Editor,
The road repairing work between the MES to Rynjah road started on May 1, 2024 and the time for completion was by the end of May 2024. However, till date there is no sign of completion of the road repairing work and the pace of the work seems like it will take a year. Commuters are facing a lot of trouble going to NEIGRIHMS and other destinations via this MES route. The alternate route through Laitumkrah point is heavy with traffic and causes unnecessary vehicle congestion and delay in movement. We request for expeditious completion of this strategic road,
Yours etc.,
Prof. S P Dash,
Shillong
Wanted a cleaner Shillong
Editor,
Shillong is a beautiful landscape but dirty and unkempt. I vividly remember that two to three days before the G20 Meeting in Shillong, there was a 24/7 cleaning drive by the Government machinery. There was white- washing, painting, road signage, weeding, road repairs, plastics collection etc. Shillong really looked beautiful and clean wherever the dignitaries had meetings or visited Shillong. That’s fine and we are proud of such gestures. But look where we are now ? I live in Umshing and I can see that both sides of the road beginning at the Golflink stretch from Polo to Mawroh junction is strewn with all kinds of plastic waste, paper wrappers especially from Lad Shyiap to Golf club, thanks to the fast-food mobile vendors and other sellers. Rilbong point to 3rd mile Upper Shillong is again very dirty; the stretch from Nehru Park (MeEcl) to Umiam Dam View Point is an eyesore especially near the Umiam Bridge. It has become a free for all garbage dumping place thanks to the passengers who cannot wait 15 minutes without eating. After that they just discard everything by the roadside.
There are no restrictions; no warning signs for locals and tourists. Anyone can do whatever they like and throw anything wherever they want. Meghalaya is a free for all State. I wonder how our senior officers and Ministers travelling on these roads do not see the ugliness or are they blind to such littering and mess?
Over and above everything else, the Forest Department has felled down the trees in these stretches last month but added more trouble as these trees are left stranded on the road side from Golf club to Lad Shyiap and around. I wonder why the Forest Department left these trees here. Why can’t these be cleared and lifted to some other place. This makes the place unkempt but no one is bothered.
Now my question is: Who is responsible for cleaning, weeding and clearing these? Team Jiva, the public or the Government machinery. The SMB is doing its work but that is clearly not sufficient. Where are the muster rolls of PWD, PHE? We don ‘t see them except when activated. In Guwahati City, I could observe that the Municipal staff are working round the clock and in spite of the busy roads, the city looks far cleaner than our city.
Khyndailad and Motphran area are the busiest as well as the dirtiest. If the Government officials from the SMB dare to visit the place in the early hours ( 6 – 9 am ) and late at night, the sight is horrendous. The question then is. “How SMART is Shillong considering the SMART city project?”
I hope this letter is read and given serious thought by all Shillongites. Let us take care of our own city as we care for our own homes. Let’s stop throwing trash from our vehicles and dump garbage on roadsides or drains. A word of deepest appreciation for Team Jiva and others who labour ceaselessly to make our beautiful City ever clean.
Let’s make our City clean again!
Yours etc.,
Reward Rymbai,
Via email