Editor,
The Inner Line Permit a colonial law made by the British to protect their business interests but sold as a law to protect the identity, culture and traditions of the tribes from various outside “influences” has again become a hot topic. With every passing week some demand or other is made by pressure groups and political parties. The contention of the Union Government that Meghalaya is a ‘transit’ state and tourism is the backbone of the economy is an over-statement. The state falls under the purview of the Sixth Schedule with checks and balances drawn from the Constitution that empowers local governance at the grassroots through the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs). It is therefore upon the ADCs to see that the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act is not violated. However, the LTA has in fact been violated and this law is just a paper tiger that cannot be implemented in true spirit. A classic example is that of Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills with mushrooming cement plants, brick kilns, charcoal and coke units. How is the LTA working here? Now, obviously when the work force isn’t available the intrusion of cheap labour will always be an issue which the ILP will not be able to prevent. We have the State Land Transfer Act and along with this is a pending Land Bill in KHADC and the Khasi Lineage Bill that is gathering dust. These are the foremost instruments that can prevent outside intrusion rather than have a Colonial Act which doesn’t stand justification in the Indian Republic after independence.
Yours etc..
Dominic Stadlin Wankhar
Shillong:3
ADC’s white elephants- Yes
Editor,
The article by Albert Thyrniang appearing in The Shillong Times on Nov 11, 2020 is a frank and transparent analysis of the very existence and continuation of the 3 ADC’s in Meghalaya. They are at best described as “white elephants”.
Diversion of funds, inept, inefficient and corrupt working has rendered the ADC’s redundant and the sooner we get rid of the same the better it would be for the public at large for it is the public who foot the bill of inefficiency Mr. Thyrniang has the figures of rampant corruption and siphoning of funds from ADC. This happens because of our minds are infected by the “Shipara Syndome” and our habit of receiving illegal gratification, nay extortion by the entire set up not only in ADCs but also in our polluted lifestyles i.e. no value for hard work.
There is no justification for continuance of ADC’s when other NE States have done away with their ADC’s after gaining statehood. We have a very funny system of governance which is to carry on with the weight of even a defunct or abolished set up. An example being the GST replacing the Sales Tax/Service Tax, but we still continue with the entire staff of the Sales Tax/Service Tax Department when GST is administered by the Central Govt. which is managed by Central funds i.e. the salary and perks.
Another example is that of Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd which produces 180-200 MW of power and has 4500 odd employees whereas NEEPCO generates 4500 MW of power and employs 1800 people only. How can MPDCL ever stand on its feet? It is said when the Govt. does business its citizens are rendered beggar. This is well reflected in all the public sector undertakings managed even by Central Govt such as HMT, BEML, IDPL, Public Sector Hotels, and Electricity Boards, Nationalised Banks etc. The process of merging the banks is agonisingly slow besides privatising the other units, some mentioned above is not even discussed. The privatisation of Air India is half hearted because the Govt wants to keep the jewels i.e. the profiting subsidiaries and wants to sell loss-making units. The issue of Bharat Petroleum which has been timed in such a way and the price tag makes two issues apparent – (a) in Covid-19 situation there may not be any bidders at all (b) it may be to favour some Indian group. This again is neither fair or transparent nor good for the nation.
Out of seven states in the North East five are failed states – Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal and Manipur; not that the remaining two are much better. These states with the narrow and closed policy would never be able to stand on their feet as they indulge in cheap politics of favouritism; have absentee governance and succumb to the multitude of NGOs proliferating in each State.
The mighty British Empire ruling over 126 countries in the 1940’s after a long and concentrated militancy pirating the world was never allowed a peaceful sleep, here in Meghalaya. Patriots like U Tirot Singh, Kiang Nangbah Pa Togan Sangma knowing very well that it would be impossible to defeat the English, yet fought bravely to defend our indigenous dignity, independence, our faith, and culture. These patriots all lost the battle but we embraced their loss by embracing a foreign language, script, culture, dress, their way of worship, and lost all that was ours.
After trading the loss with what we received we never had the time to think as to what we lost and what we gained. We did not acquire from the British their work culture, honesty, diligence but we acquired all the undesirable traits like Albert Thyrniang correctly analysed where the surname ‘Chyne’ became an Anglicised version of the Khasi surname ‘Khain.’ The avowed principle for which the ADCs were created was to safeguard the tribal culture, religion, dress and the fundamental ethos acquired from the ancestors, instead of just aping the west. All these years of their existence the ADCs do not have even 10% credit for any work they have accomplished for the purpose for which they were formed when the United Khasi & Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills were in an area which was part of Assam. They have done nothing except to extort money from helpless traders which obviously does not go in the coffers of the District Councils. Extortion, threats, coercion are adopted by hired ruffians which are handy to work for the District Council at a fee. It’s actually a sad state of affairs but no one writes about it.
Yours etc.,
Bhagwati Prasad Goenka
Shillong – 1