Editor,
Through your esteemed daily I convey my sincere thanks and gratitude to all the concerned departments of the Government of Meghalaya and the District Administration which was involved in ensuring a smooth and peaceful celebration of “Durga Puja.” We are grateful to the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, the Fire Services, MeECL, PWD and the Dorbar Shnongs of our neighbouring localities. The Central Puja Committee also has done its best for a smooth and peaceful Puja celebration in the state as a whole and Shillong in particular. I express my sincerest gratitude to all my beloved residents and the residents of our next door locality “Umpling” for their support and for putting up with the trouble of road diversion for several days. For over three decades we have been trying to shift the HT< Power line drawn along close proximity of the Community Hall which was a threat to the safety and security of residents and passers-by. This year with a firm determination we moved all concerned and ultimately the work started on October 2, for which MeECL had to shut down electricity supply for 8 to 12 hrs daily until October 12. Considering the gravity of the situation the residents had shown their utmost tolerance and refrained from complaining about power shut down. During those days water supply also could not be maintained and residents had to purchase from water from private suppliers on those days. However, the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) tried to maintain their supply as that is not linked to the electrical supply in the locality.
I convey my sincerest thanks to the Area Manager MeECL and his team for their efforts to complete the work within the specified time. A special mention must be made of the Officer in Charge, Traffic Branch Rynjah. Her support and co-operation and that of her team was phenomenal, be it for shifting the power line or in ensuring smooth flow of traffic during the Puja celebration. Last but not least we sincerely express our gratitude to all the media houses which gave wide coverage of our Diamond Jubilee celebrations. I am also thankful that our Puja Committee was adjudged the overall best decorated pandal by the Kenchs Trace Durga Puja Committee.
Yours etc.
N Bhattacharjee,
President,
R & R Colony.
Shillong – 6
Is something fishy going on in EJH, DC’s office?
Editor,
Recently, the District Collector, EJH, Khliehriat has issued letters to all the land and building owners for the purpose of compensating those whose land was duly acquired for expansion and widening of the NH-6. In the letter, the DC has requested the land and building owners to provide their bank account details to enable his office to transfer the compensation money directly to the account of the person concerned. In the letter, it has also been requested that a bank account with the Axis Bank may be opened for his convenience vis-a-vis the money transfer. Like many other people, I also took my mother’s documents including the compensation letter, bank passbook and EPIC and submitted it to the office of the DC (Revenue) as requested. There was huge rush in the DC’s office for the same as hundreds of people were there to submit their respective documents. Like others, I also thought that since they have asked for bank account details, the compensation money would come directly to the account
Consequent to this, a team from the DC’s office also undertook a re-survey to verify the land and building acquired. After the re-survey from the DC’s office, many people including my mother were called to the office on October 20, 2018 to receive the compensation. To our utter surprise, when we had completed all the formalities we were asked to enter the DC’s personal office and when we entered we were handed a bank cheque meant for compensation. The question here is why did the DC’s office give us the compensation amount by cheque? Why in the first place did the DC’s office ask all the people to furnish their bank account details with a promise to transfer the amount to their accounts? Why did the DC make everyone suffer by asking them to submit bank account details, if he has plans to issue the compensation money via cheque? Why at all were people asked to open bank accounts with the Axis Bank if the mode of payment is by cheque? Is the DC’s office not violating the central government rules by giving the compensation amount by cheque when the central government has mandated that all such payments shall be by way of Direct Benefit Transfer through online transfer? Who authorized the DC to deviate from his own instructions with regards to the mode of payment? Is there something behind such a move? We all know that in today’s world, all compensations are routed through NEFT/RTGS, but why is a different process adopted by the DC, EJH?
Not only this, during submission of the bank account details I enquired about the compensation money from the DC’s office and I was told the amount my mother was entitled to receive. To our dismay, we got a much lesser amount than what was told and shown to us in the DC’s office earlier? Now again, why is there is a reduction in the compensation money? Where is the rest of the money? Will it go back to the Government? Are we being compensated enough? Now, with this system of the DC’s office to issue cheques instead of DBT, hundreds of people will have to travel from many villages to reach the DC’s office and thereafter go the bank again and wait for weeks. Does the Government want people to suffer again and again? The problem does not end here, we were also asked by the DC’s office to submit our LHC issued by the JHADC in original. Why original? Many people including us left the DC’s office on Saturday October 20 with sad faces and anger. I have also noticed in my few visits to the DC, EJH office, that the higher ups in that office are arrogant and give scant respect to the poor people while only currying favour with the affluent. We need change in the administration, but will there be change? All should remember that the DC’s office is meant to help the people build a successful life and not a means for gaining illicit wealth.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request