Wednesday, November 6, 2024
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Who wants a truncated state?

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Editor,

Through your esteemed daily I wish to offer my humble opinion on the separate Garoland state movement.   Of late a lot of noise is generated about a separate Garo homeland ! Aren’t we forgetting about our Garo brethren in Assam who suffered most during  the hill state movement  of 1960s to fulfill our dreams? Nothing short of a Garo State which includes the Garo dominated areas of Assam  shall satisfy the heart of a true Garo patriot although this may sound utopian. So what are the options?

Option 1: Stick with fellow brother Khasis and Pnars for at least another  7/8 years from now and take a fresh look at our stand. We need to take a holistic view of a separate state  and avoid a fiasco; a botched-up mess of the past.

Option 2:   Exchange all non- tribal dominated plain areas of Garo Hills with Assam in lieu of Garo dominated  areas of Assam, giving no options to stay on either side of the state! All options should be exercised in a peaceful  non-violent  negotiation with the neighboring state.                                              

Option 3: GHADC seats may be expanded to  40 and 10 seats out of 40 may be allowed to be contested by the sons and  grandsons  of the unsung heroes of the hill state movement from Assam – from Hahim  (Kamrup), Nishangram ( Goalpara), Derek,  Dalek  Malangkona, Chotipara, Bakrapur, Do’rengtip  Angolaguri  Shantipur  Bombrapatal  Nidanpur(Dudhnai) Daglapara  Rongjuli , Melopara, Kongkal and Hudakholna etc.                                                            

Option 4: None of the above if a referendum is at all held.

 Now don’t get me wrong.  I choose to remain strictly  apolitical unless compelled to. Much wisdom and tact on this sensitive issue is the need of the hour. I know I’ll draw flak from all sides but if anybody has better ideas with constructive theory about removing the imbroglio of a truncated  separate state , such ideas are welcome. Because much as I hate to admit to myself, the ideas above seem far- fetched, flippant, utopian and the dream of a looney! So anybody got better ideas?

Yours etc.,

Sonaram  M   Sangma,

Tura

Jowai Municipal Board Vs Roadside Vendors

Editor,

The District Administration along with the Jowai Municipal Board (JMB) had done a commendable job in announcing the eviction of road side vendors selling their goods all along the footpath at Iaw Musiang Jowai. The announcements were made on three consecutive days. But this had a only a temporary effect. After a few days we see a repeat of the drama and the road side vendors have reclaimed their spaces. It was also reported when eviction drive was carried out by the staff of JMB , stones were thrown at them and some got injured. Such is the attitude of our people. This is an act of sheer greed, ignorance and lawlessness of the roadside vendors. It seems that the sole motive is to earn money at any cost with no thoughts for peace, health and development. The Swachh Bharat Mission will never happen in Jowai especially in the congested area of Iaw Musiang and Mynthong. In Mynthong locality garbage is dumped right in front of peoples’ residence. I am sure there is no place on earth where such a thing could happen. This shows that we the people of Jowai are the worst in terms of civic sense.

Earlier the JHADC made an alternative arrangement to shift the existing market to a new market while the present one is being constructed but different markets have cropped up even in private lands which belong to different churches and other organizations. Such is the mindset of our people! The question arises whether we really love to see a clean town. Those existing roadside vendors can easily shift to Iaw Thyme but this too the District Administration has failed to accomplish what has been announced. The District Administration and JMB could have adopted stern measures to compel the street vendors to shift for the betterment of Jowai town as Iaw Musiang which is in the heart of the town is so congested.

 Once while I was shopping at Iaw Musiang a student was hit by a local taxi at the junction of Iaw Shyiap near H.K Sing Higher Secondary School. This is a very crowded junction especially during school hours where students from different schools have to pass through this junction. I would suggest that a Traffic Police is needed in such place to prevent accidents especially during school hours. This accident happened on the market day when footpaths were occupied by road side vendors.

The question is why are roadside vendors not cooperating with the JMB? I would also request the District Administration and the JMB to take effective measures for the improvement and  development of Jowai town.

Yours etc.,  

Omarka Laloo.

Mynthong Jowai.

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