Editor,
I just saw a video of the BJP candidate from Mawsynram saying that he joined the BJP because he wants to bring the milk and the honey from Delhi. Leaving aside political affiliations and politics, I think Meghalaya and other Northeastern states need politicians who will find out ways and means to enable us to stand on our own feet rather than politicians with such mentality. It’s a shame too that he doesn’t know the basic tenets of Centre-State financial relations considering the fact that he was a former Meghalaya Civil Service Officer. For his information, there is a constitutional body called the Finance Commission and its main function is to distribute the net proceeds of taxes between Centre and States according to their respective contributions to the taxes and its second main function is to determine factors governing Grants-in-Aid to the States and the magnitude of the same. In 2022-23, there are 14 states including 7 Northeastern states that received the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit grant. Meghalaya is also one of them. The revenue grant is based on the gap between revenue and expenditure of each state post tax devolution. It basically means that these 14 states spent more than they earned hence the need for the revenue deficit grant.
Looking at the bright side, on paper the fiscal health of our state is better than other smaller states like Nagaland and Mizoram. Cutting across party lines, our state needs visionary leaders who will help improve the fiscal health of the state and also generate employment for the thousands of unemployed youths and hopefully if we produce such leaders, our state will become a revenue surplus state in the future.
Yours etc.,
Gary Marbaniang,
Via email
NPP still going strong!
Editor,
The front page news “NPP mocks Congress’ “5-star dream’ for state” (ST February 12, 2023) made interesting reading. The NPP spokesperson Bajop Pyngrope rightly mocked the 5-star dream of the Congress Party which is struggling to revive in order to survive. He has also rightly questioned that is Congress is aiming to achieve this, why does nobody across the country believe it? Make no mistake, the NPP is still the largest party in Meghalaya with 20 seats. From the strike rate of political parties in 2018 and the disarray of the Congress party vis-à-vis the reach of the National People’s Party all over Meghalaya the NPP is placed on a higher pedestal than other political parties to win 33 seats to form a stable government on its own after March 4, 2023. The rest of the seats will be shared by BJP, UDP, AITC, INC, PDF and Independents. Data on seats contested, won, vote share, deposit forfeited and the strike rate of political parties in the last election in 2018 do not lie but indicates that no other party other than the NPP has the capacity to win 33 seats in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election, 2023 given the disarray of the Indian National Congress.
Yours etc.,
VK Lyngdoh,
Via email
Old wine in old bottles
Editor,
It is hilarious to read of the UDP leaders’ ambitious talk of winning a majority in the ensuing Assembly Elections. Do these leaders even believe their own words? Even an average person with an iota of political horse sense knows that this will never happen. More likely than not, the coming elections will produce another hung Assembly with the NPP again emerging as the single largest party with 20 to 22 seats more or less. The UDP will likely get a maximum of 8 seats and the BJP 4 seats at the most. I am sure that the UDP and the BJP will again gravitate towards the NPP for the formation of a new government. Forget the UDP’s mudslinging against the NPP and the BJP’s crying hoarse about the NPP’s corrupt deeds during their election campaigns. Thus it will be old wine in old bottles yet again and we ordinary folks will have to endure another five years of bad governance or worse. To those well-meaning individuals who exhort us to vote for a change, I would like to ask them a simple question: Where is any meaningful choice? The alternative, if any is again those old players in new uniforms who will sit in the Opposition.
Yours etc.,
Samuel Swett,
Shillong -2
Action against noise pollution
Editor,
Apropos of the letter by HT Wells captioned, “Open letter to DC East Khasi Hills” (ST Feb 19, 2023), I wish to write regarding noise and air pollution menace caused by the Hindu Mission, Lower Mawprem, Shillong. To the extreme resentment of the residents and student communities around Hindu Mission, this institution has allowed the use of a major portion of its premises as a “parking lot”. Initially there were only a few private vehicles but now the number has increased to 80-100 vehicles.
Being a private tuition teacher and housewife of a joint family with the elderly fathers and mothers-in-law and six school-going children at home, I bring this issue before the concerned authorities in the larger interest of the residents. By allowing parking of vehicles for commercial purposes in the residential areas, this Hindu Mission has totally polluted the “academic atmosphere.” What is most irritating is the noise caused by auto/pick-up vans and commercial vehicles. Even late at night, our children are awakened by the entry of these commercial vehicles that emit high pitch sounds. In the morning, before 5 am in summer, our sound sleep gets disturbed by the same noise while the vehicles are set on ignition for more than 10/15 minutes. Some drivers recklessly blow horn.
This Hindu Mission has also earned a bad name for other issues raised in The Shillong Times in the past, for organizing various kinds of parties in which film songs are played. Just near the sacred temple, they often organize Bollywood dances which sometimes run for 6-7 hours and even beyond 10 pm. Does the pollution board give permission to this Hindu Mission to hold parties? No authorities have any right to give permission to hold frequent parties that put other residents to inconvenience.
It may be mentioned that MBOSE, CBSE, ICSE students and some others pursuing higher studies and competitive examination, have been thus heavily victimized. Just near my residence, two other students, who are sitting for competitive examinations, often complain that they are distracted by the music played near the temple.
On behalf of the residents, especially student communities, the elderly and sick people, I request the officers concerned, particularly the Pollution Control Board and Deputy Commissioner to kindly take immediate action against this irresponsible management. This management is now driven by money-making pursuits at the expense of the residents and student communities.
As per the Supreme Court ruling, sound pollution and “parking lots” in residential areas should not be permitted since it adversely affects the health and pollutes the “academic environment.” No one has the legal right to create noise above 10 decibels in residential areas.
Yours etc.,
Priyanka Sharma
Via email