Editor,
Colossal loss of vegetables, fruits and other perishable items of everyday use in the hands of the producers on one hand, and the shortage and very high price being charged by the few traders on the other hand, during the lock-down, curfew etc, This could have been avoided by allowing unhindered movement of these from the field to the consuming centres and thence to mobile outlets. These carts should be allowed to move freely while observing Covid-related SOPs. The Health Department should maintain reasonable vigil to ensure that these vendors are non-carriers of the virus. Law keepers should be sensitized on this subject.
Yours etc.,
BC Biswas,
Via email
Vaccination – a hassle-free experience
Editor,
As per my scheduled booking slot, I had gone to get myself vaccinated at the U Soso Tham Auditorium on 25th May last. Through your esteemed daily, I would like to thank all the people rendering their services at the vaccination centre. From the ladies at the entry point, the ones at the identity verification point, the nurse administering the vaccine (who was both warm and reassuring) to the lady and gentleman at the waiting area. Thank you for having made the experience as smooth and hassle-free as possible.
You are all doing a commendable job. Thank you for your service.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Via Email
WhatsApp must comply with Indian laws
Editor,
The legal outrage between WhatsApp and the Centre over the new IT rules over freedom of speech and expression and our right to privacy, needs to be balanced with reasonable restrictions. In the KS Puttaswamy vs Union of India case 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that Right to Privacy is our fundamental right under article 21 but it laid the proportionality test stating that it would not be an absolute right. WhatsApp has deliberately failed to comply with the new rules by citing invasion of privacy of citizens. But we have to look at specific cases and circumstances. In some situations social media has created havoc and confusion amongst citizens. It has tried to brainwash people into believing fake news content. Rampant videos of sexual abuse and contents related to rape, pornography and child abuse are circulated through online platforms like WhatsApp. These videos threaten the life and dignity of women. Fake news and false messages have created disharmony among different communities and incited violence and communal appeasement. Unwanted crimes like drug peddling, sale of illegal weapons are also happening through this platform. No doubt the new rules also concern us all and our right to privacy but it is also the right of a sovereign government to ask for disclosure of the origin of a message that can affect the security of the country. This has to be in line with the laws of the country. Hence, it is the right time for the government to ensure that social media should not be abused by the use of defamatory language and also by creating messages that can cause panic in society. Social media must be used for good, not for spreading fake or misleading news.
Yours etc.,
C. Majaw,
Political Science
Dept. NEHU,
Via email
Poor mobile & internet services in Tura
Editor,
We live in the internet era, don’t we but the services provided by mobile operators in Tura, especially BSNL, is far below average. The services provided by the Vodafone-Idea are no better. If the services are poor in Tura town, think about the services in semi-urban and rural areas! You can neither use WhatsApp nor you can send an e-mail. Yet the billing amount remains the same every month. Sometime back, the District Administration in Tura opened a WhatsApp page advising the public to send their complaints/grievances to be forwarded to the concerned mobile service operators for taking necessary action. Many have sent their complaints against these mobile service providers. What happened to those? If the mobile service operators do not listen to the District Administration, will they care to act upon the complaints lodged by individuals? It seems highly unlikely going by past records.
The problem of below average services provided by these mobile operators has been going on for several years now. Normal times, bad times; curfew or no curfew; lockdown or no lockdown, the poor mobile/internet services continue. We see no improvement in their services at all. The Government is encouraging cashless transactions. Moreover, during this lockdown period, only two branches of SBI in Tura are allowed to open and most of the ATMs run dry. At this juncture, the public need uninterrupted internet services to order goods online and for accessing the COWIN portal for booking appointments for taking the jab as well and also for students who are attending online classes. How will all these be possible when the internet services are down? It is high time the District Administration takes them to task otherwise, our dream of living in the digital era is a distant reality.
Yours etc.,
Fergertson R Marak,
Tura
On Samson’s vacuous arguments
Editor,
I thank Samson A. Sangma for one more joke during the ongoing pandemic stress. He is hell-bent on casting aspersions about my memory loss. I doubt if he is by any chance a doctor to certify that I have lost my memory. He does not seem to be a quack too, judging from the way he wrote, misquoting even what I have written and seriously misleading the public on many facts he cited which I am duty bound to correct him with official statistics.
Firstly the writer misquoted me by mentioning the year 1986 at least twice when I had actually mentioned the year 1976, November 16, when APHLC was dissolved by Capt. WA Sangma in Mendipathar. Readers may refer to ST dated May 19, 2021. I never mentioned the year 1986, as misquoted by Samson.
I also never mentioned that APHLC had ceased to exist in 1986 after the emergence of HPU, though when the HPU was recognised in 1986 by the Election Commission (EC), we abolished the original APHLC and the ‘Rose’ symbol. As is the case with many parties in the country, in Meghalaya too some persons wanted to retain the APHLC, but they neither got the official recognition from EC, nor were entitled to use the ‘Rose’ Symbol.
Samson is guilty of misrepresenting facts and misleading the readers, when he claimed that the grand old party (APHLC) had won 2 seats from Dalamgiri and Rangsakona. For the benefit of readers and the general public, some persons did contest from the new party, the APHLC (A) and two of them won, but not with the Rose symbol from Rongram and Dalamgiri Constituencies, not Rangsakona Constituency as misquoted by Samson.
From where did Samson surmise that I claimed Capt Sangma led the UDP on the basis of his being the President of the erstwhile APHLC. This is absolutely unfounded and Samson is only trying to create controversy where none exists.
Yours etc.,
BM Lanong,
Via email