Editor,
With reference to the article published earlier by your paper and also apropos to the news report carried today on the National Games – 2022 proposed to be held in Meghalaya (ST Feb 12, 2019), I wish to point out that Meghalaya is ill prepared and far behind schedule in the preparations for the mega sporting event. Until yesterday, nothing much was known about the preparations for the event in the media by the public of Meghalaya. We do not know who will take the full responsibility of organising this sports extravaganza. There is no publicity whatsoever as to the preparations being made and by whom. Yes, people of Meghalaya are kept in the dark about this. Only today some information has filtered down to the media about a meeting held to discuss on how to start doing something for the preparations. This is too little, too late knowing that we are already in mid February, 2019 with hardly three years left. Till today nobody knows, not even those in the Sports Department know who is really in charge of creating the different infrastructure, because, without them where will the games be held. We also do not know till date who is the over- all in-charge of organising the games. Will it be the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, Central Organising Committee (MSOAOC) or some other agency? Is Meghalaya competing in the games and in which disciplines? Have athletes been selected and trained to compete in the different events or not? If not why not and when will the selection begin? If yes, then where are they being coached. This sporting event is brought here for our youth. It will be very shameful if Meghalaya takes part only in few events and bags no medals at all.
Preparation for the athletes taking part in the games is of vital importance; as important as getting the infrastructure in place. Where will the athletes practise when there is no infrastructure/facilities? These are yet to be created. Anyway we only hope and pray that Meghalaya athletes will bring us laurels despite some crude facilities that we have and I hope that the coaches and the athletes are already preparing for this great event.
Now coming to the infrastructure for the event it is heartening that till date no land is made available for construction of the games village and for construction of other games’ infrastructures except for construction of the main stadium for the purpose. A number of infrastructures will be required to hold the different games. So where and when these will be ready? These are billion dollar questions. However, let us hope that with the appointment of Mr PS Dkhar as the CEO of the Games and working in tandem with the Sports Department and the Meghalaya State Olympic Association the best results will come out with the cooperation of all concerned including the people of Meghalaya. This will be the pride of Meghalaya if organised well. But let us also be prepared for the worst.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email
Who will manage our traffic?
Editor,
I am sure many will agree that whichever party forms the government in our state, their commitment to solve traffic problem is mere lip service. The main reason that the state government cannot expand the roads inside the city is because of the land- holding system and possibly the huge demand for compensation which will not be viable for any government.Secondly, the primary task of the Traffic Department is to ensure smooth flow of traffic and to regulate that flow but again the shortage of manpower exists because none of those in the State Home Department are ready to provide the funds to create posts that can also give employment to many youths and train them as professional traffic marshals. I have come to know from confidential sources that there is an annual allocation from the Centre on urban traffic management which also includes creation or filling up of posts. The public have not asked pertinent questions on this issue. Those in authority act like a bunch of hypocrites towards the traffic problem. The public has to tackle this problem head-on for its affects us ordinary citizens who cannot move around with sirens blazing but have to drive at snail’s pace.
Yours etc…
Dominic S. Wankhar,
Via email
Whither Swaach Bharat?
Editor,
It is impossible to force people who don’t have the sense of cleanliness to follow rules. Nearly all localities today have garbage collection arrangements but if anyone passes through Umpling-Itshyrwat to NEIGRIHMS road one will see piles of garbage thrown on both sides of the road. I once saw people driving slowly and throwing their garbage there. Obviously they are not from the nearby localities. I could not stop because I driving on a slope and was in a hurry to reach NEIGRIHMS. But I thought to myself that we in Meghalaya and Shillong in particular still have a long way to go to understand the meaning of cleanliness. Most of us don’t care about this city. We live like temporary dwellers and don’t even keep the space outside our compounds clean. In the evenings Police Bazar looks like a community garbage bin. The hawkers who litter don’t care to clean up their mess. What are the supervising staff of the Shillong Municipal Board doing? Can we citizens get together and tell these hawkers selling food stuff to not leave behind any food or other leftovers for others to clean? Let’s do it. Enough is enough!
Deishisha Nongkhlaw,
Via email