Editor,
Most roads in Shillong are just enough for one vehicle. The moment two vehicles cross each other then both of them have to move to the side which is not black-topped. The problem with road making is that it is the contractor who finally builds and completes the process while engineers are hardly seen supervising the work. The contractor has paid everyone down the line from the minister to the PWD engineers, the moment he/she wins the bid after tendering for the same. Then the contractor also has to think of the profit he/she has to make. So only the amount remaining after keeping all the above expenses under consideration is used to build the road. No wonder it takes only one monsoon for the roads to be washed away. And as citizens we keep mum after watching this happen day in and day out. We are all allowing corruption to thrive because of our studied silence. Some roads like the one from Gora Line to Spread Eagle Falls has become so horrible that some vehicle is likely to turn turtle someday soon.
And why is the repair work being undertaken during the rainy season? Why was the road left unattended to during the dry season? That must be the worst road in Shillong city today and it falls under Laitumkhrah constituency. No surprise! Who will police the Government with all its mercenary ministers, officials, contractors and wheeler dealers? The Mukul Sangma Government has passed the Social Audit Act. Are the rules in place and is there an office we can visit to lodge our complaints to? Your newspaper had mentioned that even CAG reports don’t really matter to the Government, hence hundreds of crores of rupees are lost due to several acts of omission and commission but no action is taken to find the guilty, much less to punish them, for, if that were to happen, then half of the government would be in jail. I call upon all citizens of Shillong city to take their responsibilities as citizens seriously and start filing PILs and also use the Social Audit Act.
Yours etc.,
S D Bamon,
Shillong -3
Technological dependence
Editor,
We cannot think of a world without our phones, laptop, internet, etc. What would happen if all this crashed today? Hard to envision, right? I guess we have all at some point wondered when we have become so fixated with our phones that a single day without it is hard to imagine. So much so that it has altered our lives adversely.
In this day and age, we are surrounded by technology. From YouTube playing our favourite music to a text received on WhatsApp, from an office to a house, from a building to a road, we use technology frequently. Ever since technology began incorporating itself excessively into the society, it has affected humans physically and mentally. First of all, there is an undeniable decline in physical wellness. We now spend time mostly watching television or binge watching T.V series or movies online rather than indulging ourselves in some physical exercises or even taking a walk. Although, it is not only in the area of physical fitness that we have turned out to be frail, we cannot manage ourselves without technology like we used to. We are consistently losing skills of how to do things manually.
Technology in the past meant progressively advancing towards making our lives easier. But if you think of it today, the first few things that pops up in your head are computers, cell phones, tablets, internet and other various social networking sites which are slowly harming our brains and our bodies. The quick pace of technology as a result has had a major impact in running us and our society.
Okay, I concede the fact that when we talk of technology, we cannot miss the benefits it brings with it. But we also cannot deny the fact that we have gone too far in terms of use of technology, so much so that it has come to a point now that doctors recommend “technology detox” for people who have no control in their use of it.
Yours etc.,
Ankita Joshi,
Via email
Of media trends
Editor
One aspect of global media that strikes me strongly and which emanates from various media outlets across the planet is the over whelming coverage on negative politics, terrorism, violence, death, destruction and hopelessness. I sincerely believe that media also carry a broad responsibility of building a holistic image of a nation or a region. A newspaper builds a nation and communicates to the world the health of the nation. Will any foreign tourist or foreign direct investment reach a country if that is based on the negative criticism originating from different media sources? This has long term damaging impact on the minds of our younger generation too who are growing up to believe that there is nothing for them other than violence. If media becomes so overwhelmingly negative in its approach it will have detrimental and negative impact on the society at large too. A blood stained body lying on the ground in a pool of blood with bomb spitted body parts scattered everywhere can certainly win a Pulitzer award but can never build a nation. I sincerely believe that there are other positive things happening in a nation that do not get adequate coverage. Responsible and balanced journalist is also necessary for a nation to make progress.
Yours etc.,
Saikat Kumar Basu
Lethbridge AB Canada