Climate Change Demands Urgent Attention
Editor,
The editorial “Climate Change Warning” (ST July 26, 2025) made interesting reading. Over and above what the editorial has covered, the causes of climate change in Meghalaya are a mix of global drivers and local stressors, shaped by its unique geography, socio-economic conditions and ecological fragility. The key climate shifts in Meghalaya are that the average annual temperature has increased by 1.2 degree Celsius over the past century. Once predictable monsoons now show irregular patterns, with longest dry spells and intense downpours and increased frequency of flash floods, landslides and heatwaves. The local causes of climate vulnerability are environmental such as deforestation, quarrying, monoculture plantations, forest degradation, declining soil fertility, pest outbreaks and jhum cultivation stress. Further there is water stress as water retention is poor due to the terrain, drying streams and erratic rainfall. Urbanisation has led to unregulated construction, loss of green cover and river pollution. The socio-economic factor includes low household income, limited credit access and poor health infrastructure.
A recent study found 25 out of 39 blocks in Meghalaya fall under high or very high climate vulnerability. The key factors include inadequate Anganwadi centers, low forest resource availability and economic hardship and lack of adaptive capacity. Some notable local impacts: The production of Lakadong turmeric is threatened in Laskein block due to erratic weather; farmers in Mynriang, East Khasi Hills to adapt to changing rainfall and pest pressure have started planting Soh-ter (Watermelon) along with broomsticks. Another notable local impact is water scarcity in Shillong and Tura despite high annual rainfall, due to runoff and poor infrastructure. The climate vulnerability zones in Meghalaya are:
There is therefore a need to draw up a vulnerability map block-wise which should include policy prioritisation, localised adaptation planning, institutional coordination and funding and climate finance. As for policy prioritisation, resources should be targeted to blocks like Laskein, South West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills. Align social schemes like Anganwadi, healthcare expansion where adaptive capacity is lowest. Use it to justify Mission Lakadong 2.0 – a climate resilience upgrade via agronomic R&D and pest-resistant turmeric varieties.
For localised adaptation planning, develop block-level climate action plans with community participation, promote micro-irrigation, water harvesting and soil enrichment where runoff and fertility loss are severe. Encourage crop diversification in highly exposed blocks – like Soh-ter (watermelon) cultivation seen in Mynriang, East Khasi Hills. Institutional coordination requires linking vulnerability zones with integrated governance cells – Climate, Agriculture, Health and Rural Development. Then there is a need to create real-time monitoring dashboards for rainfall, pest outbreaks and disease patterns. As for funding and climate finance use the vulnerability map to leverage central schemes like the National Adaptation Fund and multilateral grants for climate resilience. Justify international attention under loss and damage mechanism e.g. UNFCCC Warsaw Mechanism- a global framework created to address the impacts of climate change that go beyond what adaptation can handle – especially in vulnerable developing countries. The editorial has rightly stated that “Public discussion around this issue is imperative.”
Yours etc;
VK Lyngdoh
Via email
Matrilineal Magic: Why Our Mother’s Way Keeps Our Souls Connected
Editor,
As a proud member of the Jaintia community, I stand firm in defending our ancestral matrilineal system against those who would dismantle it under the guise of “progress” or misguided notions of gender equality.
Let me speak from personal experience. I became an orphan at the age of 12, losing my father, and then lost my mother just two years later at 14. In our darkest hour, we weren’t abandoned or left to fend for ourselves – our maternal uncles stepped in without hesitation and raised us as their own. This wasn’t charity; this was our system working exactly as our ancestors intended. In patrilineal societies, people often say that once men marry, both of their legs are in their wife’s family – but this is not our Jaintia way. We who profess Niamtre understand that true strength comes from the maternal bond that transcends marriage, ensuring that no child ever truly becomes an orphan.
Let’s be crystal clear: our matrilineal system isn’t broken – it’s brilliant. When we place our ancestors’ bones in the maternal clan’s ossuary, we’re not just following tradition – we’re completing a sacred cycle that has guided souls home for generations. This isn’t some arbitrary custom; it’s spiritual GPS that ensures our departed find their rightful place among their mother’s lineage.
The beauty of our system lies in its perfect balance. Yes, lineage flows through mothers, but men aren’t sidelined – they’re empowered in their own right. A Jaintia man leads his maternal clan with honour, wisdom, and responsibility. He’s not diminished by belonging to his mother’s line; he’s strengthened by it. Meanwhile, Jaintia women hold the threads that weave our society together, ensuring continuity and stability.
Consider the practical wisdom: in our matrilineal system, property stays within the family circle. Children inherit from their mother’s line, keeping wealth circulating through the clan rather than fragmenting across multiple families. Orphans are automatically cared for by their maternal uncles. Elderly parents are supported by their daughter’s family. This isn’t bias – it’s brilliant social engineering!
Those pushing for patrilineal change are essentially asking us to burn down our ancestral library because they think the lighting is better in someone else’s house. They want to sever the sacred bond between our people and our maternal roots, all while claiming it’s about equality.
The real equality is in preserving what works. Our matrilineal system has sustained us for centuries precisely because it honours both men and women in their proper roles. It’s time to stop apologizing for our heritage and start celebrating the genius of our mothers.
Yours etc.,
Dr Omarlin Kyndiah
Via email
Urgent Need to Address Breaches in Border Security
Editor,
Through the columns of your respected newspaper, I wish to express my concern over a troubling incident involving eight Bangladeshi nationals who were recently apprehended by the GRPF in Bongaigaon while attempting to board a train to Chennai for work. According to media reports they entered India through the porous Meghalaya-Bangladesh border after allegedly paying Rs 8,500 each to human traffickers.
This episode highlights a serious gap in our border management system. Despite the deployment of security personnel along our international boundaries, such illegal entries remain alarmingly possible. The difficult terrain of the Meghalaya border is well known, but can we continue to use geography as an excuse for recurring infiltration?
Organised trafficking networks exploit these vulnerabilities with disturbing ease. In many cases, they benefit from negligence or lapses in duty by individuals entrusted with border security. Even a momentary failure in vigilance can lead to serious national security implications.
The issue demands more than routine responses. It calls for a strategic overhaul—tightening surveillance, increasing fencing in critical zones, empowering local intelligence networks, and holding accountable those who fail in their duties.
This is not merely about economic migration—it is about the sanctity of our borders and the safety of our people. I urge the authorities concerned to investigate the matter thoroughly and take decisive steps to prevent such breaches in the future.
Yours etc.,
Prashant Goswami
Guwahati