Editor,
The MeECL and its subsidiaries should now be completely privatized. This entity has completely failed its consumers and has only become a playground for gold diggers from both within its fold and in the state government! Opposition to such a move from its staff and politicians with vested interests should be totally rejected. This utility has also now become indifferent to the pleas of its paying consumers!
I had in February 2022 submitted a complaint of both low voltage during the evenings and voltage fluctuations at other times in the Nongrah area of Shillong to the Forum for Redressal of Grievances of Consumers, MeECL. In May 2022 I received a reply regarding the low voltage where remedial action will take time. On the question of voltage fluctuations where the voltage at time goes up to 260 volts (also happened yesterday for almost 2 hours), the Forum was silent – this is a fault that must lie on either its sub-stations or the local transformers where rectification could be made immediately. It seems they do not consider this a priority even with the possibility of the household electrical appliances burning out and posing a threat to life and property!
Further, for some days now, the power in these areas is shut down from 10.30 am to 4 pm without any Shutdown Notice. Yesterday, one could not get through to their complaint landline number for Area-VI (No.2231265) for most part of the day as it said that the number was out of service – I strongly suspect that the receiver was removed from the cradle and placed on the side. Miraculously, this number started working from 3.30 pm just before the power was restored! And to cap it all, when I inquired of the reason of the power outage for almost the whole day, the reply was that Jio Fibre was setting up its poles and lines! Now what has this got to do with the power LT lines is unknown to me, for Jio Fibre has been erecting its poles and lines for a few months now including in my area, and the electricity power was never shut down for this! Today, on the dot at 10.30 am, again power was shut down. On enquiry, I was told that new electricity poles were being erected and new lines drawn – now they have refined their response to something believable! Before any shut down of power in other areas, we always see the Shutdown Notice published a few days ahead in the newspapers, but in the case of Nongrah, Umpling, Mawlynrei and other areas this side of town, it seems we do not deserve this courtesy from the MeECL!
May I request the local MLA and all aspiring candidates from this Nongthymmai constituency, please seriously take up this matter with the MeECL and the state government, otherwise don’t waste your time coming to our houses seeking for votes!
Yours etc.,
Eugene D. Thomas,
Nongmarboh, Nongrah,
Shillong -6
The Khasi Kur System: Signs of Decline
Editor,
When we were students we were taught that in the Hynniewtrep society there are no orphans or orphanages because there is the Kur (clan) that looks after the children when their parents die but more precisely when their mother dies even when the father is very much alive, because in this matrilineal system, the mother’s Kur will not allow the father to take care of the children after their mother’s death, because he belongs to a different Kur. What a sad situation just when the children need their father after their mother’s death . This provoked the Maitshaphrang to stage a musical play titled, “Papa Shano Phi Don” (Father Where Are You) as a mark of protest against the system. This play is now uploaded on Youtube. And now we see so many orphanages coming up even those run by the churches. The question that begs an answer is, from where did all these orphans emerge and where are the Kurs of these orphans that are supposed to take care of them.
We were also taught that because of the existence of the Kur, there are no Old Age Homes in our society because the Kurs are there to look after the elderly in their old age if they have no one to look after them. On August 19, 2022 the Kripa Victoria Senior Citizen Home was inaugurated at Nongsder, Ri Bhoi District, besides the existence of another old age home known as Mercy Home at Nongthymmai, Shillong run by the Sisters of Charity for at least about 40 years. The question again is where are their Kurs?
It’s time for the Hynniewtrep people to do some serious introspection, a time to take hard and bold decisions. Which traditions and customs are still relevant today and which need modification or a complete change so that our tradition and customs can keep up with the changing times and strengthen our society to be able to stand up against the different aggressive cultures and fundamentalist teachings confronting us today. The Maitshaphrang is campaigning for the immediate implementation of the Compulsory Registration of all Marriages in our society and the Equitable Distribution of Ancestral and Self Acquired Property to give both sons and daughters of a family the resources and the responsibility to look after their children as well as their parents as one of the solutions towards a long-term goal.
Yours etc.,
Michael N Syiem,
Via email
Umiam dam and bridge: Is there a Plan B?
Editor,
Whenever I happen to cross over the Umiam bridge, there is always a thought in my mind as to what will happen to Shillong City and the people living downstream (Umroi side), should there be any major crack and the dam give way and the whole bridge collapses. Shillong would be totally disconnected and there will be a great disaster for the people living below the dam and the areas surrounding it. We have heard stories across the world of major dam collapse like in Brazil, China and in India too. The miseries and tragedies are unimaginable. There will be loss of power supply, loss of lives, loss of connectivity. The Umiam Dam, built in the early 1960s has already crossed 50 long years of its existence and service. It is one of the major dams of the North East and the State in particular. the Bridge over the dam is the only connecting link to Shillong.
Heavy and incessant rain in Shillong and nearby areas in the past few days just bring me back to my thoughts on the consequences should the dam collapse owing to the pressure of the volume of water and the heavy traffic (24/7) on the bridge. I am not pessimistic but rather realistic on this issue. My humble request as a citizen to the Power Department and the PWD Department is to have a unified approach and immediate Plan to construct an alternative road linking Shillong with the National Highway. There should be a conscious effort by these departments to think and act right and immediately to avoid any grave consequences should any major mishap arise, which we hope and pray it will not!
Yours etc,
R N Rymbai.
Mawroh