Supply of contaminated water unforgivable
Editor,
In a shocking revelation, it has been established now that the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the Municipality of Shillong have been irresponsibly supplying the town’s population with untreated water for so many years.
But wait, there’s more! This water isn’t just full of harmful bacteria; it comes with added features – it’s muddy and sometimes awfully “smelly”. The senior journalist Patricia Mukhim writes in her recent article, “Chilling Silence of the Urbanite”: “The water we drink has coliform and E. coli organisms, low pH, high turbidity, and excessive iron content in the unsafe localities.” She further laments: “it’s no surprise that the water even has faecal matter in it because the river Umiew at Smit which is used for washing clothes, vehicles and what have you actually flows all the way to Mawphlang and the same water is being supplied to Shillong residents.” Is it not a direct blow to the Central Government’s Jal Jeevan Mission?
What adds to the frustration is the fact that this messy issue was brought to the attention of the Shillong Municipality and the PHED repeatedly by this writer, over a year ago. The case was further corroborated by Michael Syiem, the Chairman of the Maitshaphrang movement, and many others. Sadly, all the public outcry just fell on the deaf ears of PHED and SMB then. It seems the concerned departments completely lack a sense of human ethics and values.
What if it weren’t for the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP)? What if they hadn’t taken it upon themselves to collect water samples from 46 locations and submit for laboratory tests? Without their intervention, the extent of the untreated water crisis may have gone unnoticed for much longer. Hats off to members of the NGO for breaking the deafening silence of the urbanite! They have put irresponsible water supply departments to shame.
Now that the case has also been brought to the attention of the Chief Minister, there can be no room for complacency from the PHED and SMB. Hope the Departments will use all their technical wherewithal to come out of the quagmire of embarrassment as swiftly as possible. Until the issue is fully addressed, keep railing, keep writing. Making the public drink polluted water is unforgivable.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong
Media pulverized
Editor,
The editorial, “Media Under Trial” (ST, October 5, 2023) rightly says that “media in India is gasping for breath.” The police raids on an online news portal NewsClick is yet another blow to fast evaporating press freedom in India. NewsClick has been known to be critical of the government at the Centre. A democratic country should welcome free press as a platform for dissent, debate and dialogue. No democracy can survive without a free press.
The Fourth Estate needs to play the role of a third umpire to help the umpires (voters) on the field in a political IPL match between the ruling and the opposition parties in a democratic country. It will be highly unfortunate if the media is forced to become cheerleaders of the batting (ruling) side. It is no wonder that India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index has alarmingly slipped to 161 out of 180 countries (it was 133 in 2016). Even Pakistan has gone ahead of us by moving up to 150th rank.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Via email
Menace of street dogs!
Editor,
Recently a destitute girl who is engaged as a daily wage-earner was bitten by one of the street dogs in one of the localities in Lower Mawprem, Shillong; whereupon, the victim had to post haste rush to one of the private hospitals for Rabies vaccinations and she was advised to report for several days for more doses of injection. And in this process she has to mandatorily expend more than a thousand rupees from her hard-earned savings! To rub salt to injury, she has suffered several man-days loss, thereby robbing her of daily wage-earnings. Such tragic episodes posed by wayside canines have exponentially become a regular feature all over the city and Lower Mawprem is no exception. Arguably, who shall be then held accountable for this poor girl for being an unfortunate victim? Many discerning citizens have articulated that for such appalling incidents of dogs’ assault on human beings the blame must squarely be attributed to champions of animal rights like PETA (People for the ethical treatment of animals), the local Rangbah Shnong, our political representatives for adopting a couldn’t care less attitude against the unabated increased of stray dogs in their respective areas of responsibility. The latter, hence, must be held answerable and made to fully compensate the course of medication in respect of the destitute girl in question!
It freezes one’s blood to note that in India 18,000 to 20,000 people die annually owing to dog bite and 30% to 60% being children below15 years. These untimely casualties occurred mainly owing to negligence or ignorance to promptly resort to medical assistance. These glaring and avoidable fatalities should serve as a caveat to the citizenry of Shillong
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Via email