Editor,
Driving or walking through the busy streets of Shillong during the windy or rainy seasons is like gambling with your life and property. Trees, branches, twigs, even fruits fall on top of your head or on top of your car if it’s your day. We’ve witnessed from the past how fallen branches and trees can create havoc. Luckily no lost souls are reported yet. My humble request to the concerned department is to urgently look into the matter so as to avoid any unnecessary mishaps. What I’ve noticed is that on the entire stretch from Fire Brigade to Anjalee petrol pump there are enormous sized trees with overhanging branches and these Amazon jungle like trees are dangerously lined up along with the electric lines. Chopping off these threatening branches or even trees will do a world of good to the confidence of daily commuters. Although we need to keep Shillong clean and green, we also need to be safe than sorry. Let’s not wait for things to happen when we have all the resources to deal with such exigencies.
Yours etc.,
- Warshong,
Via email
What an imposition!
Editor,
Shillong has come a long way from the dictatorial calls of bandhs and boycott of both Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations. People now come out on such days and enjoy these National Holidays with the spirit of freedom and patriotism. Having said that, one piece of news makes me believe that life has come full circle. A very prominent boys’ school in Shillong, St Edmund’s, has scheduled a unit test for the kids on August 15. The Reason? So that the kids come to school and don’t miss the celebrations that the school is planning to observe. Now isn’t that dictatorial too? A day when you are supposed to celebrate, you are forced to appear for a test? Can’t the school come out with more creative ideas which will motivate the children to be part of the celebration rather than imposing a test on them so that they come? I am saddened beyond words at this attitude and approach of the school. The little minds of the children should be free at least on Independence Day and not bogged down, as always, with studies, task and assignments. I hope better sense would prevail.
Yours etc.
Name withheld on request
(A concerned parent).
Misplaced idea of compassion
Editor,
Apropos the news item of August 7, 2017 regarding the recommendation of the Pay Commission to reopen compassionate appointments I like to say that more than 50% of families in the state live below poverty line (BPL) and no Government employee is eligible to be included as BPL. What we need is much more compassion for these families and not for Government employees. The Government is not an employment agency even though that seems to be the perception. It is there to serve the citizens of Meghalaya. Most Government employees, particularly the fourth grade staff are known to become alcoholics and die in service. So should the Pay Commission reward them by recommending compassionate appointment at the cost of jobs to the vast majority who deserve much more compassion? A Government employee’s family also gets pension benefits on his death while others get nothing at all. Even when a government employee dies in harness because of the nature of duty such as being killed by terrorists etc. the Government can think of adequate monetary compensation without resorting to compassionate appointments at the cost of other deserving persons. In a state like ours Government is the major employer and jobs are difficult to come by today. Unemployment is rising every day. The general impression one has about a Government job is that it is highly secured, much better paid and where the employee can be laid back plus receive all kinds of privileges. These days in the private sector the driver also doubles up as a peon since drivers are mostly idle when their officers are at work. I urge the government not to add to this list of privileges in the form of compassionate appointments at the cost of vast majority who are unemployed and are of a much higher caliber than any of these privileged class compassionate appointees.
Yours etc.,
D Wahlang
Shillong-14