writer, even if they are sent by email. Only letters with the requisite details will be published. smart city project said emphasis should rather be given to developing smart villages to reduce migration from rural to urban centres. This statement is true of Meghalaya too whose capital city of Shillong is amongst the 98 shortlisted smart cities. We don’t need a smart Shillong city; instead we should focus on developing the rural areas and providing good educational institutions, better health facilities and a better and smarter working system. Dr Mukul Sangma while unveiling the foundation stone of a Housing Project for the poor at Lower Mawprem on October 20 2011, said that migration from rural to urban areas increases due to absence of educational institutions and health care facilities in rural Meghalaya and because people are denied the basic amenities. Sangma also said, the state government is geared up to tackle the problem on a mission mode by developing the rural areas aggressively and by creating sustainable employment opportunities. The Central Govt has come up with this programme make all cities in the country slum free. In the context of Shillong this is an irony because migration will continue to increase and perhaps Shillong will be tagged as the slum of the north east. A smart city would offer digital infrastructure and free wifi for IT enabled services which would benefit the citizens and institutions. Smart cities aim at bringing better drinking water supply, stable electricity supply and proper drainage amongst others. But are these possible? Won’t the commercial sectors be the major beneficiaries because it is said that the private sector would be given priority in this project which is also promoting the ‘Make in India’ agenda of the Govt. This would also mean that migration from the neighbouring states would increase to fill up the job vacancies. The question is whether we really need a smart city. What we need are better health facilities, more schools and colleges in different districts of the states because the migration of students from Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills to Shillong city is massive. We also need one more college in South West Khasi Hills (Mawkyrwat), West Khasi Hills (Nongstoin) and other districts as well in order to control migration of those looking for quality education.
Yours etc.,
Ribor Kharsynniang
Shillong – 14