Editor,
There is no doubt that the Government of Meghalaya is facing a severe financial crisis. So much so the State Finance Department is monitoring the expenditure and restricting the same on a daily basis. Without the clearance of Finance Department, bills duly supported with sanction orders and other budgetary backings are being held up. To the extent that pension and other benefits of Government employees, development expenditures, maintenance bills are subject to daily clearance by the powers that be in Finance Department. Why has this situation come about? Meghalaya was once upon a time known as one of the best financially managed states in the country.
Although the buck will stop with the Chief Minister and he is duly getting the blame, the Finance Secretary of the state cannot also be absolved of the responsibility. After all, payments of bills of bureaucrats, political bosses, lackeys of political bosses holding posts of Chairman, Vice-Chairman etc., are never held up. Why don’t the bosses in Finance Department hold up their bills? They are always cleared on priority basis. If the Chief Minister has to put his house in order, he immediately needs to review all the political appointments. This is dragging the State down. We understand that there are compulsions of coalition politics but this cannot be at the cost of the state. Today we see every Tom, Dick and Harry holding some post or the other in the State Government and enjoying its largesse and flouting their powers without any contribution to the State. God only knows whether they have any qualification or are even fit to qualify for the post of LDA but they are drawing government salary and perks.
Who in the world can justify the appointment of a person as a Vice-Chairman of some Corporation, who had time and again filed cases against the State Government and held it to ransom for not holding Municipal Elections. This person in one way or the other, is responsible for people losing their lives, property destroyed, curfews and bandhs in earlier years. He had threatened time and again and also filed contempt petition against the State Government for not holding Municipal Elections. He had literally dragged the government to its knees. Today he is the Vice-Chairman of some Corporation of the State Government and getting paid by the State Government. Has the State Government capitulated to his threats? Somebody should answer.
Similarly there would be many such appointees who would have been appointed either because of threat or political compulsions. The Chief Minister has to put a stop to this practice and unless he does so, the financial situation of the state will go from crisis to kaput. God bless Meghalaya.
Yours etc.,
- Lyndem
Shillong-3
Strict action on turncoat politicians
Editor,
This refers to the editorial, “Constitution pulverized” (ST, November 26, 2019). Constitution Day is celebrated in our country on 26 November every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India on 26 November 1949. It is highly unfortunate that in Maharashtra political parties had to fall back on hotels to protect their MLAs from horse trading on that very day. Strict legislation is needed to safeguard our Constitutional rights and democracy. Legislators must not be allowed to sell our mandates for money bags.
If an MLA or MP after winning an election as a candidate of a political party ignores his or her party whip, he or she must be banished from contesting elections at least for 10 years. Post election dramas one after another underscore the need for such a legislation and its strict implementation. It is necessary to repair the hole in the ship otherwise a deluge of greed can sink the Constitution and put an end to our voyage of democracy.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Victory for democracy in Hong Kong
Editor,
What seemed to be a set back to the hardline stand of the unpopular leader and chief executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, pro-democracy candidates in local elections had an unprecedented landslide victory on Monday forcing Ms Carrie to pledge to listen to public opinion. In a rout that stunned the semi-autonomous territory, candidates seeking to loosen control by China seized an overwhelming majority of the 452 elected seats in the city’s 18 district councils, bodies that have historically been firmly in the grip of a Beijing-aligned establishment.
Politicians owing allegiance to Beijing could only win a little over 10 per cent of the total seats while the democratic candidates secured almost 90% of 452 district council seats on Sunday’s poll. Admitting poll outcome in favour of democracy, Ms Carrie said, “The government respects the results and wish the peaceful, safe and orderly situation to continue.” She further said, “Quite a few are of the view that the results reflect people’s dissatisfaction with the current situation and the deep seated problems in society.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai described the election as the first step in the long way to fulfill democracy. In reality, district councils are elected on four-year terms, and largely handle local affairs. They lack much in terms of real power, serving mainly to advise the government on issues affecting their neighborhoods and the allocation of funds for local projects. But with the elections are over and the democratic candidates having won the election en masse, the writing on the wall is clear that the government must soften its rigid stand and allow democratic needs of the people in the semi-autonomous territory of Hong Kong.
Yours etc.,
TK Nandanan,
Via email
Railways redressal mechanism
Editor,
It is given to understand that Indian Railways has established centralized public grievances redressal mechanism through various social media channels and portals like Rail Madad and CPGRAMS. A passenger can lodge grievance/suggestions through any of the channels including online portal and get a resolution based on the nature of the complaint/suggestion. The instant feedback mechanism through social media channels and portals ensure seamless connectivity between the Railways and Passengers.
Presently out of 18 railway zones only three zones namely Southern Railway at Chennai Central, South Central Railway at Secunderabad and Central Railway at Mumbai have a dedicated PG cell functioning under a Nodal Officer and handles public grievances through a dedicated email id. The direct email channel thus provides an ample scope to reach out to a wider audience to otherwise disseminate public information and also understand the day-to-day issues faced by the passengers.
Further it is suggested to establish a centralized public grievances cell through a dedicated email id, apart from existing channels, across all the Zonal Headquarters. The PG cell can function with a Nodal Officer designated only to handle complaints received through emails but for the issues pertaining to respective zones and divisions. The email as a communication channel will thus help in effective disposal of complaints/grievances/feedback received at the Zonal level itself thereby resulting in efficient day-today Railway administration.
Yours etc.,
Varun Dambal,
Bangalore