Editor,
The news item, ” BJP gears up for RTI war” ( ST- January 8,2024) brought a sense of deja vu about it — it is a new election season but with the same plot and characters ,with the same old accusations of corruption and illegalities by the same parties — the BJP and the UDP. This is happening while these parties are sleeping in the same bed with the NPP. Politics truly make strange bedfellows!.
Every political player is now playing ” holier-than-thou,” until the elections are over and results declared after which all of them will go back to sleep quietly, and lest I forget, I must emphasize ” sleep quietly in the same bed together.” This is exemplified by the way the BJP and UDP unhesitatingly joined the government as coalition partners after the 2023 assembly elections. This happened after much mud- slinging and accusations of corruption by the above two parties against the then outgoing NPP- led government in which the accusers themselves were coalition partners!. Things seemed serious then when as reported in your above news item, even the Union Home Minister termed Meghalaya as, one of the most corrupt states in the country.” However, as we all saw, the accusers and the accused kissed and made up to form a new coalition government, “in the interest of the people “.
As said earlier, this type of political game has been played again and again and “We The People,” have been toyed with repeatedly but we seem to have learned no lesson at all. It also seems that we will forever get stuck with the same types of politicians because of our own greed. Before the elections we the public may cry hoarse about the crumbling infrastructure, abysmal levels of education and healthcare, high unemployment, unbridled illegal coal trade, extreme poverty etc., but come election time, those who have looted from us will ensure victory for themselves by putting money where our mouths are and rest assured this cycle will repeat itself in the future. Hence, the future seems bleak indeed!
Yours etc.,
Samuel Swett,
Shillong-2.
Air travel: Is it still the safest form of transportation?
Editor,
We have just entered into the new year, looking ahead for a positive and happy beginning of the year. Instead, the new year turned grim especially for the aviation sector. Within a week, two plane disasters shook the world leaving us wondering whether air travel is still the safest mode of transportation.
The incident related to Japan Airlines at the Haneda International Airport was really sad as it claimed five lives of five people who were on their way to deliver help to Ishikawa the earthquake hit area. Alas! They met a tragic end.
Its difficult to comprehend how air collisions can still happen today with such great strides in technology, more so when the above incident took place at an airport! How could the Air Control have missed the danger signals? Why did the crew in the aircraft not receive any warnings in their instruments? I don’t know whether the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System is operable when the plane in on the active runway.
No sooner had the Japan incident happened than another air accident occurred. An Alaska Flight Enroute to Ontario had to make an emergency landing after a window was blown out mid-flight and had to make a return due to heavy decompression. Thankfully no one was harmed nor injured.
The Alaska flight was a Boeing 737 Max 9 and several accidents had taken place on this series type of aircraft . Thanks to the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration of the US Government that in our country too , the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has taken alerted the need to do a double check on this type of aircraft ( Boeing 737 Max Series) which is widely used by Air India, Akasa Air etc,.
In connection to the Alaska incident, most passengers had their seatbelts secured even during the flight . That’s why no one was harmed nor injured. It should be a reminder and an alarm signal to every air traveller about the importance of the seat belt. Personally I think that seatbelts should be worn during the entire flight and be taken off only when using the lavatory etc, even though the seat belts signs are switched off.
I hope and pray that such incidents would not take place in the future and I hope that the Indian Aviation Sector takes the safety precautions very seriously and also adheres to all safety protocols.
Air travel is the most common mode of transportation across the world and one hopes that this SAFEST form of transportation lives up to it’s name.
Yours etc.,
Chanmiki Laloo
Shillong-2
Save education from nepotism and corruption
Editor,
The recent report in The Shillong Times (14.12.2023) on the alleged nepotism and favouritism in the implementation of the People’s College Grant in aid scheme in one of the colleges in the state is a serious matter. If one examines the documents obtained by N. S. Mawphniang, it is evident that no rational principle was applied at least on two counts. First, the Department that has the least number of student intakes was allotted the maximum number of sanctioned posts more than those Departments that have maximum student intake. The Department of Economics with only 12 students appearing for B.A. final examination from 2019 to 2023 and with only 58 pass percentage was given four sanctioned posts while the Department of Geography which had a higher number of students (15 in number from 2020 to 2023) and a higher pass percentage (87 per cent) than Economics was given only one sanctioned post.
Incidentally, the Department of Geography has a faculty with the highest qualification (Ph.D.) in the whole college but that teaching staff was not absorbed in the sanctioned post. Other Departments including English, Khasi and Political Science having five times more student intake than Economics were allotted less number of sanctioned posts. This defies any logic. Second, the absorption and exclusion of the teaching staff in the sanctioned posts seems to be unprincipled. In the same Department, while some serving staff are absorbed others are left out. Instead of absorbing the serving teaching staff, the management decided to open some posts for fresh recruitments. This policy will definitely and rightly be perceived by those who are left out as arbitrary and nepotistic, favouring some while depriving others.
These unprincipled and illogical commissions and omissions were committed by the concerned management with the concurrence of the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education. This is unfortunate and unacceptable given the fact it involves public funds. Public funds ought to be implemented on the basis of equality, fairness and transparency and not on the basis of whims and fancies of the authority. It is expected that the management runs the affairs of the college on just principles to promote professionalism and commitment among the staff without which no institution can deliver the best.
This matter merits a clarification by the management of the College concerned and the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education to the satisfaction of the public.
Education is a sector that is of prime importance as it shapes the future of society. When this sector is impacted by unprincipled decision, corruption and favouritism, it is no wonder that education in Meghalaya suffers a steady decline with no ray of hope for recovery. When will the Meghalaya Government feel the need to stop corrupt practices? Will it not learn from the white ink scam? Will it not learn from the damning national reports putting Meghalaya always at the bottom of learning outcomes?
Yours etc.,
Batskhem Myrboh
Shillong- 14