Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Where are our roads?

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Editor,

The main thoroughfare in Rynjah has seen the worst wear and tear. It has remained so for months together. Then the roads leading to Umpling are also the worst ever in Shillong. The question I want to ask is why do roads have to be repaired every year. What is the shelf life of a road? When so much money is being spent year after year on repairs and maintenance, why are our roads so dilapidated? In fact, Covid19 has shown up the worst aspects of governance in Meghalaya, that is, if there is any governance at all. Why don’t the respective Dorbar Shnong hold the contractors accountable by taking a sample of the mixture of fine and course aggregates and bituminous materials and getting them tested to check if they meet the standards laid down by the PWD and can withstand the heavy rains that are part and parcel of the climate here?

Why are contractors getting away with sub-standard work? Have we ever heard of a single contractor being blacklisted for poor quality work? Meghalaya is now going from bad to worse in terms of corruption and it seems as if there is no stopping this downward slide. The Government has become like a family business and each minister is treating public money like his own. The respective MLAs who are in the Opposition too don’t care about the quality of roads since they are all driving in SUVs. As the elections draw near the MLAs will use all the funds allocated for the MLA Scheme to buy votes and the public too are easily bought.

We really need some watchdog body to nab all those who use money to buy votes and ensure that such people don’t win the elections any more. But who will be that watchdog body when even the pressure groups are not free from corruption? Is this the reason why Meghalaya was created? That a few people in politics and business get rich while the rest become poorer and lose out? So much so we don’t even have good roads to drive/walk on? Are we people of Meghalaya happy with the present state of affairs? If not why are we not speaking up?

Yours etc.,

Cornerstone Lyngdoh,

Via email

The Khasi alphabets

Editor,

Mr Phillip Marweiñ’s letter, ‘On writing in Khasi’, (ST Oct 1, 2020) takes me back to 1841 when Liverpool Mission field, taking advantage of a much reduced sea voyage fare on board the ‘Jamaica’ decided to send Rev Thomas Jones to Sylhet to preach to the Khasi people. We Sohra people were fortunate to have chosen not the Bengalee Script (though rich in Science Vocabulary) but instead encouraged Rev Jones to switch to the Roman Script with ñ (ein) ‘ї’ and ‘ng’  extra at the cost of x and z. On the Motphran epitaph, to remember our great grandfathers who gave their lives as porters of the 22nd Labour Corp in France and Mesopotamia during World War I are engraved these words in Latin. “ Doulce et decorum pro patria mori,” which translates to, “Sweet and dignified to die for motherland.” Then there’s the St. Anthony’s School badge, “Virtuti et Studio,”  meaning “Virtue and studies”. Lest we forget there is also U Nissor Singh Wahlang’s “New English Premier with Khasi” with the Motto ‘Read and you will know.’ Let us look at one verse of “Ka jingrwai Grammar (Songs of Grammar)”. “Lai ki ktien barit phi ju iohi / Ka Artikle a, an bad the; / Ka noun dei kyrteng ei ei, / Kum skul, kper, ka Ing ne I Mei (Three little words you see/The articles A, An and The/ A noun is a naming word/Like school, garden, house or mother), By P Wahlang. What a humble start!

To remember all initiators  of language like U Radhon Singh Berry, Fr H Elias, Soso Tham, Hamlet Ngap Kynta and a host of Khasi writers till date of the Khasi Authors Society let us read this poem, “Your hidden values” (“Ki Matti Barieh jong phi”). Under the oily lamp that struggles to get brighter/ Painstakingly you did pen down more energetic than ever/ Your writing talents of priceless pieces never in vain / Inch by Inch you did labour, all for us to gain. Works of perfection that devour much time and space/ Publication expenses never did they worry nor hamper your pace/ Writings dispassionately pondered with divine thoughts/ To greater heights of glory our people you have brought. Chorus: Your hidden footprints so sublime/ Got vividly exposed on the sands of time / The shipwrecked friends on their wretched journey / Received new quantum of hope when these they see. Sweat and tears, these rolling drops of value / Long sufferings and pain never did you argue,/ Great mighty works that go through adversity/ Bring forth a fruit, ripe with nectar and honey/ Through every age that our people pass by/ your name remains an aroma that rises to the sky,/ Exemplary golden lessons you tell us through difficulties/ Become but pearls priceless and everlasting beauties/ Adieu our prolific writers, let’s part for a little while/ While the good Lord keeps you safe and we will meet with a SMILE.  A BIG THANK YOU.

