From Lamphrang Nongspung
JOWAI, Feb 21: One of the three major towns of state, Jowai is a classic tell-tale of general apathy towards easing the chronic problems of this old town.
Water shortage, poor condition of roads, congested market place, unresolved issue of disposal of garbage have remained sore points for the residents.
Add to it the lack of establishment of better educational facility and stark systemic failure to address them even after fifty years of Statehood.
Obviously, public ire is palpable. And this election is a good time for the commoners to pour their pent up feelings of frustration.
Against this backdrop, the sitting MLA Wailadmiki Shylla has become the favourite whipping boy of his rivals who are sparing no effort to highlight the spectre of urban chaos in this town.
Shylla is manfully fighting the anti-incumbency giving explanation for the unfulfilled promises.
The three-way battle for constituency — Wailadmiki Shylla (NPP), Moonlight Pariat (UDP) and Awhai Andrew Shullai (TMC) — is a familiar story much experienced by the voters here.
During an interaction with The Shillong Times, the three candidates shared their thoughts on priorities and tasks before the next MLA.
Shylla strongly denied the charges stating that projects like Umngot Water Supply Scheme were completed. He, however, said that there are still projects which are yet to be complete like Iawmusiang shopping complex.
“I am telling people that I have tried my level best. I will request them if they give me the second chance I will complete all these projects,” the sitting MLA said.
According to him, his priority will be to bring another water supply scheme in Jowai adding that the present Jowai Water Supply Scheme has been sanctioned since 2003.
“You will understand that there are many households which need water connection. My top priority was to bring one more water supply scheme to Jowai. I would want one more government college in Jaintia Hills,” he said.
Clarifying on the delay to finalise the site of the dumping ground, he said that everything is ready and they could not process it due to the elections.
“We are just keeping in abeyance for the time being and waiting for the elections to get it over,” Shylla added.
Shylla said that he wants to upgrade the Ialong Civil Hospital which is the district hospital to state hospital.
He refuted the corruption charges against the NPP and sounded confident that such allegations will have no impact on his poll prospects.
“Yes some anti-incumbency is there but at the same time people realize that this government had to face many challenges in the past five years like Covid-19 pandemic which no government had faced in the past. People also understand that we need some more time,” Shylla said.
Meanwhile, Shullai said that there are many issues which are affecting Jowai constituency.
“It has never happened in the constituency that businessmen will represent the constituency. The constituency has always produced real statesman. There is lots of involvement of cash in this election due to entry of people with business background,” the TMC candidate said.
According to him, the issue of dumping ground was created out of nowhere.
“Instead of improving the existing dumping place, how they agreed to find a new site. Now, they are hell bent on acquiring the land which they identified ignoring better sites available. They had wanted to complete land acquisition but due to the elections they could not carry out,” Shullai said.
He said that the B.Ed. College which was sanctioned in 2017 has been left undone adding that maternity and child health hospital which was inaugurated by Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma is yet to be functional.
According to him, the economy of Jowai has been hampered since the main business has been controlled by a few individuals.
“The flow of money into the local economy is very low which has affected each and every livelihood. There are so many vacancies lying in the district offices and headquarters. They have initiated the recruitment process by blaming the roster system and due to Covid-19 pandemic,” Shullai said.
The TMC candidate said that the excuses given by the government is not acceptable since people need job and employment adding that even if people who are able to stand on their own are not able to cope with the situation when the economy is down.
“The MDA has not only harmed the livelihood of business class but even the low income level people. Only five percent of the people are benefitting and 95 percent are suffering,” Shullai said.
He further mentioned that the long pending Iawmusiang market long pending is still hanging.
“My suggestion is either to close the project and start afresh. A decision has been taken to this aspect. If the second installment cannot be released then a new chapter has to be started,” he stated.
Meanwhile, for the UDP candidate, Moonlight Pariat there are many issues which no one has tried to address in the last five years. According to him, “it is for this reason I have decided to contest to complete all the pending issues”.
Stating that Ialong Civil Hospital still lacks proper medical facilities like X-Ray, MRI and scanning machines which will benefit the people coming from the BPL families .
“People now have to go to private hospitals for these tests. People who live from hand to mouth are not able to afford them. If elected, we will to put in place all the testing facilities at Ialong Civil Hospital,” he said.
Pariat also slammed the NPP-led MDA for misleading the people of Jowai constituency in particular and Jaintia Hills region as a whole by inaugurating the Maternal and Child Health Hospital without any manpower or facilities.
“The hospital does not have any beds. How they can cheat the people like this only to serve their political agenda,” the UDP candidate said.
He further stated that he wanted to construct the road all over the River Myntdu site to connect towards eighth mile and Tuber area which will make it convenient for people to travel to Khliehriat, Lad Rymbai and other areas.
“I will try to construct a road to connect Jowai with the main road to ease traffic congestion in Jowai,” the UDP candidate promised.
He further said that as the party they are planning to provide one job for each family in an attempt to generate employment opportunities among the youth.
What the voters are eventually going to decide is anybody’s guess. But one thing is for sure, whoever is the choice, he is going to have a lot on the plate for next five years.