Editor,
The current dispensation led by Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma and a couple of his teammates seem to be like an ‘active’ sales team selling ‘productive’ ventures and mega plans like having a helicopter service to Dawki, Williamnagar and Sohra to promote tourism as well as trade and commerce. It doesn’t end there. They have even come up with plans and proposals to start operating electric buses to conserve the environment. There are several other plans too that deserve applause. However, let me remind the readers that if one were to travel to Pynter village further down from Pynursla, there is a foundation that was laid to start a so-called tourism ropeway project which never took off. That poor foundation stone has moth-balled into something else. Another venture is also in education where it was stated that the government spent nearly 2000 crores in infrastructure creation. However a trip to any interior village will show us the reality. Schools are in a pathetic state bereft of any computer lab or even a library. One last point about the electric buses should also bring in the question of transparency, accountability and responsibility of the existing JNNURM buses. Most of them are worth nothing and need to be sold as scrap. A government that sells dreams without going to the core priorities of the state can only be compared to “Alice in Wonderland.”
Yours etc…
Dominic Stadlin Wankhar
Via email
Shocking indeed!
Editor,
Apropos of the letter, ‘A social need from 70 years of social neglect ‘by Toki Blah (ST March 8, 2022), the revelation is shocking on two fronts namely the age and certification of materials that determines our safety factors and consequently our life and death. Last week, it was shown on TV that one block in Gurugram, National Capital Region, Delhi would need to be renovated though not before it had claimed two lives of the residents. Following this the residents of one huge block had been evacuated but sadly the contractor is absconding. People took heavy loans expecting to live in their own apartments but life for them is shattered.
In Meghalaya we play with the lives of innocent people in all Departments where construction activities are involved. From sand to cement to steel rods, the most inferior quality is used and now even with water supply instead of Tata steel pipes some plastic pipes and other metal pipes from third rate companies are being used and the explanation given by the PHE minister is that he cannot explain the technicalities in the House. How convenient indeed! Earlier the river sand from Kynshi which was considered to be of high quality was used for all construction purposes but now that the Kynshi is almost stagnating, the sand too is dwindling since the river has been impacted by human activities.
It was enlightening to read about how women became whistle blowers in West Khasi Hills when inferior quality pipes were used to draw water to the villages and finally the persons concerned had to confess to their misdeeds. Why is this model of empowerment of communities not tried out even today? This is the best way to check corruption and as Toki Blah says it is done through a public/social audit system. If only the Dorbar Shnong used the social audit tools to check the quality of roads in their localities all our roads would have been of good quality and not needed to be repaired every year. Sadly, most of our Dorbars are so indebted to the MLA who in turn patronises over them.
The MLA of Umroi pointed to the shortage of beef cattle in Meghalaya leading to beef being sold at Rs 600/kg. Beef was at one time the poor person’s protein. Now they cannot afford it anymore because our Veterinary Department apparently gave challans for some hundreds of cattle to be transported but those never arrived here. The Veterinary Department needs to show more initiative. As of today Meghalaya is importing pigs, poultry, eggs and even fish. Although the Veterinary Minister spoke on piggery and how it is being promoted, it will be good if we could get the small local variety which is not just tasty but has lesser fat content.
On tradition and barring women participating in the Dorbar Shnong it is time to relax the tradition just as we have done away with so many things from the past. At one time it was mandatory that only those who have grown a moustache could attend the Dorbar and men had to wear a dhoti which was the ceremonial dress. Those aspects of tradition have been discarded so why hold on to only the convenient ones that keep women away from discussing issues that affect them?
Yours etc.,
W. Passah,
Nongkrem
India set to face inflation
Editor,
Analysts say that India will be among the emerging economies worst affected by the Russia-Ukraine war. Rise in global prices of commodities will badly affect the already fragile economy. Also, the Covid-19 pandemic recovery will be badly hit by the war.
Considering that India imports about 85% of its oil requirements, rise in crude oil prices will adversely affect the economy. In such a scenario, inflation is likely to rise and account deficit could widen. In the context of rise in crude oil prices, the government will be forced to lower fuel levies. As a consequence, revenues will be badly hit and it may restrict the spending of the government to boost growth. As retail fuel prices are likely to rise after the election results are declared, the government may lower excise duty. Lowering of fuel levies will badly hit revenue and the government could lose a substantial amount of money.
There are apprehensions that petrol and diesel prices may be hiked across the country. Fuel prices may be increased by more than Rs 12 per litre. As international oil prices are rising, fuel retailers will be forced to hike the prices of petrol and diesel. Given that India imports more than two-thirds of its oil requirements, rise in international oil prices increases the country’s trade and account deficit and it also leads to inflation. India’s trade deficit increases in proportion to rise in crude oil prices.
Yours etc.,
Venu GS,
Kollam