Editor,
The violence that broke out between the local people of the state and the residents of Sweeper Line turned one year on May 31. The clash and tension resulted in injuries to people, destruction of public property, clamping of curfew in and around the place, but sadly the situation has yielded no solution as yet. The MDA government has not been able to resolve the matter. Despite setting up a High Level Committee with the Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, as its Chairman, the matter is still where it was. In fact, Mr. Tynsong went on to say that the matter cannot be solved overnight. Absolutely right sir! But isn’t one year, a long enough time to sort the matter out if the government was serious enough?
Since then and till date, the stretch from Them Iew Mawlong through the Sweeper Line to Bimola Pharmacy is still a heavily guarded point with a NO ENTRY signage for vehicles. The only ones that seem to be enjoying this stretch are the residents of Sweeper Line as they are privileged with the protection of the police personnel stationed there and are thereby carrying on with their normal lives. If there has been any discomfort it has been to the rest of the population. The closure of this road for any vehicular movement is causing inconvenience as well as massive traffic jams in and around the area. One fails to understand the need to prevent vehicular movement through this road. From what can be observed, the only purpose that the NO ENTRY has served is in adding to the traffic congestion in the adjoining areas.
The HLC may have carried out land survey and census to ascertain the genuine residents of the place a few weeks after the incident, but nothing concrete has evolved. In fact the matter has not progressed much and the Committee is asking for another month to tackle the situation. At this point it appears that the Government is lackadaisical. This issue was revived after twenty years of inaction. It should have been dealt with strategically by successive governments. This time one had high hopes that the MDA government would solve the matter once and for all but it seems that the present Government too will follow in the footsteps of its predecessors. As always, the Them Iew Mawlong issue will die a natural death. The only fear is that similar situations or perhaps even more graver and violent ones may again erupt in the near future. Do the people of the state deserve that?
Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email
Marngor-Mawthawpdah road
Editor,
I fully endorse the plan of Mawkyrwat MLA Mr R L Tongkhar to have a road connecting the northern part of South-West Khasi Hills with the Shillong-Nongstoin road at Nongkasen. This will help boost the economy of the area tremendously besides connecting it to Shillong, thereby reducing the distance. In fact this road with a bridge across Kynshi river is long overdue and if the relatively new road from Mawthawpdah to Mawkyrwat is widened it can serve as an alternate Shillong-Mawkyrwat road, with much less distance. The area can, in fact , be turned into a tourist attraction in view of the beautiful scenic beauty it is endowed with. I only hope the Hon’ble MLA makes serious efforts to realise this dream project for the all round benefit of the people of that area.
Yours etc.
A Syiemlieh,
Via email