Editor,
Apropos of the news item published at page 3 of your esteemed Daily (ST July 27, 2023) captioned, “Border Talk 2.0 : Block–II Area Inspection Next Month,” the Nongpoh MLA was quoted as saying ”The Block-II areas in Ri Bhoi district comprise Desh Doomreah, Baridua and Nongwah Mawtmur, . . . .” This is absolutely (both factually and historically & even legally) wrong. Since the MLA is a member of the Regional Committee (RC) of Ri Bhoi district we take his statement as official and we would request him to note that the well-known Block-I & Block-II are two parts of a compact and contiguous tract forcibly transferred and tagged to the then new district of United Mikir & N.C. Hills (created in 1951) by the highhandedness and despotism of the then government of Assam despite the fact that the Constituent Assembly of India had ratified all the respective areas of all the 6(six) hill tribes for the protection under Article 244 read with the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India promulgated on 26 January 1950.
Let it be known to all and sundry that not even an inch of land had been transferred from the Shillong sub-division i.e. Khasi Hills for the stated purpose. The leaders from Jaintia Hills could have given this information! The geographical location of these two Blocks is too well-known to feign ignorance of their existence. If the present Jaintia leaders are not aware of this fact, the senior citizens and intellectuals of Jaintia Hills are well acquainted with it.
For the information of the MLA of Nongpoh, we would like to clearly state that Block-I comprises the whole of Nongphyllut dalloiship and a huge part of Raliang dalloiship known as the Pangam Raliang, part of each of the dalloiships of Shilliang Myntang, Nangjngi and Nartiang along with Langsoh Mynriang Sirdarship; while, Block-II comprises the whole of Mynri dalloiship and a huge part of each of the dalloiships of Nartiang & Nangjngi. It is indeed regrettable that Block-II has been entrusted to the R.C. of Ri Bhoi district instead of West Jaintia hills district thereby denying and depriving the people of Block-II area who are the stake-holders to air their problems and grievances.
The Jaintia Hills Solidarity & Welfare Union (JHS&WU) had promptly written last year about this to the Chief Secretary & the Deputy Chief Minister but the Union has been ignored. We submitted a Memorandum to the Chief Minister as well and later a request was made since the May 9, last for an interview with him for constructive discussion but we have not been granted any audience so far for reasons not known to us. The C.M.’s office did not give us proper reasons; every time we met them we were told that the C.M. is out of station. We have been waiting patiently for some time more.
If at all the Nongpoh MLA is interested to know more clearly about the position of the three areas mentioned by him and truly falling under Ri Bhoi district, he may like to consult Prof.(Dr) Hamlet Bareh’s Book, “The History and Culture of the Khasi People” where full details about them are available for him to build up a case for bringing them back to Meghalaya. Dr. Homiwell Lyngdoh, MBE ’s book “Ki Syiem Khasi & Synteng,” too gives some important information. Capt. W A Sangma, the first Chief Minister of Meghalaya was anxious to bring back Desh Domreah to Meghalaya but he suddenly died and his plan could not be achieved even now.
If the members of the R.C’s are ignorant of the geographical locations of the disputed areas, it is feared that the result of the second phase of talk might become much worse than that of the first phase. Moreover the case of Blocks-I & II area is quite different from the rest of the disputed areas as it is the case of re-transfer of the two Blocks to Jaintia Hills i.e. Meghalaya. The people of Jaintia Hills demanded right from the initial stage of the problem which arose in 1951 that the two blocks be re-transferred to Jaintia Hills. When, for the first time in 6(six) years, the present government of Meghalaya had declared, as widely circulated in the media on June 24, that it would seek re-transfer of the two blocks, the people of Jaintia Hills were very happy. But it all depends on the seriousness of the present government to achieve the re-transfer.
We remember with gratitude Capt. Sangma the first C.M. who sincerely tried his best to get these two Blocks re-transferred to Jaintia Hills but due to his premature demise, his attempt could not be fulfilled. Now Assam takes a stand that after creation of Meghalaya in 1972, the re-transfer could be done only by the Union government under Article 3 of the Constitution. But the Government of Meghalaya is yet to approach the Union government.
It is also important to note in this connection that the Assam government always stressed on the number of Karbi population for deciding this issue but the Home Ministry has made it very clear that planted and new migrant population after the dispute arose cannot be taken into consideration. During the last many years new populations in the two blocks has been planted especially in Block-II where the customs and traditions of the indigenous people including the system of dolloiship have been forcibly changed under the veiled direction and support of the Assam government. The people of Assam including their senior historians know very well about this undesirable development. The Mynri people who are one of the seven sub-tribes (ynñau wasa or hynñiew trep) embraced within the Jaintia indigenous religion, have been living in constant fear of the Assam authorities and could no longer participate in any religious custom with the rest of their brethren in Jaintia Hills. Yours etc.,
Prof. P.M. Passah,
President,
Jaintia Hills Solidarity & Welfare Union
Via email
Concerns regarding Rapido’s pricing & captain behaviour
Editor,
I am writing to express my thoughts on the Rapido bike taxi service operating in Shillong. While the concept of Rapido offers convenience for short-distance travel, there are certain issues that need to be addressed for the service to truly provide the ease it promises. One of the major concerns is the steep pricing of Rapido rides in Shillong as compared to other states in India. For instance, a ride from Motphran to Laitmukhrah incurs a charge of Rs 72, which seems considerably higher than what one might expect. Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of the ordeal.
Upon arrival, passengers are often met with unexpected demands from the captains. Initially, the ride’s cost is communicated, but upon completion, the captain might suddenly request Rs 100 to be paid. This erratic pricing strategy, coupled with the pressure to cancel the ride, puts passengers in a dilemma. In many cases, individuals opt to cancel the ride and continue with the captain’s terms.
The pricing structure of Rapido should be transparent and consistent. It is imperative that the company provides comprehensive details about the charges for various routes. This clarity would greatly enhance the user experience and foster trust between the riders and the service.
Moreover, the behaviour of some Rapido captains is a cause for concern. Instead of utilizing their job as an opportunity to provide reliable service, some captains resort to coercive tactics. Encouraging passengers to cancel rides and then renegotiating the fare based on their own preferences is both unprofessional and detrimental to the service’s reputation.
Further, the presence of unregistered captains in areas like Motphran poses a potential risk, especially during night time travel. To mitigate this, Rapido should take necessary measures to ensure that all captains are properly registered and adhere to a recognizable dress code and identification system. This would help passengers distinguish between authorized captains and potential impostors.
To conclude. while Rapido holds the promise of convenient transportation, these highlighted issues need to be urgently addressed. By establishing transparent pricing, professional behaviour from captains, and a robust identification system, Rapido can elevate its service quality and restore passengers’ faith in this mode of travel.
Yours etc.,
R K Sarki,
Shillong