Editor,
Apropos the news caption, “CM assures solution to traffic snarls” (ST August 5, 2019), this is a welcome statement of the Hon’ble CM while responding to the concerns of ordinary citizens. It is indeed a burning topic for the state capital, Shillong which is facing serious problems of traffic congestion caused by narrow roads, no parking lots in important places, high levels of car ownership, unbridled attitude and behavior of drivers etc. It is a topic of conversation in weddings, birthdays, funerals, events etc.
As a part of “solutions to traffic snarls,” perhaps construction of new parking lots and reconstruction of old parking lots would ease the problem of traffic congestion by relieving the roads of vehicles parking on them. One such area where a massive multilevel parking lot housing office departments and a host of other things is the large open space between the DTO office and the Tourism Director in Lower Lachumiere; the parking lots near Polo Towers and at Motphran where the existing parking lot and the Assam type Education office can be demolished and redeveloped into a multilevel parking lot with the office floor in it.
I hope this catches the attention of the Hon’ble CM and the concerned department and that they act upon these humble suggestions.
Yours etc.,
Prabhu Kumar,
Via email
Menace of two-wheelers in Shillong
Editor,
Since the last one year or so there is a frightening increase of the auto-gear scooties in Shillong. The riders are young boys and girls and they drive quite recklessly as we see in Guwahati. They overtake the cars more often from the left side and that too in high speed which is really startling and often baffles the motorists in their attempt at preventing accidents. This is because the roads in Shillong are now famous for traffic jams; on top of it the moment they notice the green signal by the traffic policemen on duty and that too in the peak hours, they immediately rush their scooties through the gaps availing the slightest opportunity as if they are to catch airplanes. They overtake risking their lives and give a fright to the ever-cautious car drivers. Further, all the scooties keep their headlights glowing even in the daytime and the silver lights that are extremely harmful for the eyes trouble the car drivers coming from the opposite direction.
The scooty riders do not look either left or right and all of a sudden rush out and turn into intersections without indications creating immense problems for car drivers who have to steel their nerves to avoid collision. It seems as if the car drivers have promised to guard the scooty riders at any cost and the latter are free to create all the inconveniences. Moreover, if a car even inadvertently gently pushes a scooty then the chances are that the rider will be thrown on the road due to the impact and all the blame will squarely fall on the car driver. Further, and if the scooty rider is a woman then the sympathy will be for the scooty rider, no matter whose fault it is.
The Traffic authorities are requested to issue warnings to the scooty riders to drive following the traffic rules and not violate them at will. This is to request the scooty riders also to be extremely careful and to follow the traffic rules and transform themselves to good Samaritans. They should be aware that the traffic rules are not nonsensical. They are there to be followed and scooties are not exempt from obeying the traffic rules.
Yours etc.,
Bibhash Dhar,
Via email
War threat against India
Editor,
The apprehension expressed by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday (07 Aug 2019) in Islamabad that Pulwama-like attacks can follow the scrapping of J & K’s special status is an admission/confirmation of the fact that Pakistan was fully involved in Pulwama attack as a non-state actor. In the guise of apprehension Imran’s use of words “More Pulwama-like attacks bound to happen” is a direct challenge to India with threat of launching of many more terrorist attacks. He is not only dreaming/ contemplating of triggering/waging. but also has already predicted an impending conventional war against India. It appears Imran has forgotten the drubbing Pakistan had received during their misadventures (war) of 1965 and 1971 in the hands of the sophisticated and modern Indian army.
Re-organization/ Restructuring of any state (defined under Article 1 of the Indian Constitution ) by the ruling dispensation is an internal matter of the country. Imran Khan or Pakista , for that matter, has got no business to intervene into/meddling with internal administrative decisions/matters of India.
Before his attack of Indian ideology as racist, Imran should better come out with the stark reality about the living conditions, protection and security status of minority communities in Pakistan. After partition of India the minority communities in Pakistan have been decimated in a planned and systematic manner and the percentage of the total minorities (Hindu, Buddhists, Christians and Others) reduced to 5 percent by ethnic cleansing as on date. Members of Minorities are being harassed, more often than not, at the whims or dictates/diktats of the clerics. False allegation of blasphemy against Asia Bibi and her subsequent trauma, not very long ago and in the recent past, is a case in point which speaks amply about the non-racist philosophy/policy of Pakistan.
Birds of a feather flock together. It was expected that China being a Big Brother of Pakistan would also oppose India’s move to create a separate Union Territory of Ladakh. China should better restrain it’s imperialistic expansive designs of grabbing lands and seas in and around south-east & South Asian countries and not interfere in India’s internal affairs by imparting unsolicited and unsought for hegemonistic advice of imposition or fatwa.
China should come out in open with the truth of Tia-nan-men square massacre and their crackdown on UIGHURS (Muslim minority community) in the Xinjiang province for global awareness and appraisal of Amnesty International for preservation and security of human rights.
Pakistan & China both need to see their faces in the mirror on the question of minority protection and protection of human rights in their homeland before slinging mud or pointing fingers at any other country.
Yours etc.,
Samares Bandyopadhyay,
Advocate, Kolkata High Court