Editor,
The Shillong GPO ATM has been out of order for a long time. Perhaps the system engineer alone will only be able to tell if there is one. Looking at the “temporarily out of order” message at the said ATM screen, day after day, indicates that the management is not aware about its condition. There is no security personnel stationed at this ATM, who could have apprised the GPO officials doing sarkari naukri and caring two hoots about the plight of customers. In fact, India Post has only four ATMs in the town (GPO, Nongmynsong PO, Oakland PO and Rynjah PO) and there should be more around in order to cater the needs of its customers. Out of these four, only one is working.
The Laitumkhrah PO – which experiences major footfall everyday – should have one besides Laban PO, too. But, we don’t have a post office in Laban for several years, now. The Shillong GPO is finding it extremely difficult to actually source a rented accommodation in Laban with its primitive era rent. Who is going to part with their landed property for a paltry sum that has no comparison with the commercial rents for office spaces? Now, we cannot expect India Post to have ATMs stationed everywhere like commercial banks. Hence expecting an ATM in Laban – where we don’t have a post office, after the last one at Howell Road exited following a court battle, is like asking for fruit before the tree has sprouted. Well, India Post is not bothered much since its ATM cards are now acceptable in other bank ATMs. But can it have such an attitude when the postal department is increasingly turning into a bank?
Yours etc.
BC Paul
Shillong – 4
Pot-pourri of issues
Editor,
Distinguish farmer, Nanandro B Marak from Garo hills, the hardworking 60 year old gentleman took one sapling and planted it around the roots of an areca nut tree. Marak not only planted the sapling in his soil, but fortunately now planted it in our minds to allow inspirational thoughts to germinate. Lack of resources, single-handedly clearing the jungle, nurturing the plants is what self-help is all about. The turning point came when a school teacher Ringnang K Sangma, introduced the laborious and fruitful work of Nanandro B Marak, to the Spice Board of India and the rest is history.
Marak’s message to entrepreneurs and farmers is to persevere and work hard. Farming is a fulfilling and honest occupation and Nanandro B Marak raised his family of three children, ran his household, built a house, bought vehicles and remains contented. Surely one cannot ask for more. The message here is of determination, dedication, brilliance, humanity, inspiration etc.
On Meghalaya’s rural challenge, an article by Patricia Mukhim, the question raised as to how doctors in rural Meghalaya can attend to an emergency in a distant place when he/she is not even allocated a vehicle, I wish to add a point here. Recently, army personnel at Karalpura in Kupwara helped a pregnant woman to reach a hospital on time for the delivery, even as Kashmir remained cut off from the country due to heavy snowfall. Along with a battlefield nursing assistant, the Army personnel carried the woman for almost two Kms in knee-deep snow on a cot before she could be driven to a hospital. PRO Udhampur, Ministry of Defence, shared a video on Twitter with the caption, “Heavy snow in Kashmir brings unprecedented challenges for citizens, especially in higher reaches. Watch the soldier and awam fighting it out together by evacuating a patient to the nearest PHC for medical treatment.”
I earnestly request our Government and the Chief Minister to take the initiative of making it a regulation that vehicles placed at the disposal of Police, Forest, Soil, PHE, PWD, Agriculture etc., to help the doctors reach out to patients during vulnerable and all- time emergency situations in the absence of any vehicles being allotted to doctors in remote and rural areas.
The Friday edition of The Shillong Times comes with a free copy of the 2021 Calendar. Through this column I would like to thank ‘The Shillong times’ and entire team for the beautiful gift of picturesque seasons Calendar of 2021, along with a detailed (Act, General and Restricted ) holiday list.
Yours etc.,
Joydeep Sharma
Shillong-2
Let down by Flipkart
Editor,
I had ordered some items from Flipkart with a gift card, which were shown to have been delivered but were not. On being contacted Flipkart officials were very polite, rang me up at all hours to inquire about my problems and finally it was resolved that they would refund the money. Everybody was however, more concerned at how I would rate their services. This process has been going on for over 45 days now but till date no refund has been forthcoming. The value of the items ordered is not much and I have had no issues with earlier orders of much larger denominations. Through this letter I express regret that online shopping may not always be what they are advertised to be. Buyers beware!
Yours etc.,
Dr. Tridib Kakoty
Shillong-14
Assam-Meghalaya border issue
Editor,
Apropos the important news item published in your esteemed Daily (ST Jan 29) under the caption “Need to Know what Residents Want While Finding Solution” purported to have been said by the Revenue Minister, Meghalaya, we the ordinary citizens of the state, sympathize with the Minister who had also reportedly stated that he could not say anything about the matter. The matter relates to the Assam-Meghalaya border problem being prioritized by the State government and even by the various NGOs as well and is supposed to be one of the few most urgent subject matters of the Revenue Department. It is a pity that the Minister had expressed his lack of awareness on this issue. If he is really ignorant about it, we would like to humbly inform him now that the previous government had already sent the relevant documents to the Assam government and being from Jaintia Hills, he might be interested to know whether the documents in respect of Block-I and Block-II are adequate or not. If not, then he could ask for further documents/information from the JHADC and the Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills Jowai in respect of these Blocks in order to be able to successfully fight their case. We would request the Minister not to raise new issues which may likely reflect ignorance and inefficiency.
Yours etc.,
Ju D. Lamin
Via e-mail