Disruptions in power supply in Meghalaya
Editor,
As a citizen of Meghalaya, I cannot understand the lack of facilities in the state, especially the frequent power outages in Shillong due to the shortage of water. Meghalaya primarily relies on hydroelectric power, but recent news reports have revealed that the government is spending Rs 3 crores each month to purchase electricity. This is disheartening, considering Meghalaya receives the heaviest rainfall in the world. However, the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) produces only 356 MW, far below the expected consumption of 1800 MU. This raises concerns about the government’s actions in this matter. If the Government doesn’t address this issue, it will persist. It’s time for the Government to explore alternative energy sources beyond water-based generation.
Notably, Haryana can generate up to 4200 MW of electricity annually from solar energy, whereas Meghalaya’s annual electricity requirement is only 610 MW. It’s puzzling why our Government doesn’t adopt similar methods. Instead, it heavily relies on water for electricity production. The Government should learn from Haryana’s success and diversify its energy sources. Meghalaya has substantial unused land, approximately 6861 crores of plots under MeECL, which could be utilized for solar energy generation. This move could put an end to the ongoing issue of load shedding in Meghalaya. We are fortunate to have both abundant rainfall and sunlight, making it possible to generate electricity from both water and the sun. If the Government prioritizes this, MeECL can also work towards repaying its loans, which were taken for electricity production.
These observations are based on the daily conditions in Shillong, and it’s time for the Government to take action.
Yours etc.,
Nangbuhphang Kharjana,
Via email
Theft cases in city on the rise
Editor
Even as the Meghalaya Police deserve kudos for their crusade against illicit drug abuse in the State, sporadic cases of theft and burglary are like a ticking time bomb which endanger public property and safety as well as bring discredit to the most efficient state police force.
In what may raise many people’s eyebrows, an incident of burglary in broad daylight was reported in the posh suburb of Shillong township on Tuesday. Just a walking distance from the heart of the city Khyndailad aka Police Bazar, Dunoon Compound Oxford Hills which sits on a picturesque hilltop overlooking the famous Shillong Peak witnessed the untoward incident of burglary in one household when the owner was away. That’s not all. A few days ago, in another bone-chilling incident of theft, possibly in the wee hours, victims awoke to find their home in a mess with articles of value reportedly missing. These horrendous incidents aren’t just stories of one locality, several other posh localities in and around the Shillong city had witnessed such creepy and hair-raising incidents where perpetrators had broken into the house and decamped with cash and other valuables. Unfortunately, many such incidents go unreported to the media or police for action.
The purpose of this letter isn’t just to embark on the usual blame game or to pass the buck for such crimes either to Police or Rangbah Shnong, but to get a hang of the common ground where Police and People under the aegis of the Rangbah Shnong could work hand-in-hand to put a stop to the occurrence of such horrific incidents of theft and burglary which put lives and property at terrible risk. Needless to say, the blame game doesn’t get us anywhere. It’s a matter of collective fight against a set of thugs who have the audacity to commit such crimes under the nose of the efficient policing system.
For starters, we can begin with installation of CCTVs at critical points of entry to and exit from localities. Since thefts and burglary affect one and all, surveillance cameras can be crowd-funded with each household contributing as per their capacity and the rest of the cost can be borne by the local MLA, if need be. The police need leads to act on and footage and this can boost effective and timely police action. Rangbah Shnongs for that matter can conduct door-to-door awareness or community awareness programmes once in a while for residents to remain watchful and vigilant of suspicious movements in their localities and the need to report them. Those people who fight shy of reporting to the police can approach the Dorbar Shnong which in turn can do the needful.
Yours etc.,
Subash Deb,
Via email
On Inflation in Meghalaya
Editor,
Apropos of the editorial “Meghalaya’s high inflation rate” (ST September 28, 2023), universally there is no single answer as to what causes inflation but like so much of macroeconomics it comes down to a mix of output, money, and expectations. Supply shocks can lower an economy’s potential output, driving up prices. An increase in the money supply can stoke demand, driving up prices. And the expectation of inflation can become a self-fulfilling cycle as workers and companies demand higher wages and set higher prices. Since the financial crisis of 2008 and the Great Recession, investors and executives have grown accustomed to a world of low interest rates and low inflation. But no longer. Inflation is defined as a rise in prices across an economy, and in 2022 it has emerged as one of the biggest threats to global prosperity leave alone Meghalaya. When prices rise unexpectedly, money doesn’t go as far as it used to, which can trigger demands for raises which then cause more inflation. When prices rise really quickly, the basic functioning of an economy can break down. For example, in periods of “hyperinflation,” people rush out to spend money the moment they get paid, because every hour they wait to spend means higher prices. Former Fed chair Ben Bernanke writes in his latest macroeconomics textbook with Andrew Abel, “Inflation occurs when the aggregate quantity of goods demanded at any particular price level is rising more quickly than the aggregate quantity of goods supplied at that price level.”
I do not agree with the editor or C K Nayak who reported on September 25 in this paper that Meghalaya has the highest rate of inflation because it is not based on facts. Let us get the facts corrected, according to the latest data posted on the portal of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India the inflation rate based on Consumer Price Index for Meghalaya as of August 2023 is 4.33 % among the Himalayan States. The Union Territory of J&K and Ladakh records an inflation rate of 5.45%, Himachal Pradesh 7.01%, Uttarakhand 7.84%, Sikkim 5.36%, Assam 4.01%, Nagaland 4.35%, Manipur 8.01% (This is obvious because of the situation in Manipur), Mizoram 4.88%, Tripura 7.03% and rural Arunachal Pradesh 3.18%. The All-India inflation rate was 6.83% for the period and the highest inflation rate in the country is in Rajasthan at 8.6% followed by Telangana and Haryana at 8.27% each.
However, I agree with the editor that those responsible for the price rise in Meghalaya ought to be taken to task and there is a need to regulate the Rentier class because in Iewduh (the main market of Meghalaya) per sq. ft rent is Rs 416 as of today compared to that of Laitumkhrah which is Rs 100. Since all past governments have failed, I request the present government to take fresh initiative and find out ways and means to convince genuine NGOs with facts and figures on the need to have a railway line for both food and non-food items given the high cost of road transportation in Meghalaya which impacts all the consumers (including wholesalers and retailers).
Yours etc
V.K.Lyngdoh,
Via email