Editor,
It is heart-warming to see the news in your paper (ST Feb 7, 2017) that an officer is being appointed to maintain cleanliness in the city. I would like to
suggest that the public be given a helpline number to get in touch with this officer and for filing complaints by the public in case they see anyone violating the rules and littering the streets and other public spaces. Hopefully the cleanliness of this city of ours gets restored and maintained through the combined efforts of public and Municipal officials.
Yours etc.,
Maureen Shabong,
Via email
RBI refuses to exchange old notes
Editor,
The RBI has introduced a facility of exchange of specified bank notes to give an opportunity to Indian citizens and NRIs who were abroad during the post 50-day demonetisation period that ended on Dec 30. The facility remains open for residents up to Mar 31, 2017 and for NRIs up to Jun 30, 2017. One of our retired Professors from Cotton College, who was visiting abroad, went to RBI Guwahati recently for exchanging defunct currency. But the security turned away him stating non availability of exchange facility there. The level of friendliness and helpfulness offered by front line bank service employees were not visible. In anger and desperation, he queued up for a visitor pass and met the concerned official. The reply was unconvincing and customer service unfriendly. RBI has fixed their own criteria with terms and conditions and it accepts through designated RBI offices at Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Nagpur only, even after PM assured people that they had till Mar 31 to deposit their old notes. The central bank has made it difficult for citizens in a big country like India. Is it a wise decision for people from North East to visit Kolkata for exchanging few thousands of rupees? At least one branch of each state of RBI should have been assigned for the task. Even exchanging physical currency at a distance is not a big task using video conference in telecommunication technology. The RBI Guwahati should look into the matter to ease the distress of a senior citizen who was aggrieved by the decision of the Central Board of the Reserve Bank. Can their appeal reach to the concerned authority? Otherwise the implementation of digital movement will be a far cry.
Yours etc.,
Kamal Baruah
Guwahati-22
Muslim countries fail the Rohingyas
Editor,
It is unfortunate to note the plight of Rohingya communities and the atrocities they are facing in Myanmar. The international community must act together to find an acceptable solution to this unacceptable humanitarian crisis originating from sectarian violence in Myanmar. But what surprises me is the global effort in only pushing and pressurising Bangladesh to accommodate the displaced Rohingya communities and no economic sanctions or even a strong condemnation of the failures of the Government of Myanmar. I agree with President Trump that indeed the UN has been transformed into a coffee table organization where only casual discussions take place about several humanitarian crises around the globe with zero action on the ground. More surprisingly, the OIC and the rich Islamic nations across Middle East who are promoting themselves as the greatest Muslims on the planet are doing nothing in terms of providing humanitarian aid or helping the Rohingya communities diplomatically, politically and economically. Bangladesh is struggling with an already explosive human population, reshaping her economy and huge threats of home grown insurgency; how much can she offer when all the rich Gulf States are sitting tight and quiet. That the concept of Muslim unity around the globe is a questionable myth has been proved time and again. Shame Myanmar! Shame UN! Shame OIC!
Yours etc.,
Saikat Kumar Basu,
Lethbridge AB Canada
Rail & air connectivity imperative
Editor,
Shillong is really in need of rail and air connectivity at the earliest simply because of three major reasons. Firstly, the presence of both air and rail links will bring huge employment amongst job seeking youths directly and indirectly as well boost tourism in our state because till date Assam seems to benefit more through various resources. Local/ Tourist cabs will benefit hugely by plying passengers/tourists in and out of the airport/railway station, and also will do away with harassment meted out by the Assam police authorities upon our drivers and passengers whether on the highways or inside the railway station. Secondly, goods and services will become very cheap once railways reach us and we the common people will be greatly benefited by this. Trade and commerce will surely boost the economy of the state as well. Students pursuing studies outside the state will be hugely benefited as they have a choice whether to travel by air or rail. Lastly, we won’t need to travel all the way to Guwahati airport/railway station facing lots of hurdles in the form of traffic jams, heavy rains, landslides etc. on the way to those destinations. We will avoid the tension of whether we’ll reach on time or not. Therefore, I hope the government seriously takes up this matter of concern and settles all issues related to the pressure groups which are genuine in some ways. Some may say that these pressure groups are thorns in a bud and that if they existed during the 70’s we might never even have a Shillong-Guwahati road because of the fear of influx and illegal migrants. We all hope we’ll live to see the day when Shillong possesses a fully functional railway line and airport.
Yours etc.
D.Warshong,
Via email.