Editor,
This is to bring to your notice that there is a grave situation developing in the NEIGRIHMS Campus, Mawdiangdiang. For a time period of almost one month there is no electricity in the MBBS hostels and there is no drinking water in the Residents’ Medical Officers Hostel (RMO-H). The Administration is turning a deaf ear to the requirements of the COVID-19 warriors of the state who have toiled and are toiling in this cold weather for the welfare of the general public. No action has been taken from the Administration in this matter till date. Students are having their examinations and are not being able to carry out even their daily activities. Due to power failure in the MBBS Hostels, students are now forced to stay in this biting cold without heaters and proper drinking water. Even the basic right to life is being denied to them. Mobile phones and laptops are rendered useless as a result.
Shame on the NEIGRIHMS Administration! Such a premier institute and such lack of basic amenities to the ones who are serving the public without a second thought?
There have been instances of posters being pasted all over the campus by the doctors but the
Deputy Director, Mr David T Umdor who is responsible for these matters remains unavailable even if he is in his office.
Please help us put pressure on the administration side. Only if the media reports such things will the Administration pay heed to our suffering.
Yours etc.,
A NEIGRIHMS Doctor,
Name withheld on request,
Via email
Joyride to Delhi!
Editor,
Whatever be the urgency that needs to be addressed by the Government of Meghalaya in consultation with the Government of India, I believe carting all the 60 MLAs to Delhi is a waste of time and of the state’s meager revenue. At best the CM , the HM and the Leader of the Opposition may make the trip to Delhi. This suggestion of taking along all the 60 legislators is a ridiculous idea and is perceived more of a Christmas outing for little children.
Proper governance is required and not to give in to the whims and fancies of the MLAs. This is very poor judgment and it should not happen.
Yours etc.,
Tyrone D’Brass
Tura
Will the DC intervene?
Editor,
Under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, the Government provides subsidy on 12 LPG cylinders to every household in a year. However, most localities like Kench’s Trace, Howell Road and Harisabha area of Greater Laban haven’t received their full quota of 12 subsidized cylinders in the current year. In Harisabha area households will get their seventh cylinder if there is another supply of refill cylinders in this last month of the current year. So, M/s Longkmie Gas Agency, where are the remaining five subsidized cylinders that the residents of Harisabha are entitled, too? It is going to be fifty days since the delivery of the last refilled LPG cylinders in Harisabha. Similarly, in Kench’s Trace, Howell Road and other localities of Greater Laban, which fall under M/s Longkmie Gas Agency. The number of delivered refill cylinders varies between six and seven, that is, one in every two months. Where are the domestic, subsidized refilled LPG cylinders of gullible customers ending up then? Which force is working behind the scenes and gulping up LPG cylinders in connivance with the gas agency?
In all these localities, it is seen that the said gas agency has wilfully delivered refilled cylinders at a gap of sixty days, instead of thirty days, leaving customers high and dry. One can easily see the wilful ploy of M/s Longkmie Gas Agency here which is depriving customers of their annual quota by a whopping fifty percent. Now, why should customers like us not suspect whether our quota of cylinders are ending up in the black market? The East Khasi Hills District Administration must look into the matter and see that the remaining five/six refilled LPG cylinders are delivered to the customers of Greater Laban from the godown of M/s Longkmie Gas Agency and also ensure that there is no foul play by the said gas agency.
Yours etc.
BC Paul
Shillong – 4
X’Mas or Christmas?
Editor,
Christmas is also sometimes known as X’mas. Some people don’t think it’s correct to call Christmas X’mas as that takes the ‘Christ’ (Jesus) out of Christmas. Christmas comes from Christ-Mass, the Church – the bride of Christ that celebrated the birth of Jesus.
But that is not quite right according to ecclesiology! In the Greek language and alphabet, the letter that looks like an X is the Greek letter chi / ? (pronounced ‘kye’ – it rhymes with ‘eye’) which is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, “Christos.”
The early church used the first two letters of “Christos” in the Greek alphabet ‘chi’ and ‘rho’ to create a monogram (symbol) to represent the name of Jesus. This looks like an X with a small p on the top.
The symbol of a fish is sometimes used by Christians (One might see a fish sticker on a car or someone wearing a little fish badge). This comes from the time when the first Christians had to meet in secret, as the Romans wanted to kill them (before Emperor Constantine became a Christian). Jesus had said that he wanted to make his followers ‘Fishers of Men’, so people started to use that symbol.
When two Christians met, one person drew half a basic fish shape (often using their foot in the dust on the ground) and the other person drew the other half of the fish. The Greek word for fish is ‘Ikthus’ or ‘Ichthys’. There are five Greek letters in the word. It can also make up a sentence of Christian beliefs ‘Ie-sous Christos Theou Huios So-te-r’ which in English means “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour”. The second letter of these five letters is X or Christos!
So X’Mas can also mean Christmas; but it should always be pronounced ‘Christmas’ rather than ‘ex-mas’!
Yours etc.,
Dr. Chanmiki Ezra Laloo
Via Email