Editor,
Social media reports about the unhygienic conditions and poor quality of food provided to the athletes in the ongoing 5th Meghalaya Games 2024 in Tura reminded us of the last edition of the games where sportspersons were made to sleep and eat on the floor of the toilets of JN Complex, Shillong. Is this how we nurture our future sportspersons? Being an avid sports lover myself, I am not against sporting events, but I have the following questions:
1. First Cherry Blossom festival of 17-19 November 2023 where the Government spent Rs. 9 crores for a 3-day event and now Rs. 23 crores for a 6-day event which comes to Rs. 3.83, 33,333.33 per day. With the quantum of money involved, the 3000 odd athletes could have been provided with world-class nutritious food, accommodation, transportation, etc. The Chief Minister, Sports Minister, the Organizing Committee and the Meghalaya Olympic Association must own up the responsibility for the poor treatment of our sportspersons. But the larger question is – can a state like ours holding number 2 position among all the states in poverty index afford these expenditures? This money could have been used in completing pending developmental projects, better roads, electrification, housing for poor, etc. in rural Meghalaya or street lightings, entrepreneurship promotion and employment generation, coaching centers for Civil Services, IFS, CUET centers etc. across the state.
2. What happened to the medal winners of the previous Meghalaya Games? Did the State Government provide them with financial support and better training facilities so that can have podium finish in National Games or international events such as Commonwealth, Asian or Olympics games? With much lesser than Rs 23 crores, the state could have developed world class training facilities in selected sporting events. I hope promising sportspersons did not end up merely displaying their medals and certificates in the showcases in absence of follow up training programmes. It is no point to host gala sports events with public money in the absence of nurturing and training facilities for these talented boys and girls so that they can get name and fame nationally and internationally.
I am aghast to see that these kinds of avoidable expenditures by the State Government hardly invite any public outcry these days except few on social media. The silence of the coalition partners in the MDA Government is understandable but what about the Opposition and pressure groups and the public in general? We are mute spectators to the Meghalaya Government’s apathy. There is no urgency on the part of State Government to build an alternative bridge over Umiam Lake in spite of huge delays in commuting through the under-repair dam/bridge which has long passed its warranty period and the government is busy in merry making all the time. We are resembling the Bihar of 20 years back. We are last or second last in development or poverty but 1st in merry making using public money without any hesitation.
What has happened to us as a society and community; we are slowing turning ourselves into stones and rocks. It is not surprising that this State Government is proactive on spending huge sums of public money in quick short-term events of 3 or 6 days instead of investing in long term projects for public good for which you need to have clear-cut roadmaps. I won’t be surprised at all if it turns out to be a wastage and mismanagement of public money through official channels. Who are the real beneficiaries of these events is not a million dollar question anymore.
Yours etc.
Prof. Lakhon Kma
Shillong-4
Religion a political compulsion
Editor,
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief Mamata Banerjee’s decision to hold a ‘All religion’ rally on the day of consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya taking along people from all communities and religious places is a very prudent step to maintain peace and communal harmony in West Bengal and should be hailed by all particularly the Hindu community of the state. She is one leader who is very much aware about the threat and vulnerability of the followers of Hinduism in Bengal particularly during any mass Hindu religious celebration and rightly decided to lead from the front in order to safeguard the life and property of the majority community. She is well aware that in case, she does not take any pre-emptive measure and remains aloof to the celebration of Ram Temple inauguration, which ideally, she should have done as a staunch secularist, Bengal will burn since to a section of the people of West Bengal, the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya is in itself a provocation to foment violence and chaos. A true leader understands his/her limitations and political compulsion and Ms Banerjee is one of them.
Yours etc.,
N.K. Kehar
Shillong-3