Editor,
The Congress Party has lost all moral grounds to rule Meghalaya. One after another its frontal organizations are trying to defend the indefensible Home Minister. That the defence of the Home Minister now comes from none other than the Mahila Congress shows just how sick and disgusting this political party has become. How can the women’s wing of a political party be on the side of the Home Minister whose son runs a prostitution den camouflaged as a guest house with a fancy name. The state police will not be able to do anything to fix responsibility on the guest house owner if the Home Minister does not step down. If this clamour from civil society for him to step down goes unheeded the Congress Party will pay a heavy price in 2018 and the chief minister Mukul Sangma can no longer remain smug and arrogant.
Yours etc.,
AK Phanbuh,
Via email
Poor road condition
Editor,
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been quite active and also performing well to address issues plaguing the overall function of different departments. What is missing out is the Public Works Department and this department seems to be one of the ‘ weakest. ‘ So too the PHE and the Health Department. The road from Sutnga onwards to Saipung and to villages like Muallian in East Jaintia Hills district is the most neglected. All along the route the road condition gets bad to worse especially in the monsoons. The road ironically falls under the PWD, NEC division and in spite of funds being pumped in the road remains in a decrepit condition. Even the local MLA and MDC from the area are aware of the miseries of the people while traversing along the road. However, the Department is not keen to repair this road. Now the PAC should pull these officials up in the interests of public welfare.
Yours etc…
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3
Malnutrition in Meghalaya
Editor,
This refers to your article “Tackling malnutrition of Meghalaya’s children” (ST- Feb 1, 2017). The success in treatment of various diseases in childhood largely depends on early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Late detection, wrong diagnosis & inappropriate treatment compound the incidence of various ailments detected in last three years among children. Like adults, kids need exercise. Most children need at least an hour of physical activity every day. Regular exercise helps children feel less stressed, feel better about themselves, feel more ready to learn in school, keeps a healthy weight, builds and keeps healthy bones, muscles and joints and it helps to sleep better at night. Malnutrition, poverty, poor communication and supportive care, unhygienic conditions, deficiencies in infrastructure and socio-economic problems of the developing countries are other well-known contributing factors in keeping children healthy.
Yours etc.,
Vinod C. Dixit
Ahmedabad – 15
Raj Bhavan’s Romeo
Editor,
How could the public tolerate the blatant defilement of the seats of power? Nothing is as disgusting as the fact that the dignity of the state’s Raj Bhavan has been shaken by the noise of an unholy scandal. We hardly believed our eyes when we got to read a long complaint letter circulated on “whatsapp” written by none other than the staff of Governor House. Of course, the whole nation convulsed in shock on hearing the Meghalaya Governor’s sexual overtures to his own office staff. But now there’s a strange development – the utter silence of all those victims and their supporters. Has it not made the case still more intriguing? Most of the staff have already backed out of the petition saying that they were forced by their seniors to put the signature on the letter addressed to the Prime Minister. Does it not smell fishy? Hope, time will expose the skeletons in the royal cupboard. However, I don’t think it is proper to harp and bitch about the RSS over this episode as the Governor was a previous “pracharak” of this organization. Some black sheep are present in every institution or organization, no matter how holy it is. Any surprise, infamously lustful Trump is now the head of the most powerful country in the world? Whether we accept or not modernity goes hand in hand with sleaze. . However, the Raj Bhavan scandal has raised the eyebrows of the whole nation and reminded the country’s citizens about Meghalaya which had earned its unique prominence after the sudden demise of the most dignified president of India – APJ Abdul Kalam, in this state just about one and half years ago. This is undoubtedly a big plus for Meghalaya tourism because after the recent Raj Bhavan scandal I alone received five calls from my friends outside who are anxious to visit Meghalaya and see the cleanest village Mawlynnong. Whispers about lovely Meghalaya are now heard all across the country. Let’s learn to capitalise on what comes our way.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali
Shillong-2