Editor,
I am writing to express my concern regarding the recently notified selection law that mandates oral exam for all subjects. While oral assessments have their merit, relying solely on this method raises issues of fairness and inclusivity. Not all students perform equally well in oral examination due to factors such as anxiety or linguistic limitations. This could disproportionately affect those who excel in written formats or prefer a more balanced approach.
I urge the concerned authority to reconsider this decision and adopt a more comprehensive evaluation system that includes both written and oral exams to ensure fair opportunities for all the students
Yours etc.,
Souvik Paul
Class 10,
Via email
Beware, drug traffickers are destroying our society
Editor,
If we think our neighborhood is safe from the scourge of drugs, we’re sadly mistaken. It is no joke that Meghalaya now has a staggering 3 lakh drug addicts. During a casual walk along Jhalupara Trenching Ground Road around 7 AM, I spotted a group of boys injecting drugs, utterly detached from reality. This seemed to be part of their daily routine. Nearby, other boys from the same group were shouting and brawling, every sentence punctuated by filthy slurs. Three days later, around 5 PM, I witnessed a similar scene—a different group of addicts either injecting drugs or selling them, wrapped in small paper packets, in a secluded corner. These activities weren’t confined to just one spot; they were happening in several locations around the same area.
The problem extends far beyond Trenching Ground Road. Almost every nook and cranny, including behind parked vehicles, in and around the slummy residential areas of the Cantonment, as well as Mawbah, Naspatighari/Nongsohpoh Cantonment Area, have become a haven for addicts hiding away to indulge in their dangerous habits. Again, one would be mistaken to think that these secluded corners are far from the watchful gaze of police outposts. A distraught resident laments, “Lots of drug deals happen less than 150 to 250 meters from the Jhalupara police outpost. In other words, drug peddling is happening right under the nose of the police station.”
Upon inquiry, one learns more details that only send a chill down the spine. Drug addicts and sub-distributors come from distant places to procure their supplies. Many of the peddlers are addicts themselves, operating under the wings of distributors. Locals believe that hardcore suppliers, with a sinister network across the town, have been residing in the area below Trenching Road, adjacent to Nongsohphoh (Naspatighari), for over two decades.
A resident, Deepak Wahlang, laments how these traffickers use young people as “runners”, taking advantage of Shillong’s narrow lanes and crowded streets to evade the law. In some cases, they even set up shops disguised as street vendors or kiosks, hiding their illegal trade behind legitimate businesses. It’s a classic case of hiding in plain sight.
A nagging concern is why some suspected drug dealers are allowed to live in slummy huts and shanties, lacking proper sanitation and hygiene, under the Cantonment Board’s jurisdiction. Despite multiple arrests of key drug kingpins, they have returned with a vengeance, resuming their nefarious trade and employing their relatives and fellow addicts to peddle narcotics. In fact, they are also the ones who spread their dangerous tentacles throughout the neighbourhoods and other parts of town. It’s no surprise that people come from as far as Ri Bhoi, Jowai, and Lad Rymbai to purchase drugs, often through intermediaries. Another major factor that draws so many youths into drug use and peddling is “unemployment,” as it offers the promise of quick money.
What’s revolting is how some women traffickers cleverly “weaponize the law” against anyone brave enough to call them out. They’re quick to play the “victimhood” card and much more. In fact, they allegedly managed to outsmart even the vigilant Dorbar Shnong members.
A senior lawyer in the neighborhood fervently argues, “Why is the Cantonment Board turning a blind eye to those using this area as a springboard to spread the drug menace, not just in the neighborhood but across the town and beyond? These traffickers have devastated countless young lives and families.” Moreover, Defence land is understandably a protected place where the authority is expected to be more vigilant. In view of the overt rise of this menace, many concerned residents believe that the Dorbar Shnong should be empowered to check and verify the antecedents and backgrounds of those who rent residential units in these sensitive zones. This is a crucial step before initiating any serious efforts to combat the drug menace.
A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed his frustration: “Besides long formality and the shortage of manpower to eradicate this evil, what really troubles us in the police force is the NDPS Act, which allows addicts or sellers caught with certain amounts of drugs to be let off easily. We arrest them today, but they’re out tomorrow, back to business the next day. Isn’t it extremely demoralizing?” I fully support the police officer. This loophole is being heavily exploited to keep peddlers out of jail. Even hardcore dealers, with the help of expert lawyers, spin tales of innocence too quickly and easily. Addicts are often treated leniently, so peddlers pretend to be addicts themselves, giving jurisprudence the slip! Let me conclude the malaise with the words of Shakespeare: “O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason!”
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
& Waiki Kyndiah,
Shillong-2