By Saurav Bora
To “bypass” or not, was the tricky question Umsning faced when it came to a road in this otherwise laidback constituency. That was some years ago when there were two sets of landowners, one that favoured four-laning of the Umsning town road instead while the other supported the NHAI-constructed bypass.Today, Umsning is on the verge of having both, a blacktopped 3.5km town road and a four-lane bypass that will allow a smooth, hassle-free drive to commuters. The dilly dally and the delays apart, the script could not have been timed better though for the two routes as Umsning goes to the Assembly elections along with 59 other constituencies in the state next month.“If you reflect back, the idea of having a bypass was good… Today, we have a ring road around Umsning with the possibility of development alongside both the routes,” said sitting MLA and state minister Celestine Lyngdoh.Not just roads through and around the town, the legislator claims to have blacktopped 100km of road across several villages in the constituency during the past five years.There are 127 villages under the constituency.“I have been compelled to go for blacktopping roads across the bigger villages as the smaller ones have as less as eight households spread at a distance of 5km and the amount sanctioned is so big for so small a population. About 25km (of blacktopping) still remain, and once done, barring the old roads which need repair, I would have covered the whole constituency,” Celestine said. Monsoon hurdle Rains have affected roads, be it construction or repair. “Many roads get damaged in the rain during monsoon. Over and above, trucks carrying goods way beyond their load capacity of nine tonnes have also damaged the road that passes through the town,” the MLA said.He further said he would come up with all-weather roads in the villages if he gets another term.Healthcare woesHealthcare is an issue that requires some attention as the community health centre in the town, which is supposed to have four to five doctors, has only one. A visit to the British-era Assam-type structure in the afternoon took this correspondent by surprise as there was not a soul to seek information from, till a lady employee came to the rescue after a while and showed the way to the doctor’s quarters.The CHC, located on a hillock, was upgraded from a dispensary in 2001.“Since it’s winter, we have just a handful of patients. But come summer, all the 30 beds of the CHC are occupied throughout. So it is difficult for one doctor to cater to all patients. We need at least five doctors during the peak season,” said M. Lyngdoh, the lone doctor, who was at her official quarter on the campus.The sitting MLA, however, draws a parallel with other constituencies in the state, saying such an issue (doctor shortage) was common in the state.On the plight of patients who have to rush to either Nongpoh or Shillong for availing themselves of better medical facilities, Celestine said, “Doctors are there in the CHC but not in complete strength. Then again, the choice of going to a private hospital is for the people to make as our government has put in place the Megha Health Insurance Scheme that provides insurance cover to patients in private hospitals.” Jason Mawlong, who is contesting the seat from People’s Democratic Front, says the upgrade of the CHC into a Civil Hospital would be on his agenda. “Improving healthcare facilities for the welfare and convenience of the people in the constituency is something I want to take up on priority,” he said. EducationEven as Umsning and its surrounding areas have struggled to get government educational institutions, the 1962-established Nehru Memorial HS School is being given a facelift.“We are giving the institution a facelift through funding of almost Rs 3crore by the Asian Development Bank, which includes improving the old building, new structures and retrofitting,” Celestine said.“When it comes to our educational institutions, be it mission schools or mission colleges, ours are not less than the others in the state,” he said.Jason, who is contesting the Assembly elections for the first time, said he would endeavour to create proper education infrastructure for the underprivileged.Employment generationDespite having a Rural Resources Training Centre, which provides job-oriented courses, unemployment, like many other rural constituencies, is still an issue.Agriculture is the mainstay in Umsning, like in most constituencies, and helped by a favourable climate, farmers who generally practise subsistence farming, also save some for trade in the market.“People here cultivate cash crops such as broccoli, tomato and lettuce. Besides, the climate is also suitable for poultry farming,” said the sitting MLA.Over the years, a handful of resorts too have come up on the outskirts of the town, indicative of people opting for self-employment avenues. “The government is also encouraging creation of home-stays with a 30 per cent subsidy on Rs 1crore project. So, interested entrepreneurs who own land can apply through the Tourism Department for operating home-stays,” Celestine said.UDP candidate Donkupar Sumer said he plans to give wings to the Meghalaya Central Agriculture University project which has hung fire for long.