Editor,
Through your esteemed daily, I wish to add my observations regarding the problems/obstacles regarding the relocation of the residents of Sweeper Lane at Mawlong Hat, Shillong. We are aware that the Mazhabi Sikhs were brought here over 200 years ago by the British to serve the people of Shillong as their services were required then when there was no better and hygienic waste disposal facility. Besides, they also cater to the cleanliness of the town. For that they were provided residential accommodation in the heart of the town. Shillong was then a small town with a small population. Now Shillong has become very congested and the town has undergone rapid transition. As such, the presence of the Sweeper Colony in the heart of the town and in the vicinity of the most crowded and largest market of the state is no longer conducive. For decades, this place has been an eyesore because of its inorganic growth. Hence it is imperative to relocate the residents there in order to extend the market and develop the area for the benefit of all.
There is no denying that every citizen of India enjoys constitutional rights to stay anywhere within the country. But here we are talking of relocation not eviction. The residents of this place must cooperate and understand that they need to relocate to another place for their own welfare as well as for the common good. However, the government is responsible for the rehabilitation of only those people who are employed by it in different departments. It is for the government to study and identify the genuine employees and rehabilitate those only. Any illegal inhabitant must be dealt with accordingly.
As to the question of the Syiem of Mylliem giving patta to the Mazhabi Sikh community and building permission on humanitarian grounds (which I doubt to the core), in every patta given by the Syiem to individuals having shops in the market, there is a clause which says that the land (khyndew) belongs to the Syiem and the Syiemship can exercise its rights of taking back the land at any point. The shop-owners can do whatever they will with the buildings. In other words it means the buildings can be bulldozed if the Syiem so desires to rescind the lease and take back his land (khyndew). The Syiem can execute this clause after due consultation with the District Council and legal experts. At this juncture it is important for the High Level Committee to verify the true picture and the legal aspects of the case.
Echoing the sentiments of many, this area has become a cause of distress for passers-by. Without wanting to stereotype any community, I know that many passers-by have experienced high-handedness and brawls while passing through the area. And this is not the first time that the relocation issue has been discussed. But successive governments either failed or were not interested in bringing a permanent solution.
The present government should put its foot down and close this matter once and for all. If the present government too dilly-dallies then there might be serious consequences because all that it needs is one small spark to throw Shillong city out of gear and this might result in loss of lives and livelihoods and crores of public money and public/private property. Add to that the fear psychosis among the people. And always the worst affected are students, the poor and daily wage earners! Can the Conrad government bring about a judicious solution to this matter? It is about time!
Yours etc.,
Jennifer Dkhar
Shillong -4
Celebrities should be more responsible
Editor,
If one’s mother is insulted then her children will definitely feel hurt. This phenomenon has existed from the beginning of the civilization. I don’t consider it as chauvinism. If children don’t love their mother and a mother doesn’t love her children then it leads to decadence. So is the case with the country of one’s birth. But I’m afraid the reverse is happening in India of late One who professes love for the country is considered nerdy and belittled by the use of certain vocabulary while those who doubt the sovereignty of India is defended and honored. I think such developments are disastrous. We have witnessed how certain media has gloated when Arundhati Roy aggressively spoke against the country in her recent interview with BBC.
Yet another bold example is that of the recently launched episode of Priyanka Chopra in the US-based TV serial — ‘Quantico.’ Priyanka has earned the displeasure of her fans within the country and NRIs abroad. She is criticized on social media for agreeing to act in a serial which depicts an Indian planning to bomb Manhattan (USA) and then blame Pakistan for such a hateful act. Though it’s not proper to harp on this but one can be sure that no conscious American will ever act in a film where his American fellow brother is shown as a “beggar” on the streets of Bangladesh. No sensible Japanese will tolerate being shown as a lazy- bone leeching on people from other nations. A Japanese will not tolerate this depiction because Japanese are inherently active and self-reliant. One wonders why Priyanka Chopra agreed to act in a serial where her native brother is depicted in bad light.
What message does this actress want to send out to the citizens who admire her? Well, a country could be a dead piece of land for such celebrities but they should be considerate not to hurt their countless fans who are sensible living beings and who keep track of their every move. We can all agree that our celebrities should show more responsibility towards their fans and their country. Let our actors’ acts and their spoken words be inspiring, not misleading.
- Yours etc.,
- Salil Gewali,
Via email