Editor,
On May 30, 2022, the most heinous of crimes occurred when two innocent young children followed their father whom they trusted, to their death. The man turned monster, in a most horrific way, took their lives. We strongly condemn this unspeakable and horrifying act and we must seek speedy delivery of justice with the maximum punishment this man deserves.
This incident is a chilling reminder of how vulnerable our children are, from predators who abuse, violate and threaten them. Often the children are just an act away from being silenced for good.
Let us be alert and vigilant. Let us act and intervene. Let us report and seek help. Let us listen and encourage our children to speak up without fear. Let us not negotiate and compromise with wrongdoing and wrongdoers. Let us protect and provide the children a safe and happy childhood as much as we can. Let us nurture and encourage them to dream to be creative, to express themselves freely. As responsible citizens and caretakers of the young, we are the fences who can keep them protected.
“A Society is judged by the way it treats its Children”
Yours etc.,
Iamon M Syiem,
Chairperson,Meghalaya State Commission for
Protection of Child Rights
Rejoinder to Facebook Post
Editor,
The R & R Colony Welfare Society and residents of R & R Colony take strong exception to the Facebook post of Patricia Mukhim on Jun 3, 2022 regarding wrong parking of vehicles as no clarification or information was sought from the R & R Colony Welfare Society before publishing such defamatory message on social media platform defaming the locality as a whole. The Welfare Society would like to clarify following points
Regarding the traffic mismanagement in R & R Colony, Patricia Mukhim has defamed the locality by using highly objectionable words like “notorious locality” and “where the rule of law does not prevail” without verifying facts. Regarding the traffic scenario at R & R Colony, mostly the vehicles which are parked at the Main Road 1 and Main Road 2 belong to residents of other localities who come for shopping at Rynjah Bazar which has been made into a “No Parking Zone” and hence finding no other alternative people park their vehicles on the Main Road 1 and 2.
The menace of parking on both sides of the road has been brought to the notice of Rynjah Traffic Branch and Shillong Traffic Police on a number of occasions by R & R Colony Welfare Society. The R & R colony locality has been used as a Local Taxi Parking area for neighbouring localities which causes inconvenience to the residents of the Colony and reduces the parking space for other vehicles. This also has been to the notice of Rynjah Traffic Branch and Shillong Traffic Police on a number of occasions by R & R Colony Welfare Society.
Yours etc.,
A B Sen
President
R & R Colony Welfare Society, Shillong-6
Cherry Blossom planting
Editor,
My attention is drawn to the event of mass planting of Cherry Blossom trees in Shillong on Environment Week celebrations. In the first place I wonder who was the initiator of the idea of associating Cherry Blossoms with Meghalaya. It is an alien species of Prunus family with many cultivars. It is usually associated with Japan and Japanese culture where it flowers at the onset of spring. Some European countries have their own varieties of Cherry Blossom plants. Some plants were gifted to USA by Japan long back. Cultivars have been specially developed to yield large flowers. In Meghalaya I have seen sporadic trees have been planted in the past just as other garden trees. However large-scale planting of this tree is fraught with inherent risks of introducing alien species. This tree flowers only for a week or so in a year. It sheds all its leaves once a year spreading leaf litter all around. For the rest of the year it is less than a good looking tree. I haven’t seen it bearing fruits attracting birds. It harbours insects of Lepidoptera species the larvae of which hang from the branches in multitude on gossamer like threads making it extremely difficult to go near the tree or even pass by it.
In addition, any alien species is a potential threat to local plant species. Planting of Cherry Blossoms is exactly what should not have been done in the name of Environment Week. I had spoken to my ex-colleagues about the rationale of promoting such a species. The impression I got was that it was done at the behest of some non-government agency by some higher ups and they were not even consulted. It would be more prudent for the Meghalaya Government to rely on their forest officers than external agencies who do not have any accountability. As for the Japanese way of life it would be better to emulate their work culture and ethics than try to mimic their lifestyle.
Yours etc.,
V K Nautiyal
Ex PCCF & Hoff
Via email
MATI civil services coaching
Editor,
Since the Meghalaya Administrative Training Institute is again accepting applications for free Civil Services coaching, I would like to highlight the fact that MATI Training for Civil Services exam needs reformation. Through personal experience I would like to give some advice:
First, please admit serious aspirants (those who have at least cleared their Prelims before) to teach. We need MENTORS not COLLEGE TEACHERS; the aim is to clear the exams not to become a PhD in any subject. In other words, make it more “Civil Service Exam” centric, not another redundant college session. This is not to undermine the teacher’s capability, but let’s be honest, they don’t have an iota of knowledge about the demands of the Civil Services Exam especially with the latest trend.
Second, make the admission process more systematic with prudent screening (e.g. Residential Coaching of Jamia Millia Islamia) to ward off the non-serious aspirants.
Third, the Civil Services exam is more about how the individual approaches the exams and not the number of hours in a coaching class. Hence, the maximum duration of classes should not exceed 3 hours/day or maximum 4 hours, making the learning process fun, viable and lucrative rather than making the aspirants lethargic.
Again, I would like to stress that these are my PERSONAL views, advice, opinions, criticisms, whatever you may call it, speaking from experience. However, if there have been changes in MATI Coaching after 2018 then these points are invalid. If not then please take this matter seriously and do not make MATI Civil Services Coaching Programme another leeway of siphoning public money.
Yours etc.,
Kevin M Shangpliang,
Via email