Editor,
Shillong roads have gone from bad to worse. The PWD will of course blame the incessant rains but are rains a stranger to Meghalaya? In some areas the roads are so poor that driving has become dangerous especially if one is on a two wheeler. Yet there is no sign of any remorse from the State Government. Someone had rightly pointed out that the present PWD minister is also the State’s biggest roads and buildings contractor. Isn’t there a very blatant conflict of interest here? Why is the Chief Minister silent on this? Is it because he is no longer worried about what happens in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills since our own MLAs/ministers too don’t care a hoot about what happens to their constituencies? How is it possible that roads have to be repaired annually? What is the quality of work done that such frequent repairs are required? And where is the money allocated for road repairs actually siphoned off?
But what is so strange is the silence of the plethora of pressure groups and self-styled anti-corruption activists on this very critical issue of public utilities. They take up issues that are politically savvy and which give them media headlines but as far as roads are concerned they prefer to remain silent. Is it because many of our pressure group leaders are also Government contractors? Or is it because they are beholden to some people in the Government? The conditions of roads inside the different localities of Shillong are far worse. For far too long the PWD (Roads) has not been held accountable. Recently the High Court of Meghalaya pulled up a section of the PWD technicians for slow completion of Rockside bungalow. That must have sent the jitters down the PWD hierarchy. Never before has the judiciary pulled up a Government Department and sought a report from it for poor service delivery. But that is perhaps because that particular building would become the residence of the Chief Justice of Meghalaya. Will the High Court also take suo-moto notice of the road conditions in Shillong and its suburbs? Of course the people of Jaintia Hills too have been crying hoarse about the decrepit condition of the road from Mawryngkneng onwards to Jowai and beyond. They also wonder why the Jowai MLA and Minister RC Laloo remains a mute spectator to all this improper use of public money by the PWD Department.
Will the Chief Minister of Meghalaya also rise to the occasion and see that he replaces the PWD Minister? If not then the same fate that has befallen the Congress in the Garo Hills District Council will await the Party here. The Congress Party in charge of Meghalaya, Mr V Narayanaswamy should take note of his Party’s failings in the State.
Yours etc.,
C Kharkongor,
Via email