Strange statements by KHADC
Editor,
Recently the KHADC made a statement – “Can’t prevent Khasi women from marrying outside community.” And that from no less than the CEM is shocking. I some ways it sounds like the Taliban sort of rule .Why must we tinker with the matrilineal system which is well established and identifies us as Khasis. It’s an intricate social custom and any changes would result in a social upheaval.
The report goes on to say that, the KHADC will come up with provisions to ensure that a Khasi woman is stripped of her Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and deprived of other privileges if she marries a non-Khasi.” Now this bit is confusing to me. If the Khasis are a matrilineal society, then how is this possible? How can a child of a Khasi woman, not be a Khasi regardless of who she marries? The constitutional mandate of the KHADC as per their website is to ‘safeguard their traditional heritage, customs, practices, usages and economic security’ of the Khasis.
The manner in which the KHADC is fulfilling this mandate is baffling.
Yours etc.,
G Shabong,
Via email
Non-labelling of packaged food items
Editor,
As we are aware, the “Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011” specified that in addition to general labelling of pre-packaged foods, every package of food, inter alia, shall carry the information on date of manufacture or packing. Separately, the regulation also provides that in case any package contains commodity which has a short shelf-life of less than three months, the date, month and year in which the commodity is manufactured or prepared or pre-packed shall be mentioned on the label. It further lays down the manner and style of how such information shall be printed so that it is legible to the consumer to enable him or her to make a reasonable choice at the time of purchase. The “Food Safety And Standards (Labelling And Display) Regulations, 2020”, inter alia, provides that the day, month and year using the DD/MM/YY format for products with a short shelf life of up to 3 months shall be declared in a particular manner.
However, in our state it is often observed that no such information is printed on the package of some of our locally manufactured daily consumables like bread, biscuit, snacks and even milk, to mention a few. Even when such information is printed it is not legible and the lay consumer is unable to decipher the information provided. When the shelf life of the product is not known, the advantage is being taken by both the sellers and manufacturers of such products. Not only it is an act of violation of the laid down regulations, it has serious health implications on the persons consuming such items.
The lack of consumer awareness is palpable given the fact that there has hardly been any resistance on the part of the consumers. It is also bewildering that such situations have persistently been allowed to continue under the watchful eyes of the concerned authorities. We are left wondering whether the Food Safety Officers have ever taken any action(s) or initiated sanctions against such erring manufacturers as provided in the Food Safety and Standards regulations?
Hope this jolts the concerned authorities into taking swift and appropriate action.
Yours etc.,
D L Wankhar,
Via email
Anomalies in issuance of OBC certificates
Editor,
Apropos of the letter titled, “Non issuance of OBC certificate” (ST September 7, 2023), which brought to light a pressing issue regarding the issuance of OBC (Other Backward Classes) certificates, during my investigation into this matter, I was told that the issuance of OBC certificates has allegedly been discontinued since 2004. This revelation raises concerns about the accessibility of crucial documents for eligible individuals from the OBC category.
I draw your attention to a potential discrepancy in the information provided by the authorities. On my recent visit to the registration desk, I was informed that the OBC certificate application form was unavailable. However, upon reviewing the official website of the district administration (https://eastkhasihills.gov.in/political/), it is explicitly mentioned that OBC certificates are issued for eligible applicants.
This conflicting information has created confusion among those seeking OBC certificates, further compounding the difficulties faced by members of the OBC community. To address this issue and ensure the restoration of constitutional rights and privileges for OBC individuals, I request the concerned department to take the following action.
Clarification and Information: The concerned Department should provide clear and consistent information regarding the availability and application process for OBC certificates. This information should be made easily accessible to the public, both online and offline.
Immediate Availability of Forms: If OBC certificates are indeed being issued, the department should ensure that the application forms are readily available to interested individuals at designated locations, such as the DC’s office.
Timely Processing: The Department should streamline the process for obtaining OBC certificates to ensure that eligible applicants receive them promptly, without unnecessary delays. Public Awareness: Conduct awareness campaigns to inform the OBC community about their rights and the process for obtaining OBC certificates.
Addressing these concerns will not only serve to uphold the constitutional rights of the OBC community but also contribute to greater transparency and efficiency in government services.
Yours etc.,
R Sarki
Via email
When tourism backfires!
Editor,
I came across the article ‘Maggi Noodles Tourism killing Meghalaya,’ while I was scrolling through the news feed on my phone. I read it with interest because we face similar problems here in our town McLeodganj/Dharamshala in HP.
Tourism is important for Himachal Pradesh and thousands of people depend on it to earn a livelihood. So, governments, past and present, have done what they can to boost tourism and construction has been going on in a haphazard way in many parts of HP. The Himalayas have a fragile ecosystem and this monsoon we saw houses toppling down in Shimla, roads breaking near Manali, rocks falling off the hillside and damaging property, etc. There is a popular trekking destination called Triund in the mountains above our town. It’s about a four-hour hike uphill; you can only walk there. Local people set up tents and chai shops there and during the peak summer tourist season, i.e. May and June, more than 2000 people reach up every day. Sometimes the crowd goes up to 5000. It’s a beautiful place but it has started resembling a rubbish dump. A local environment group known as the Waste Warriors hired people to collect and carry down the rubbish to be disposed of properly.
Apart from this we have young people from Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Punjab, travelling up in their cars and making a nuisance of themselves. We get a lot of tourists from Europe and the Americas so desi people come here to feast their eyes on them.
About four years ago, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) came and ordered almost all chai shops and all permanent tents to be removed from Triund. Then they put some guards where the climb begins to check what hikers are taking up and to caution them to bring back empty water bottles, wrappers, etc. The NGT also directed that all house constructions in McLeodganj should not exceed three/four floors.
I’ve heard that Sikkim discourages backpackers and budget travelers. I can’t argue about its merits or demerits but it seems Sikkim is doing a good job. You can take your own car to Ladakh but once you reach there, you have to hire a local car/cab to take you around. I have visited Meghalaya and it has a lot to offer by way of tourism. I hope the Tourism Department there comes up with something that’s sustainable, feasible, profitable and helpful to the people of Meghalaya.
Yours etc.,
Zos Bhatia,
Via email