Editor,
I believe you have never received or published a letter from a prostitute in your paper before. And I hope that you have never seen my face, nor the face of any other prostitute of my locality for that matter. I understand the degree of repulsion that you might feel at my attempt at writing a letter to you, that too, an open letter! But what am I to do? The situation is such that I cannot stop myself. I am not writing this willingly. The stomachs of my two sons have persuaded me to do so. I beg for forgiveness from your generous heart. If you find any objectionable statements in my letter, please do forgive me, and consider it a result merely of my helplessness.
The coronavirus pandemic has already claimed over half a million lives across the world, with case numbers continuing to rise. But this pandemic is not just a public health emergency; the crisis goes far beyond that. The world is hurtling toward an unprecedented hunger crisis. But it is people like me who are the worse affected. Poverty has driven me and many poor single mothers like me to prostitution. Although I have passed Class XI, I can’t seem to get a respectable job anywhere; not even menial jobs like a peon or cleaner. How do I feed my two boys? Is anybody listening? Is the government listening? We are human beings too!
I noticed you’ve been publishing a lot of articles on religion these past few days; but it is sad for me to tell you that the Christian religion has lost its reverence. Today, silence prevails; each and every verse of the Bible is shamed and injured. Who can talk about humanism in front of me now? Who can tell me about the writings of Mahatma Gandhi? Who can sing in praise of the sculptor of Mother Mary? Or the helpless chewed-up lips of Mother Teresa and the shroud of your civilized society?
You may not be able to do anything for us at all. But since the Government has granted “freedom of speech” to all its citizens, perhaps even we prostitutes too have the right to ask a question or two to our respected leaders. Does the government know we exist? Will you, our chosen representatives not listen to our voices? We’ve also stood in line. We’ve also cast our votes like everyone else. I’m sorry! I have said so many things because of my overwhelming sentiments. I shouldn’t have done so. You might feel offended by it. Perhaps, until now, nobody would have told you such things. But once again, forgive me, and consider it a result merely of my helplessness.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Save Tourism !
Editor,
It has been trying times for everyone for the last five to six months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, those in the tourism industry are the first to be affected and the last to be revived. Owing to the number of positive cases rising each day in our state and in the country as a whole, we in the tourism sector can only see a bleak future. The livelihoods of many families in most of the tourist spots, especially in the rural areas, depend directly, as well as indirectly, on tourism. The damage that this pandemic has caused is not just financial or economic but also mental .Many are suffering from varying levels of depression because their only means of income has been snapped shut.
But even in the midst of this pandemic, each day we are hoping and praying that the travel and tourism industry will get back on its feet and the stakeholders will be able to start opening up their businesses again.
Just recently, an online meeting was held, organised by the Department of Tourism, Govt. of Meghalaya called the “Tourism Stakeholders Meeting” in which the Commissioner and Secretary of the Tourism Department mentioned that around 50,000 people in the state are engaged in Tourism. 50,000 people, along with their families, have been affected since March 2020 with no income at all! To minimize the loss and to lend a helping hand to those who have suffered the most, I request responsible citizens of the state to support local businesses with a weekend getaway or mini-vacation to rural tourist spots.
The decision of the government to open three tourist spots (Wards Lake, Elephant Falls, and Nehru Park) for local tourists is a positive step towards reviving tourism in the state. We look forward to when the government will start opening up other tourist spots, as well, in rural areas for local tourists. This, of course, should be done whilst also keeping in mind the health and safety of the staff, locals and guests. The safety of everyone involved here is the top-most priority. In reopening, business owners should strictly adhere to the guidelines or SOP issued by the health ministry.
I also request the Dorbar Shnong in whose jurisdiction these tourist spots fall under to think about the survival of its people and the future of the youth. They should not focus simply on imposing restrictions on re-opening but they should also work towards creating awareness among the locals and to ensure that they strictly follow the health and safety protocols issued by the Health Department and start adapting to the New Normal instead of being paralyzed by this pandemic.
Yours etc,
Lemuel Gordon Lymba,
Via email
Does MeECL/MePDCL need to borrow 1300 crore?
Editor,
Apropos the news item in your newspaper (ST Aug 15, 2020), on the announcement of the Power Minister, James Sangma to allow MePDCL to borrow over Rs. 1300 crore from REC/PFC to clear outstanding power purchase dues, we put forward some pertinent questions which many might be unaware of but the ramifications of which are huge.
Does MePDCL (or MeECL) really need to borrow this humungous amount? What will be the interest rate that REC/PFC will charge? (The rate of interest from the above firms is always very high). Will this borrowing further sink MePDCL or for that matter MeECL? Or is there an ulterior motive (which will be proved once it happens) behind all this?
As concerned employees and citizens of the state, we feel that this is the easiest way out that the present government will use as an excuse to liquidate all of the pending dues of the erstwhile MeSEB as part of its corporatisation and unbundling process initiated by the Government. This would make the MeECL start on a zero balance sheet. Now it is indeed strange that a very junior MCS officer, is being entrusted (a stop gap arrangement as the CM would make us believe) as CMD when the post was in the past held by senior most IAS officers not below the rank of Additional Chief Secretary. In between, very senior Technical Directors of MeSEB/MeECL were also appointed. Perhaps the stop gap arrangement is just a lame excuse given the Covid-19 pandemic.
The move is already afoot for smart metering of Shillong city under Build Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) besides the smart metering in some cities/towns of the state under the Asian Development Bank funding. How will MePDCL pay for the smart metering under BOOT? And why may we ask do we need to do smart metering under the BOOT method in Shillong city when we already have the same work under ADB funding? Will the State Government come up with an answer if it feels responsible enough towards the aspirations of the people?
If the state government is really concerned and interested in solving the ailments of MePDCL and MeECL as a whole, then it should immediately find ways and means to pay up the terminal benefits that it had assured and also signed an MOU with the Joint Action Committee way back in 2010 when the then MeSEB was corporatized and renamed as MeECL which was about Rs 840 crore which by now could have accumulated to more than Rs1000 crore. If the state government pays up this amount, we feel MePDCL or for that matter MeECL will not necessary have to borrow Rs 1300 Crore with a high interest rate from REC/PFC.
To date MePDCL has to pay the pending power purchase amount of approximately Rs 600 crore to NEEPCO, OTPC, Tripura about Rs. 100 crore, NHPC & NTPC about Rs 500 crore, Power Grid about Rs 50 crore besides other power sectors, which if totalled up would be more than Rs 1800 crore besides the monthly power purchase which will be approximately Rs 30 crore.
If the state government insists on MePDCL taking the loan of more than Rs1300 crores, the question that arises is – how will MePDCL or MeECL pay the monthly salaries of the staff?
Yours etc.,
R D Lyngdoh, LM Dkhar, Ms Nongkynrih,
Via email