Editor,
World environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5 and the theme for this year, set by UN is ‘Beat Air Pollution’- a much needed theme for awareness and action in India. How serious are we in dealing with the rising level of air pollutants in the atmosphere in our state in general and Garo Hills in particular? All motor vehicles release smoke which has the potential to pollute the environment, if left unchecked. There comes the role of PUC or Pollution Under Control Certificate. As per Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, it is mandatory to get a PUC certificate for every vehicle. PUC certificates are issued by the emission testing Centers and the fee to obtain this certificate is Rs 110 (as it is charged in different emission testing centers in Assam). Is there any vehicle emission testing center in entire Garo Hills or in Tura, (not aware of any such center in Shillong) which is the second largest city of Meghalaya? The answer is ‘NO’. Courtesy, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, who don’t even have a full fledged office in Tura! Very often, vehicles with excessive and uncontrolled exhausts are seen plying on the roads of Tura and common people, students, aged, pregnant women are forced to inhale those toxic gases.
Where are the law enforcement agencies to keep an eye on these vehicles? Due to non-availability of vehicle Emission Testing Center to issue PUC Certificate in Garo Hills, vehicle owners are left with no option but to travel down to Assam, our neighbouring state, to obtain this clearance certificate. There are reports of undue harassment by Assam/ West Bengal Police to vehicles bearing Meghalaya registration numbers. They ask for PUC certificates from these vehicles knowing that there is no emission testing Center in this part of Meghalaya. Failure to produce the paper gives an opportunity to these law enforcement personnel to impose fines with/without issuing any money receipt which may sometimes exceed the prescribed fine rate. As we are celebrating World Environment Day with the theme, ‘Beat Air Pollution,’ it’s time to act. Wake up, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board and ensure that an emission testing center is established in Tura which will sincerely test the emission levels and issue certificates. I think, West Garo Hills District Administration have to ring the bell loud to make Meghalaya Pollution Control Board wake up.
Yours etc.,
Sanjib Das
Lower Babupara, Tura
Fruit of corruption
Editor,
The book of proverb states, “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.”It is no longer a secret that corruption is rampant in our state. It would be interesting to see if a research should possibly be conducted as comparative analyses, giving us the accurate amount and difference in corruption being indulged in by men and women. It is just an assumption, but most probably men might rank much higher than women. Having also travelled in a lot of Khasi villages, women seem to be more committed to their work and family, whereas men seem to be irresponsible and do not appear to have any sense of worth and purpose in their individual or community life. Sometimes rightly so, it would be easy to put all of the blame on the men. However let us consider why is it that the first thing an educated man thinks about is in finding ways and means to amass wealth? Granted that a lot of times this can only be achieved by being corrupt. For some it is a matter of choice, while a lot fall into the trap of being a good man by leaving behind an inheritance for their children. Having done this and bound by tradition, it is likely that the children too will follow in their father’s footsteps. What does this leave us with then? Most probably irresponsible, hopeless men hanging around in village corners drowning their troubles in a bottle of country liquor while the educated, successful, well-respected men of the city, will most probably be found hanging out in the bar’s, club’s or even their own homes also drowning away their guilt and sorrow with a bottle of whisky. While we must always be proud of our culture, every now and again it would be good to introspect, and maybe, just maybe, find out that some of our traditional practices might be hindering us from doing the right thing. If this is not dealt with, we will continue to raise up boys whose view of strangers, outsiders and even worse their own family members will always remain seem as a threat and enemy.
Yours etc.,
Pyndap Warjri
Via email