Editor,
Apropos the article “Water crisis, Govt’s Ostrich like approach” by Dhurjati Mukherjee (ST.Oct. 24, 2018), I would like to state that water crisis in India is indeed very grim not only in the metropolis but also in many cities, towns and rural areas as often reported in the media. We often see people in long queues waiting with their jars for hours together just to fetch water for cooking and drinking. We have also witnessed people getting into physical fights while queuing for water. Again we have often seen in the media rural folks walking for miles to fetch just few buckets of water drawn from almost dried up low level wells or ponds. The population keeps on increasing by leaps and bounds in the metropolis, in cities, towns and villages while the water demand not only for drinking but also for various purposes keeps on increasing.. The water sources are shrinking and springs are drying up while the ground water level keeps sinking deeper and deeper owing to rampant unregulated ground water exploitation. On the other side we have a lot of people wasting much water thoughtlessly without any qualms. Then the used waste water remains untreated and is directly released to the drains, streams and rivers. Again some of that water is toxic. The situation is really grim and it calls for a multi- pronged emergency like solution or else the people will not survive and the environment also will be destroyed.
Here in Meghalaya, especially in Shillong and in many other towns and even in villages, we have water problems even during the rainy seasons due to various reasons. Water sources like springs, streams, wells, ponds and rivers have either dried up or the water levels have sunk while some of them such as in the coal mining areas are highly polluted. The reasons for this is mainly man-made and to some extent owing to climate change. People wantonly destroy the catchment areas by cutting down trees and whatever vegetation that is there and also by sand mining and stone quarrying. Again polluted water, often toxic, is released directly into the streams, well, ponds or rivers making the water unfit for drinking, washing and even for irrigation. The stark reality is that we are facing very serious water crisis. Water is not everywhere and we are afraid that in the near future we may find it easier to get blood than water, especially in Shillong. The situation is indeed very grim and unless the Government adopts strategic action plans and finds quick solutions to the water crisis, we will all be in deep trouble. We earnestly urge the Government and the public at large to work in co-ordination and co-operate wholeheartedly and unitedly in averting this water crises.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email
Continued plight of teachers
Editor,
I wish to convey my heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble bench of Judges of Meghalaya High Court for the historic order to the State Government to provide pension to the teachers of Deficit schools and colleges and also the other categories as per the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission with retrospective effect.(as published in your esteemed daily on October 12, 2018). In this connection I appeal to the Hon’ble bench of Judges to pursue this order until it is executed, so that teachers can live a normal life with dignity after retirement and contribute to the society with their maturity, experience and wisdom for the development of the human resources of the state. Senior counsel GS Massar has clearly pointed out that-Govt.pays pension to the legislators who only serve for five years, whereas teachers are neglected despite being the ‘backbone of the society. May I mention here that in our country MLAs and M.Ps don’t require any educational qualifications. Even an illiterate can become the Chief Minister!(for example Rabri Devi in Bihar)
. .
Surprisingly our MLA.s whom people elect as their representatives in the assembly are deaf and mute to the plight of teachers for the past 45 years. This attitude is extremely shocking to the entire teaching community of Meghalaya. The Hon’ble High Court has honestly reminded a forgotten truth – “Teachers are the backbone of the society and it is their contribution, dedication and hard work which has moulded us to become a Judge, a Minister, a Lawyer, a Doctor, or an .IAS officer. As such we can never forget the justice delivered by the Meghalaya High Court which has also mentioned about the ‘uncomfortable and inhumane life’ that the retired teachers are forced to live without pension. Here in Meghalaya our Government is quick to make excuses about financial crunch whenever the question of expenditure arises for paying teachers their dues. But this is not true. “Where there is a will there is a way.” When will our legislators be willing to secure the teachers in their old age? The court has rightly said – “Management of fund is totally in the hands of the Govt.”
The court of Justice SR Sen has clearly observed that the Govt. cannot wash its hands off the responsibility of paying pension to the retired teachers.. I heartily congratulate the members of “Greater Phulbari Area Deficit School Teachers and Employees’ Association of Meghalaya”,- for initiating this serious social cause. Today I saw the report that our Govt.has already started to trot out the clichéd excuse that the state is passing through a financial crunch and cannot pay pension to the retired teachers. Will the High Court condone and read down its own judgment? I wish that our retired teachers get their pension before they die .
Yours etc.,
Reeta Ghosh
National Awardee Teacher
(Rtd vice principal ,Laban Bengalee Boys’Higher Secondary School,
Shillong–4.
