Editor,
I have been following your reports on the mining tragedy at Ksan, East Jaintia Hills. I congratulate you, and your paper, for being the only one to have attempted to prick the societal conscience about the inhuman magnitude of the catastrophe. I only wish it had been able to alert everybody from the earlier days itself.
To say that the mining disaster was followed by an administrative disaster would be an understatement. The days following the mining accident clearly show how inhuman the stakeholders in this illegal industry have become. First, the lack of response from the mine owners shocks me to the core. After all they are the ones who have accumulated so much wealth through this trade, both before the NGT ban and subsequent to it. After the poor miners got trapped, instead of immediately swinging into action to rescue them, they withdrew into their shells and feigned ignorance. The poor miners went down into the mines to raise money to meet their needs. It has been reported that the three young men from Lumthari near where the mine is located had gone down to the mines to help meet the Christmas expenses of the local church there. But, the mine owners, who employed them, have now deserted them instead of rushing to their aid. I feel that the Government, and civil society, should not let them get away scot free. They should be made to pool in and meet all the expenses of the rescue operations as well as the compensation to, and the rehabilitation of, the families of the trapped miners.
The District Administration too was in a state of denial for too long after the accident was reported to them. There are allegations of a nexus between key people in the administration and the mine owners. Following the assault on the CSWO team, the administration feigned ignorance of the illegal mining activities. However, once the accident that trapped the miners had been reported, they should have swung into action immediately to save the miners. But, they failed to do so for reasons best known to them. As public servants, they have failed to do their duty and stringent action should be taken against those at fault, and a black remark placed in their service records.
Illegal mining did not suddenly take place after the MDA government took over the reins of governance in the State. The State Government should have recognised this and moved all sources immediately to organise a massive rescue operation to save the miners. However, the Government chose to shy away from the incident and instead began a political attempt to wash their hands off the matter much like Pontius Pilate of Biblical fame. The Government, as well as the political representatives of the area, should also be blamed for deserting the miners at their time of need. Civil society should deal with them at the appropriate time. In fact, even the Opposition failed to wake up to the disaster in time, and they have no moral right to play political upmanship on this issue. At the end, I would just say, that there is a huge learning for all of us from this disaster. The labourers from the area are willing to enter the mines because of the lucrative earnings they can get. If they are to be weaned away from this livelihood, organisations like the MBDA, IFAD, etc., should swing into action to train them in other less dangerous means of earning a livelihood in that area. If rat- hole mining is to be allowed then minimum safety precautions should be prescribed by the authorities to ensure such accidents do not recur in the future. And a standard operating protocol should be put in place for our State Disaster Management Team, as well as District Administrative Units, to follow in case of disasters in the future.
I pray for a miracle that will keep the trapped miners alive. But, in case they do not survive, let us not allow their death to be in vain. Let us learn from this calamity or history will repeat itself.
Yours etc.
RG Lyngdoh,
Via email
PN Syiem’s changing political loyalties
Editor,
The media has given wide publicity to former CEM, KHADC, Mr PN Syiem, during the last three years or more. Indeed it is a privilege for public figures like him to get a lot of attention in the media. However, the general public might wonder why media gives undue publicity to them. The reason is because they are public figures and whatever they say or do is being closely watched and monitored by the media in particular and the public in general, mainly through the media. Some members of the public may complain about this needless publicity but that’s how it is. Of course some of the publicity is for the right reasons but not all is.
Again during last few days and weeks Syiem got quite a good share of media coverage especially on his exit from a political party he helped birthed and which is his brainchild – the People’s Democratic Front (PDF). Syiem has cited his own reasons for leaving the PDF to join the National Peoples’ Party (NPP) and to contest the District Council Polls from Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah. We, the public, have nothing to say about his joining this or that party and about his intention to contest the polls from any party he chooses. What we find disturbing is his lack of steadfastness and loyalty to any political party. This might finally destroy him and his political career. We have seen enough of his shenanigans as the CEM, KHADC during the last six years. He fell from grace when he rebelled against Dr Mukul Sangma. For a while he was hailed as the saviour of Meghalaya by certain sections who dared Dr Mukul Sangma and nicknamed him, “The Dictator Ruler” then. But that did not last long. Again Syiem fell from grace when he lost the general election in Mawsynram constituency where he contested from his new found party, the PDF. He sunk even further when he lost the bye-election to Ranikor Assembly constituency. This time round he wanted to recover lost ground and resurrect himself by advancing eastward to contest from a new constituency and new party. We do not know what’s in store for him. I don’t know how much he will be able to contribute to the NPP. The way things are at the moment PN Syiem’s fate hangs in the balance. In politics we cannot underestimate anyone for every person has his political ups and downs. However, on close scrutiny we find that PN Syiem could not deliver much during his tenure as CEM, KHADC. In fact the much touted Monolith Festival turned into a scam. Hence there is nothing that PN Syiem can be proud of.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email
Conrad Govt caught out
Editor,
The MDA coalition government looks like an alliance of convenience. Till date there is no clarity on what the priorities of the government are. It has been moving from crisis to crisis and responded with knee-jerk reactions. The regional parties seem to be going their way and the NPP and BJP their way. Each of them wants to put up a candidate for the Lok Sabha election, thereby making a mockery of the alliance. If each constituent of the MDA goes their separate way then the Congress will have an easy win. And I think they are intelligent enough to know that but their political ego prevents them from agreeing on a consensus candidate. This is of course the usual regional party fault line that has repeated itself so many times in the past. When will the regional parties learn their lesson?
Coming back to the Conrad Government it seems to be drifting without any sense of purpose. The mining accident in Jaintia Hills has shown the CM in a very bad light before the national media. How long can the state go on like this? When Conrad Sangma became CM we all expected much from him considering his experience in management. But I guess running a government is not as easy as managing a company. And trying to keep the alliance partners happy must also sap up much of his energy. For the sake of Meghalaya I hope that the MDA partners sit and seriously think through the issues that confront the state and prioritise them. Anything short of this will not do because people are becoming impatient. We want to see action. We want a government that delivers; not one that is constantly looking to enrol turncoats into the party.
Yours etc.,
JW Nongrum ,
Via email