Editor,
From two simple functions – the induction of RG Lyngdoh, PN Syiem, Fenela Lyngdoh Nonglait, Mosjo R. Wanswett and Adrian Lambert Chyne Mylliem into the Congress party and the installation of Vincent H. Pala as the new MPCC president, the Congress in Meghalaya is back in the limelight, which otherwise remained subdued during the last few years. These two events brought into the open that all is not well within the party in the state. It revealed that the top leaders of the party , the CLP leader and the President, are ill at ease with each other and have deep-rooted differences if not enmities between them while the second rank leaders are in a quandary. This may not bode well for the prominent party which has the closest chance of replacing the NPP, to claim the majority to form the government in 2023. If the Congress Party in Jaintia and Khasi Hills are intact under Pala and Garo Hills under Mukul and if they both are united, the Congress will definitely, reach the ultimate goal. As to who will be the CLP in 2023 the winning Congress legislators will decide then. For the MDA, return to power in 2023 is very doubtful because its performance is almost nil and it does not instil any confidence among the voters of Meghalaya for its performance is smeared by corruption everywhere, inefficiency, alienated from the people and with no relief to the farming community; no sops for the poor who are suffering from the onslaught and impact of the pandemic. There are no visible developmental activities on the ground and above all its abetment in pollution of the most valuable environment is a crime.
However, success of individual MLAs of the MDA in 2023 will depend on their individual performance during the present term in their respective constituencies and depending on their individual capacity to financially invest in procuring votes. But their parties cannot help them because to ensure their return in 2023 their parties have not contributed anything. In fact some of the smaller parties may face extinction.
Yours etc…
Philip Marwein,
Senior Journalist.
Via email
Vaccine racism uncalled for
Editor,
A new travel advisory by the UK that says that people from India and a few other countries will be considered “unvaccinated” even after two doses of AstraZeneca’s Covishield. This has sparked off a controversy over freedom of international travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. Asking fully vaccinated Indians to quarantine is very offensive to them. Given that Covishield was originally developed in the UK and the Serum Institute, Pune has supplied it to that country too, this suggests racism.
India has not yet been included in the ‘green’ list – countries whose vaccines are recognized by the UK. As per the new directive, passengers not vaccinated as per the rules in the UK, Europe, or the US will have to self-quarantine for 10 days and pay for two Covid tests. It is ironic that these rules exclude a few countries where the AstraZeneca vaccine is used.
Covishield is widely used in India. What is the logic of its non-recognition by the UK when the UK government is using the same drug under a different name? The new advisory is a cause for concern for India as it will hinder the travel plans of a large number of people. Notwithstanding the fact that a dozen European nations have approved India-made Covishield, the UK government is unwilling to recognize it.
It should be recalled that in July there was a controversy over Covishield’s recognition by the European Union as well. All these illustrate the West’s unfair treatment of vaccines used elsewhere. The governments of such countries must understand that only recognised vaccines are used by countries. People from other countries who are properly vaccinated must not be treated in an unfair way and they must not be discriminated against.
Yours etc.,
Venu GS,
Kollam
Traffic arrangement at Fire Brigade
Editor,
With the phenomenal growth of traffic, the Fire Brigade point has become a busy traffic junction. To manage the burgeoning traffic the Traffic Police has been experimenting with different arrangements. It has included sporadic ‘no right turn’ signs, from Nongrim Hills to Laitumkhrah, ‘no right turn’ to the Marbaniang Petrol Pump and ‘No right turn’ towards Nongthymmai as you exit Motinagar. As of date the first two of the above mentioned ‘No right turns’ have been discontinued while the one for Motinagar to Nongthymmai remains. As a result, anyone wanting to go towards Nongthymmai has to take a turnabout from Fire Brigade, which by itself is not a problem. But the problem is that the road towards the Fire Brigade is normally choc-a- bloc with traffic while the road to Nongthymmai could be free of traffic. However, due to the current rules of ‘no right turn,’ people are forced to add to the traffic jam of vehicles proceeding towards Dhankheti and Laitumkhrah which takes up to 15 minutes to negotiate the Fire Brigade round, a distance of a hundred meters, in order to turn back and proceed towards Nongthymmai. The fact that the ‘no right turn’ rule has been discontinued in the other roads that merge into Fire Brigade and has been made applicable to only one locality is baffling to say the least and the rule has actually added to the overall traffic congestion in the Fire Brigade roundabout. The STP is requested to have a relook at this rule and rationalize the traffic arrangement.
Yours etc.,
Sanjeeb Kakoty
Shillong 14