Editor,
Apropos the news items in your esteemed newspaper, (October 17 and 29, 2017) last, I wish to bluntly point out here for the benefit of the public readers to know and understand, and for our Government to immediately refrain from draining out public precious funds in in the name of holding festivals, of which most are held for self aggrandizement and enhancement of someone’s insatiable pockets of those in the government and outside it.
During the last many years, especially since 6-8 years back, too many festivals were held by various government departments or by some unknown and shady agencies sponsored by the government departments. None of these festivals brought any benefits to the state; in fact they brought huge financial losses to the public exchequer, but the government agencies had the guts to justify these wasteful events. For goodness sake, please stop all these shameful and criminal practices. The government said that it had no money to repair the roads, the dilapidated public infrastructures like school buildings, health centres, no money for the sick and the infirm and landless farmers, and labourers, but it has crores of rupees to spend on these festivals like New Year and, Christmas celebrations, Music Festivals, 18 degrees festivals, film festivals, Independence day celebrations, Spring festivals, Winter festivals, Autumn festivals and you name them. Many of them are for the sole purpose of siphoning off public funds and spoiling the youth in many ways, in the name of these shady events.
Coming to the Cherry Blossom festival, I am constrained to say that this again has the same objective – to siphon off public funds for self aggrandizement. In fact this year, knowing the intention of the government agencies, the Cherry Blossoms refused to bloom, and they remain bare, dry and empty. In fact they are conveying the clear and loud message not to mess up with them. Last year alone the government, through its agencies, has allegedly wasted approximately Rs 91 lakh for the event. This year the earmarked money might be much more and the government has unashamedly justified to hold the events as appeared in the paper. This is a big hoax. Government, you are being closely scrutinized and scanned and remember that this is being done on the eve of the general elections-2018. Besides, the Social Audit will be followed immediately after the event.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email
Global Hunger Index
Editor,
Apropos your editorial, “Economic reforms” (ST, Nov 2, 2017), India has successfully gone up the ladder of ease of doing business (EODB) but at the same time gone down in the Global Hunger Index. This happens because capital intensive business enterprises fail to generate sufficient employment. We can never expect trickle down effect from a big business house when it produces very little jobs. So, the success in EODB must now be translated into the labour intensive business enterprises such as farming, cottage, micro and tourism.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Frequent load shedding in Mawpat
Editor,
The residents of Mawpat village (a suburb of Shillong) are in deep anguish over the unscheduled, frequent load shedding by the MeECL on a daily basis. After the corporatization of MeSEB load shedding has become a common feature and Mawpat bears the brunt. Power cuts occur almost throughout the day at different intervals ranging from 30 mins to hours at a time. This has caused tremendous hardships and inconvenience to the people through no fault of theirs. During the lean season, the lame excuse given by the MeECL for load shedding is due to shortage of water in the Umiam dam. What reasons does MeECL have when the water level reaches its maximum during summer? According to the print media reports, during this summer water from the Umiam dam has been released on a number of occasions. Hence MeECL cannot put the blame on shortage of water for frequent power cuts. As most of the households in the village use electricity for cooking, they had to incur additional expenses for other means of energy for their cooking during power cuts. A power cut no matter how short a duration at any time of the day is undesirable. After sunset, it also causes inconvenience to the students when they are deprived of power for their studies especially when they are preparing for their exams. To bear the heavy additional expenses on other means of energy for cooking and for lighting as well for such a long period, is a great burden for the poor and under-privileged section of the community. If the consumers fail to pay their bills on time, they are penalized. The same yardstick should also apply to the MeECL. A pertinent question arises as to whether the Corporation would agree to compensate (in terms of money) for its interrupted power supply to each and every household and for each day of the month? Will the MeECL rectify its failure to provide uninterrupted power supply at the earliest without inviting the consumers to take to the streets to voice their grievances or to take legal recourse?
Yours etc.,
Pynshailang Wahlang,
Via email