Editor ,
The Government of India must be sincerely appreciated for the current consideration to issue Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards that serve as lifetime visas to 5th generation and older Indian migrants if their current country of citizenship certifies their Indian ancestry. This could be a game changer if successful as it will bring huge numbers of the Indian diaspora who have never seen India but have strong regards for their ancient motherland. Several of the 5thgeneration diaspora currently hold important political, administrative, legislative, defence, policy making, academic, scientific and technical research positions. Several others are also leading industrialists, intellectuals, lawyers and sports personnel of their respective nations. This could help India in bringing these countries into stronger diplomatic, defence as well as socioeconomic cooperation with such nations across Africa, the Caribbean islands, Latin America and South East Asia. Indian influence in these countries can be significant based on these new Gen-5 socio-economic and socio-political connections. Most of these countries have detailed records of the indented labour force brought to them by the colonial masters of the time, mostly English and French. There is genuine concern regarding influx of Gen-5 OCI members from Pakistan and Bangladesh for security concerns. The government can exclude these countries from this list specifically and extend this to millions of Gen-5 diaspora in other countries that love and respect India and wish to visit their motherland.
Yours etc.,
Saikat Kumar Basu
Lethbridge Canada
Suggestions for a cleaner Shillong.
Editor,
Our Hon’ble Prime Minister has initiated a campaign for Swachh Bharat which is gaining momentum. Like other part of the country, the Swachh Bharat Campaign is duly acknowledged and participated in Meghalaya. For keeping Shillong city clean, the Shillong Municipal Board is doing its best. Our city has witnessed a good number of homeless people and their numbers are ever increasing with the passage of time. During day time these people wander in and around the city doing their chores and when night falls while the business establishments are closed these less fortunate are found taking shelter in the verandah of some shops. At dawn they wake up and wrap up. A good numbers of these people could be seen in and around Polo Bazar, Jail Road and Police Bazar. Now the question that arises is – Do these people have any proper place to ease their nature’s call? The answer is ‘No’, for the simple reason that people who are homeless cannot have a toilet of their own.
The next possible question that would come is where do these people find a place to respond to nature’s call? With all probability the easing place for them is the footpath, narrow lanes of the city and its open greenery. It is for this reason that the lanes and footpaths in our city are filthy. The glaring example is the footpath connecting Quinton Road with Jail Road and Quinton Road with Police Bazar as well as other areas in the city which are full of human excreta and flow of urine. Taking advantage of the situation many who can afford a toilet also indulge in open defecation.
There are public toilets in our city but the fees charged for their use is quite high. My concern is that these homeless people are not in a position to use the public toilets since they cannot afford to pay Rs. 5 and Rs. 10 for urinal and latrine respectively. It is also an irony that there are some public offices which do not have toilets for their visitors. I suggest that the situation could be salvaged if the Shillong Municipal Board can allow the people in general to use the public toilets free of cost and their numbers can also be scaled up. Public offices should show some concern for the public by constructing toilets for them. I am sure that if the above suggestions are acted upon it would be a step towards making Shillong a clean city.
Yours etc.,
Aneeta Synrem
Shillong-1