Editor,
Regarding POCSO cases, there are systems in place that have facilitated prompt action against perpetrators and all required assistance for children who have been abused. There are the District Child Protection Units in the 11 Districts of the State, with the District Child Protection Officers (DCPO) in charge and other functionaries of the Social Welfare Department looking after the welfare of Children. The Child Welfare Committees (CWC) is the final authority to dispose of cases for the care, protection, treatment and rehabilitation of Children as well as to provide for their basic needs and protection of their Rights. The District Child Protection Officer is the Member Secretary of the CWC in the respective Districts. The other active partners in the Child Protection Services are the Police Department. Feedback from all the DCPO’s of 11 Districts affirm that they have a close working relation with the Police.
The Police personnel have been prompt in responding to and co-operating with the DCPO’s at all levels. The police are actively involved as mandated in the POCSO Act. The coordination between the DCPU and the CWC is fairly smooth. The Issue that often presents itself is the delay in immediately reporting cases to the CWCs. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) are not often adhered to by newly inducted Officers. Transfers of Investigating Officers in the midst of investigation hampers and delays the investigation and disrupts the established rapport between the Social Welfare Officers and the Police.
There is a felt need to constantly sensitize and upgrade the skill sets of Police personnel regarding the POCSO and the Juvenile Justice Acts. A word of appreciation to other stakeholders besides Social Welfare Officers and Police personnel and to the Press and concerned citizens who are prompt in reporting to the Commission any untoward incident and violations relating to Child Rights and Child Abuse.
Yours etc.,
Iamon M. Syiem.
Chairperson, Meghalaya State Commission for
Protection of Child Rights.
Via email
Need to revisit State Reservation Policy
Editor,
It is understood that tinkering with the State Reservation Policy is like shaking a hornet’s nest and no one wants to be bitten by hornets. Kudos to the Meghalaya High Court which literally forced the State Govt.to come up with the Roster System in order to implement the Policy. It is common knowledge that this is a complicated matter and not that easy. Moreover, it will satisfy no one. There are simmering against the Roster System. I agree with late P.A. Sangma Ex-CM who proposed doing away with the Reservation Policy. He believed that our students can compete with the rest of India. Many are employed in the metros on merit. Someone had remarked that Sangma was ahead of his time. The time is right now.
After 50 years of statehood our students still want to be cocooned in their mother’s nest. It’s time to stretch out our wings and fly in the free air of competition. Let us reserve 15 % for People with Disabilities (PWD) and permanent non-tribal residents of the state. The rest 85 % will be open competition purely on merit, no manipulation, no white ink and no back door entry. We shall get the best and at the same time save professional seats which were abandoned halfway by those students who have no capacity but got selected by the faulty reservation system.
To be fair and impartial, examinations and tests should be outsourced to reputed testing agencies outside the state. With the latest testing techniques using Multi Choice Questions(MCQ) they test not only book knowledge but attitude and decision making capability like the GRE,NEET etc. Personal interview may perhaps be necessary in case of a tie. This will also cut the time frame in job recruitment. One may argue that this will advantage the urban students. Studies have shown that rural students in recent years have excelled and many are Master’s Degree holders and Ph.Ds. When the system is fair, unbiased and above board, no one will object. In fact all will welcome when at long last merit is recognized and takes centre-stage.
Yours etc.,
Torist Mark,
Via email
BSNL’s pathetic service
Editor,
For the past one month the FTTH internet system in Chandmari , Tura which is maintained by BSNL Tura has been highly erratic. The reason for this poor connectivity is that whenever there are power cuts which happens a lot frequently due to the inclement weather, the internet connection also gets disrupted. The backup system is supposed to kick in automatically, but since the BSNL ,Tura has failed to replace the batteries which are as good as dead, the internet system is starved of power and the FTTH system collapses.
The BSNL office in Tura has been approached to replace the damaged batteries , but telling the people concerned is a sheer waste of time. Nothing gets done. The department gets cracking only after a show of strength is made or somebody takes the law into his own hands. The BSNL faithfully issues bills each month but it’s service is despicable. Most of the officers and employees lack pride in their work except for a handful of dedicated line men. The majority of them are deadwood.
When is this Central Govt department going deliver satisfactory service to the citizens of Garo Hills ? I would like an official response to this letter from the BSNL (Tura) officer .
Yours etc.,
Tyrone D’Brass
Tura
Political Game – Changers
Editor,
The politics of Meghalaya calls for game-changers, as many players are already there on the field. The state’s citizens believe it is time to emphasize the youth’s abilities in the game of politics derived from their training, skills, fairness, determination, talent and responsibility. I pray that people recognize the youth as political game-changers and that citizens assume their authority in a democracy to elect youth. People have noticed the problems of navigating political decisions which lead to governance failure in actual development. Youth should underscore the need for “citizen involvement” or “citizen engagement.” Placing the needs of the people first will have a significant impact on society. It is a major catalyst for change and transforms the connection between the government and the governed. A thoughtful youth makes it possible for the two to collaborate in a novel partnership to translate political campaign pledges into practical transformation for progress in all its forms.
For game-changers, politics is not primarily about having money or power. The present youth’s mentality is not what normally used to be. Today they intend to cause a socio-political shift. The only political strategy that will last in the current scenario is “politics-by-consent” instead of “politics-by-force” or “politics-by-money.” We hope that citizens of the state would encourage the youth to practice openness, integrity, attentiveness, availability, and tolerance as the ingredients for radically changing the game of politics in the state. People will serve genuine leaders through auto-suggestion due to their readiness to serve other humans; it is what they deserve. Politics is about caring for the constituents and not just commanding them. Society is more noteworthy than a position that one holds in as a perks of political office.
Yours, etc.
Batskhem Mawlein
Shillong-2