Editor,
Several of your readers have pointed out various instances of gross traffic mismanagement in Shillong in recent times. To begin with, many have complained loudly about the sudden re-emergence of the dreaded Coal Trucks on city streets during the past few weeks through your newspaper and on social media. It has been confirmed that this diversion of coal trucks through Shillong city is being coordinated by traffic cops themselves and therefore cannot be dismissed as traffic violations by errant drivers. We can only speculate on the reasons behind this befuddling strategy (Christmas bonuses to policemen for avoiding the Toll perhaps?) since no explanation has been forthcoming from the SP Traffic or anyone in the department. This is the most glaring instance of traffic mismanagement whereby policemen are actively assisting truckers to break the law on the pretext that those coal trucks are bound for Sohra or West Khasi Hills. If this is not Corruption, then what is?
Secondly, several people have voiced their objection to the lack of parking facilities in Laitumkhrah. The traffic department has declared the area as one big “No Parking Zone”, with the exception of a single tiny congested parking lot which can hardly service a few dozen vehicles. Most people claim that traffic cops are opportunistically targeting citizens by prohibiting vehicle parking in market areas (despite availability of adequate space on the main road) and collecting huge fines to the tune of Rs. 500 per violation. Through your newspaper, a reader has even challenged the SP Traffic to provide justification for (illegally) collecting Rs. 500 instead of Rs. 100 which is the amount permissible under the law. The SP Traffic has decided to “pass” this question just like the earlier one in the best interest of his Department. Concerns have been raised by the public that there is no proper accounting of the fines being collected by the Traffic Department. Where this public money is being channelized or parked, nobody knows except the SP and his cohorts!
Thirdly, extortion seems to play a major part in day-to-day activities of traffic policemen. Eyewitness accounts in newspaper columns have highlighted the severity of this problem on several occasions. Check-gates, toll gates and weigh bridges deserve special mention as hotbeds of police-led extortion. The extortion machine is a well-oiled one and chugs on seamlessly, blessed as it is by senior officials, politicians and NGOs, all of whom receive a cut of the spoils. Needless to say, nothing has been done or probably will ever be done to wipe out this menace from our roads since VIP criminals are heavily involved. If the coal syndicate can be labelled a “Mafia” for its monopolizing and arm-twisting tactics, then should this crime syndicate be labelled a “Super Mafia”?
The menace of drunk driving is a perennial one which has grown to menacing proportions in recent times. Strangely though, it seems to attract police attention only during festival season. At all other times, the traffic policemen maintain a studious silence on the problem even when terrible accidents occur and people are killed. There have been intermittent reports of policemen driving under the influence of liquor and violating traffic laws which appear in local newspapers from time to time. It is also a common sight to see ML-02 vehicles speeding and overtaking civilian cars in reckless (drunk?) fashion especially during traffic jams on the highway. This is considered to be normal behaviour by the top brass and no attempts are ever made to curb this threat. Highway patrolling cops on motorbikes stand aside and let VIP violators pass while hurling abuse at common citizens for overtaking during traffic snarls, even as a result of genuine error of misreading the situation. On the subject of the dead-and-buried traffic lights on which many crores of rupees were spent, the Traffic Dept occupies an entire Wall of Shame all on its own. No further words are necessary on this subject as the crores have been already used up by politicians and top officials of the department. Unless there is a CBI enquiry, no one will ever be indicted for this crime.
Yours etc.,
Lawrence Phawa
Shillong -4.
Human waste disposal
Editor
I strongly believe that disposal of human waste (from toilets) in public and scavenging are banned. It is shameful to note that such an activity is still carrying on in a locality (Bhat colony) in the heart of Shillong city. This is unlawful and shameful for the society. Through this letter I wish to strongly condemn this act and also request the civic authorities, the MUDA and the district administration to please take a strong note of this act and bring the perpetrators to book with a strong penalty and strict public message to stop such a re-occurrence in the light of the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Yours etc.,
Prof BK Sharma,
Via email
