Editor,
Through this daily, I wish to draw the attention of the Health Department, Government of Meghalaya that on the evening of June 10, 2023 (Saturday), a boy named Nestar Khyriem aged 15 years from Lawshlem Village (near Rangskhen), East Khasi Hills District was bitten by snake on his left foot for which he is presently being kept at ICU, NEIGHRIMS Hospital, Shillong. Just to summarize the event, after returning home from his farm work, in the evening, he unknowingly stepped on a venomous snake and unfortunately got bitten. A good Samaritan from the village took the boy to Mawphlang CHC but due to non- availability of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) vaccine, the boy was referred to be taken to Shillong Civil Hospital. On reaching, Shillong Civil Hospital too the patient’s relatives were told there is no ASV vaccine in the Hospital. Doctors referred the patient to NEIGHRIMS Hospital. By the time the patient reached NEIGHRIMS, it was already 12 O`clock midnight. Thankfully NEIGHRIMS admitted the patient and the boy was immediately given few available doses of ASV vaccine which eventually relieved him from severe pain on account of snake bite.
As per doctors` prescription, 60 doses of ASV vaccine needs to be given to neutralize the snake venom with each dose costing Rs. 600. The issue here is not only that the ASV vaccine is unaffordable for poor people like in this case (medicines bought from outside the hospital are presently not covered under the MHIS), but it was also not available in any of the hospitals in Shillong. When I came to know of this case, I tried to help this boy by bringing few doses of ASV vaccine from Guwahati, though I could only get 4 doses as very few pharmacies keep ASV and that too in very limited number. Later, after searching for ASV vaccine in almost all hospitals in Shillong including few big pharmacies in Police Bazar area, I finally got the vaccine from Arti`s Enterprise located at Dhanketi, Shillong (@Rs. 590 per dose).
While it is true that the number snake-bite victims are becoming lesser and mostly take place in the rural areas (as in Shillong, we do not see much snakes), and only during the summer season, pharmacies and private hospitals don’t stock ASV because it will expire and cause loss to the pharmacies/hospitals. Therefore, I request the Health Department, particularly the Health Minister, to ensure that at least in each district, one government hospital, irrespective of whether there are snake bite cases should always keep a minimum number of ASV vaccines so that poor people from the rural areas do not suffer like this boy in case of a snake bite.
Yours etc.,
Fullmoon L Kynshi
Shillong – 8
Flawed & Unconstitutional Govt Order
Editor,
The recent Order No.PER.100/90/PT-I/44 dated 13.06.2023 issued by the Commissioner & Secretary to the Govt. of Meghalaya, Personnel & A. R. (A) Department, is very surprising.
The said Order states that “a number of Government employees have been seen openly participating in and/or attending public meetings/gatherings organized by political parties” and it impresses upon all Government employees to refrain from such activities by appealing to Rule 20(1) of the Meghalaya Services (Conduct) Rules which says, “No Government employee shall be a member of, or otherwise be associated with any political party, or with any organisation which takes part in politics, or whose activities have political bearing, nor shall he take part in, subscribe in aid of, or assist in any other manner, any political movement or activity.”
However, it seems that the Order is flawed and unconstitutional when it restricts the Government employees from “participating in and/or attending” public gatherings organized by political parties because attending a public gathering does not amount to participating in political activities according to a case law in the Tripura High Court.
In the Judgement dated January 09, 2020 in the case “Lipika Paul vs State of Tripura,” the single Judge observed that, “There is a vital difference between attending a rally and participating in a rally…… Every person who is present in the audience during such addresses cannot be stated to have participated in the rally.” The single Judge therefore ruled in favour of the Government employee, stating that, “Her mere presence at a gathering, therefore, without any further allegation, would not amount to her participation in such political gathering.”
Therefore, it seems that the Order is flawed in equating the act of attending a public gathering with participating in a public gathering.
Moreover, the Supreme Court in “Kameshwar Prasad vs State of Bihar” has held that other classes of servants of Government (other than armed forces, police forces, etc. as specified in Article 33) in common with other persons and other citizens of the country cannot be excluded from the protection of their Fundamental rights by reason merely of their being Government servants.
Yours etc.,
Kitdor H. Blah,
Shillong
Renovation of Dy CM’s room
Editor,
The political history of Meghalaya and the recent outburst that Meghalaya is the most corrupt State in the country has taught us one thing – the Government does everything it can to conceal its lust for corruption – not corruption but its lust for it – and therefore every minister, especially the Chief Minister, constantly trembles with tension knowing that every member is doing all he can to hide his desire for corrupt gains. Politics, as far as most politicians in Meghalaya know it, is to promote corruption; hence this demand of ₹.85.94 lakhs for renovation of office space. This obviously sounds harsh; it would sound more pleasant and more acceptable if I had put it in another way like, “the politician has at all times made full use of the enthusiasm that lies in things that attract.” This doesn’t sound too bad but delicacy be damned – as a political leader in Meghalaya, the only job is to toe the line the Party in power at the Centre draws knowing that it is touch and go when things are happening as they are. But for the citizens, regardless of how we express it, corruption nauseates.
If a politician has good tastes, or we might want to use the word, “integrity” it consists in his resistance to speaking about morals, “I can speak on anything at any function, but please don’t ask me to speak on morality,” he says. “We politicians do not condemn corruption,” he tells his people, “that is our code.” Do not deceive yourself on this matter; this primary trait is the most distinctive feature of today’s politician. About this they do not lie. To have to rediscover innocence in our politics is the most disgusting and the most precarious task that anyone taking up politics has to tackle. It is the path of our greatest danger – it is a path that may lead to the greatest sickness of the people.
Yours etc.,
Gregory F Shullai
Via email