Yours etc.,

Manbha Diengdoh,

Via email

Enforcing Covid safeguards

Editor,
The Karnataka Government has declared that the penalty for not wearing a mask in public places would be increased to Rs 1000 in urban areas while it is Rs 500 in rural areas. The State Medical Education Minister claimed that people have begun displaying negligence by not wearing masks and failing to maintain social distancing norms. This is a matter of grave concern hence the government is forced to impose a fine. The need of the hour is for all to follow COVID-19 safeguards and support the Government to fight against this pandemic.

Yours etc.,

Amit Singh Kushwaha,

Satna (M.P.)

Post Covid Meghalaya

Editor,

Covid19 will end one day like any other pandemic. It may take two years or more but it will end. Hopefully that day comes sooner than later. Meghalaya is fighting this pandemic with all sincerity but economy is really on a downturn and many who rely on daily wages or are in private employment are suffering the worst brunt. They are without food or livelihood. Inflation is on the rise. Most daily labourers have left the state. Even others who are permanent residents of Meghalaya and once felt this place to be their real homeland are now gradually leaving this place for manifold reasons. All this started since 1979. Many of them had to sell their properties for reasons best known to them and migrated to other parts of India. Businesses and job opportunities are under a squeeze. It is my person opinion and also an assumption that in a few years time at least 25% to 30% more people will leave Meghalaya and Shillong in particular permanently.

Whether this is good or bad is not the point. The point is that people are questioning whether it is worth settling down in a place where they will always feel alienated.

Yours etc.,

Anjan Kr Das,

Shillong -6

 

What ails education in Meghalaya?

Editor,

Even though I am a little late in responding, kindly permit me to share some thoughts on Albert Thyrniang’s write-up “Is teaching profession losing its prestige?” (ST Sept 9,2020). Let me thank him for his free and frank dissection of the issue he has raised. To answer his question if the teaching profession is losing its prestige, in my considered opinion, by and large, they have. Compared to the teachers of my time, today’s teacher is either a money-making cottage industry or comfortable with fat salaried job and is unwilling to walk the talk. Teachers, barring a small exceptional lot, are doing a job. The job of taking classes as is being assigned. The classes are perfunctory in nature and note-based rote learning is the order of the day. But teaching is not a 10-to-5 job. It’s a mission. Most teachers are today content at earning. And by the grace of God, the government pays them a fabulous sum every month. But does that make any difference to them?

The problem is that those who land up doing a teaching job, might have strayed in to the profession for the want of anything better. Yes, teaching is a respectable profession and today there is money and prestige both. However, I often wonder if teachers are made or are teachers born? In our days, the teachers were thorough bred. They knew their subject in-depth. They imparted instructions in a manner that used to be easy to fathom. Most teachers used to be a delight in the classroom. Their articulation used to be excellent and they had a natural flair for putting across the message that all the taught would comprehend.
Coming to the problem of education in Meghalaya, unfortunately due to politicisation of education system, especially the process of recruitment of teachers, the standard of education has fallen many notches. Today, teachers are recruited on quota and not on merit. That’s where the rot begins. It can rightly be argued that shouldn’t there be job protection for the local eligible candidates? Of course, there should be fair amount of protection. But not cent per cent! Not only cent per cent reservation is unconstitutional but more importantly the children miss out on quality education. I would have thought that Meghalaya should have attracted teachers from outside on merit to make a perfect match with meritorious and qualified local teachers. The system of recruitment is a political issue. Knowing as I do the mindset of the political class here, they cannot be trusted to take radical measures of open-ended recruitment of teachers. Kindly do not read me wrong; I am not pleading for any particular ethnic or linguistic group. For, teachers have only one identity—they are teachers and teachers alone.

As a retired teacher as I reflect at how the functioning of educational institutions was systematically disrupted during the past four decades or so, I do not have hopes about seeing any change. Not so long ago, east of Calcutta, Shillong used to be the best educational centre. That was primarily because of some outstanding teachers who were recruited without any bias. They served the place with devotion. They are still remembered with respect. But today’s teacher? I can’t say how many names will be remembered by their students with as much respect. It’s a sorry state with little hope of redemption.

Yours  etc.,

A retired teacher,

Name withheld on request

Shillong-3.

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