Editor,
Apropos “Why is Umroi Airport idle?” by P Sunn (ST Nov 6, 2020), the answer is very short and precise. It should be mentioned that Umroi Airport was built in the 70’s when the era of Dakota, Fokker seemed to have welcomed the new big aircraft which were no longer engine propelled but flown by jet engines. Why did the Civil Aviation authorities not have enough far sightedness to plan the airport so that it would also meet the needs of these new powerful machines on the sky? If that has been paid heed to, the DGCA need not have ordered the slicing of one hillock at Umroi. Sadly even when one hillock was sliced the finding was not to their liking. Then the second hillock and the third hillock were grounded but still the required line of sight, very vital in landing, was not achieved. There was a rumour too that the National Highway may be shifted. This was 2019, the year of the highly defined G.P.S data available and to arrive at this sad state of affairs is not in good taste at all.
Finally the plan was abandoned and the new jets would never land at Umroi. And what’s more serious is that Umroi Airport was branded as third category. It is the aviation terminology which I believe the Transport Minister is in a better position to explain to our prospective flyers who encounter hardships in proceeding to Borjhar. If the clarification is not forthcoming, one could consult Google.
Yours etc,.
Manbha Diengdoh,
Via email
Reckless driving
Editor,
I would like to bring to the notice of all the concerned, that nowadays countless lives are lost due to reckless driving especially by truck drivers who do not seem to care about other smaller vehicles driving on the same road. I request the drivers to please drive cautiously and I also urge the Government of Meghalaya to devise a policy or mechanism to stop this menace so as to save many more lives in the future.
Yours etc.,
Joseph Lyngkhoi,
Via email
Why appropriate Kamala Harris?
Editor,
Interpreting the victory of Kamala Harris in the US Vice-presidential race as “triumph of an Indian,” as being done by a section of national media , is bizarre to say the least. At best Harris has some Indian blood in her veisn courtesy her mother but neither is Harris an Indian citizen and her father is Jamaican. Hence she is as much “Jamaican” as she is “Indian”(from her mother’s side).
Kamala Harris moreover vocally identifies herself as African-American with the US media to the electorate perceiving her as a representative of Black only; if ethnicity is taken in consideration at all. Still if Kamala Harris is projected as an “Indian” by national media, then indirectly it provides a moral boost to the who’s who of the BJP when they religiously refer to Sonia Gandhi as “Italian” despite her full-fledged Indian citizenship! Realities on the ground should not yield place to silly emotions.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee,
Via email
Paying peanuts for skilled jobs
Editor,
I draw your kind attention to some of the Job ads appearing in your esteemed daily where the employers are offering salaries as low as Rs 6000/monthly for full-time engagement to candidates possessing general skills in computer with specialisation in specific areas like Tally, Internet, Web management etc. To me this meager salary offer is unacceptable simply because it violates the minimum wages promulgated by the Meghalaya Government. To the best of my knowledge, the current minimum wage (daily) for a skilled employee should be Rs 375 per day. That works out to a monthly salary of Rs 11,250 as minimum salary for a skilled worker. How any firm can deny the minimum wages is beyond my comprehension. It is quite understandable that because of the economic slowdown due to Coronavirus, some employers might find it difficult to pay the legitimate salary, but in no way should it be slashed to half of the prescribed rate. Perhaps due to lack of job opportunities there will be many takers of the low pay. However, all employers should honour the rules and orders of the government.
Yours etc.,
Firstborn Pakyntein,
Via email
Baffling reaction to Biden’s victory
Editor,
The election of gentleman Joe Biden as the President elect of the USA who will bring back decency and dignity to American politics should delight all who have been cringing each time Donald Trump utters his profanities to put down opponents. Sadly, there is a section of fundamentalists in this state and other neighbouring states too who have been praying hard for Trump the misogynist who has polarized America to return to the White House. This is baffling because the same set of people accuse Prime Minister Modi and his government of being right wing fundamentalists. We cannot have it both ways. We have to renounce religious fundamentalism or lose the right to call ourselves a democracy. Religion should not define governance in a democracy, especially in the USA and India – two countries with diverse population groups and religious persuasions.
Yours etc.,
Nadia Singh,
Via email