“The university project is something that I will work for if I am given a chance. This will not only improve the education scenario but will generate employment as well,” Sumer, who is also an MDC and social activist, said.Jason says he would provide assistance to farmers to improve the system. “Schemes for the cultivators of Umsning are imperative to help improve their economic condition and quality of farming,” he said.Triangular contestAs of now, Umsning has three strong contenders in the sitting MLA, Celestine, PDF candidate Jason and UDP’s Donkupar Sumer. Asked about his chances of retaining the seat, Celestine said, “I shall win but we will have to work hard. Anti-incumbency will always be there against the ruling party, but from the development initiatives that I have taken over the past five years, people can gauge the quality of leadership and commitment.”His two competitors too are pretty upbeat.Sumer, who had contested last time as an Independent, said his chances are “very bright”. Umsning, he said, has been a traditional stronghold of UDP. Jason said that his work, sincerity and loyalty towards the public at large make him confident that he will be the choice of a majority of the electorate. “I will continue to serve the people of my constituency without any prejudice and give them the best. I will bring great changes for the welfare of the people,” he claimed. NPP’s Thomas Roy Mallai, who is also in the fray, said while his party has seen a wave this time, his candidature was also accepted well as people know him. “I have been working at the grassroots as the Ombudsman for MGNREGS in Ri Bhoi. So I have interacted closely with people,” Mallai said.Potable waterCelestine said that provision of potable water to every village would top his agenda in the coming years. “Water scarcity is there in the dry season albeit it has never reached crisis level,” he said.Zoo“The state government had acquired land for a state zoo during the days of chief minister EK Mawlong, but till date the project has not been implemented. This will be a part of my agenda in the next five years if elected,” Sumer said.Textile industry“Our constituency has immense potential in sericulture and it is high time we explored setting up textile units here as the climate too is favourable. Such units will also improve our economy. The textiles ministry has earmarked Rs 1,000crore for the Northeast in the last budget and we have to avail the opportunity,” Sumer said.CorruptionSumer said that he would do way with the system of conducting personal interviews for jobs. “Personal interviews encourage corruption in the form of favouritism,” he said.Waste managementMallai, 62, on the other hand, said that he would also focus on waste management apart from the basic issues of water, roads and uplift of farmers. “Recycling units will not only ensure a clean environment but would be a fuel substitute for various factories across the state,” he said.Reality checkEven as roads have linked villages, the condition of most interior villages takes us few decades back.The state PWD has taken up the repair of the dilapidated Umran-Myrdon-Mawtari under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund only in December.While Celestine, who is also the PHE minister, assured during the foundation laying ceremony that the road would be repaired by the first week of January, a car ride on the back-breaking stretch during that period told a different tale, with piles of chips still lying along the route.Model villageMyrdon Nongbah, about 7km from the highway, has had to deal with a treacherous 2.5km approach road under PMGSY.Bipul Thangkhiew, the village headman, says that the dilapidated road has taken too long to be repaired. “It was built in 2002-03 and now tenders have been called during the second stage of the project,” the 37-year-old rued.The village has 201 households and most of the houses have been built under Indira Awas Yojana. It has been given the honour of a model village for its initiatives in rural resource training. “But only 13 households have people who are government employees. The rest are seasonal farmers and labourers. Under a rural development project, as many as 18 groups with ten households as members have been trained in bamboo treatment, leaf plate-making, et al. We have tried to control migration by encouraging alternative means of earning a living,” Thangkhiew said.“As of today, we have 600-plus votes and there is anti-incumbency among many,” he added.Monlang Lyngdoh, the president of Seng Longkmie (women’s organisation) of the village said, “Not enough has been done by Dr Bom (as Celestine is called by the locals) over the years. Till date, we do not have good roads, a dispensary or drinking water here.”
