Editor,
Apropos the Letter to the Editor captioned,” Forest Department the Giant Slayer,” by N. Hynniewta (ST April 21, 2017), the Forest Department is deeply shocked to see such statement against the Department where the mandate of the Forest Departments in the whole country is scientific management of forests and wildlife.
To see such critiques on the management of Ward’s Lake being made by an observer/morning walker without knowing the facts is unacceptable. Ward’s Lake which had been handed over to the Forest Department for upkeep of the plants and lawn portion is being looked after by the concerned Division with great care and concern. Indian and foreign tourists visit Ward’s Lake whenever they visit Shillong, to enjoy its idyllic picturesque and scenic beauty. The organizations involved in management and maintenance of Ward’s Lake, whether it be the District Administration/Police, Tourism Department, Fisheries Department or the Forest Department all put in their sincere efforts to keep the lake clean and green.
The writer has also insinuated that something fishy is going on, when all that is happening is scientific management of Ward’s Lake. The trees which are really posing a danger to the visitors are being felled and removed in order to preserve the aesthetic beauty of the recreational centre. Moreover, the statement/allegation that it could be some among the top ranks of the Forest Department who are interested in the timber from these giant trees for personal use, is totally false, baseless and unacceptable.
The two pine trees which had been felled recently was lying adjacent to the MLA Hostel. It was leaning and bending towards the footpath and three weeks back when a cyclonic storm and rain occurred some cracking sounds could be heard from the tree’s trunk and branches. The whole tree was in fact dead and rotten. As the tree was posing danger to the visitors and safety towards human lives is regarded as of utmost priority, the tree had to be felled and removed. Another pine tree lying near the bridge was also felled as it was in a decomposed stage. However, vacancy filling or replanting in vacant and suitable spaces within the lawns of the lake will be undertaken during the planting season i.e. in the last week of May or first week of June this year.
The Silver Oak tree which was felled last year was over- matured with a deep crack in its bole which split the main stem of the tree and clear evidence could also be seen from the remaining part of the tree trunk. Whenever any tree is required to be felled down in any recreational centre, it is first ensured that it should be a dead or diseased tree and that it poses danger to the public or passers-by. However, 2(two) new saplings viz. Ginkgo Biloba and Populus spp. had been planted near the Silver Oak stump in August, 2016.
The Forest Department has a major role to play in this new century of Climate Change wherein, the ecological balance or ecological security is in question. The Department is putting its best feet forward to fight against all hurdles in its functioning. Criticism by a non- forester in this manner will hurt the morale of all involved, especially the officers at the field level. Ward’s Lake is just the tip of an iceberg which reflects the working system of the Forest Department. The Department staff are putting in their best efforts towards better maintenance and management of the Lake and take pride in that.
Let not such faulty allegations come in between our working procedures and guidelines provided to a Government Institution to work as per technical/scientific practices and methodologies and relevant sections covered under the provisions of Forest Acts and Rules adopted in the State. Let us not postpone the inconvenient issues created yesterday to a distant tomorrow. The Department shall rather strive to decisively overcome the problems of the past so that it can pursue its developmental programmes for the Government’s all around progress.
Yours etc.,
Divisional Forest Officer,
Social Forestry Division,
East Khasi Hills, Shillong
Politics and religion are inseparable!
Editor,
I read with great interest the article “Politics and Religion don’t mix” by Barnes Mawrie (ST April 24, 2017). The contents of article and historical facts to substantiate the article are very enlightening to the general readers. With regard to Mawrie’s viewpoint that the BJP government at the centre is heading towards theocracy because of various reasons stated by him therein, I have only this to say. The arm-twisting role played by various fringe elements and self-styled vigilantes so far are not only unacceptable in modern India and abhorrent but are highly illegal, unconstitutional and have caused social tensions everywhere. They have destroyed the secular fabric of India. The Government under Narendra Modi at the centre has tolerated enough of these elements and I suspect that they might have tacit understanding with these elements. The central government ought to clearly show concrete action in this regard to prove that it does not tolerate these atrocious elements by rooting them out and giving exemplary punishment to those who still commit such atrocities and intolerance towards other minority communities and religious faiths. Even those organisations which produce, encourage and promote such types of elements ought to be banned forthwith to maintain the secular character of India and to uphold the Constitution of the country in letter and spirit.
However, I do not agree with those who say that politics and religion don’t mix. In fact, those who say so are hypocrites (I do not include Barnes Mawrie under this category because I know that he wrote the article with good intentions), because politics does mix with religion in day- to- day life and practice and that is a universal fact. Strict separation of politics and religion in letter and spirit is nowhere to be found. The problem today is that politics has vitiated and dictated religion or religion has also vitiated and dictated politics. We have seen this being acted out here in Meghalaya. We don’t live in a fools’ paradise! The ideal way should have been that politics should be led by the goodness and wisdom of God which will lead to cleaner politics. Those who say that politics does not mix with religion are those who do not understand what politics is all about. The same opinion was expressed by the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi and Arch-Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email