Editor,
The leadership issue within the Congress Legislature Party in Meghalaya is still hanging fire and will do so until the arrival of the AICC representative in charge Meghalaya, Mr. C.P.Joshi on July 5.The reason is because a few weeks ago as many as 17 Congress MLAs expressed their unhappiness with the style of functioning of the Chief Minister and “for his aristocratic and dictatorial attitude in the functioning within the Government”, they said. However, they find it difficult to pull him down from leadership position because they are not united and they do not have a consensus on who would be the alternative leader. Because of this the AICC is reluctant to tell Dr Mukul Sangma to step down from his position. Letters to the Editor must have the full name, address and contact number of the writer, even if they are sent by email. Only letters with the requisite details will be published. However, in spite of that there are still some Congress MLAs who hope that something will happen to the leadership issue. Some have even mooted the idea of forming a new dispensation by a faction of the Congress MLAs combined with other opposition MLAs. But it appears that the opposition MLAs are looking for some other alternatives as they are not united among themselves. Many of the Congress MLAs here may hate the style of functioning of the Chief Minister but among the current lot of Congress MLAs, Dr Mukul Sangma is still the most active, dynamic, wily, able, capable and not a slave of indecision. Be that as it may but change or no change within the CLP in the state the party can salvage very little from its ebbing trends as it proceeds towards the 2018 general elections.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Shillong-2
Intermittent load-shedding
Editor,
On June 26 and 27 the MeECL played havoc with power supply by whimsically pressing “off” and “on” switch button through the day. This was repeated on July 1, in the wee hours from the local power grid sub-station without any rhyme or reason. One feels that an itchy-fingered switchboard operator in the main switch distribution system is gleefully savouring the utter discomfort of the consumers during humid hours of the summer heat. Once or twice I asked the meter consumption data collector, “Are your people manning the switchboard with “songrura or ta’gong” (itchy plant ) that itches to switch the button off and on at the drop of a hat ?” If not then why is it that when there is no storm, no lightning and no cyclone the electricity is playing truant! The man kept mum. What irks the consumer most is that hefty amount of bill almost always not below one thousand rupees is dumped on our doorstep despite frequent power fluctuation or loadshedding. My view is shared by the bulk of power consumers who silently bear the brunt of such utter arrogance ! My appeal is to the authority of the MECL to look into the matter seriously. Some interior villages of Sangkinigre and other villages have been cut off from power supply for months together. Villages like Do’mindigre, Do’pananggre to name a few have suffered power failure. My appeal is also to the local MLA of the area to take up the matter in right earnest with the concerned authority because we the townsfolk can somehow manage but not the simple villagers without help from their elected representatives. Send those who exasperate the regular current billpayers packing!
Yours etc.,
S M Sangma Tura
India hits rock bottom in children’s education
Editor,
According to the reports released by UNICEF and World Economic Forum in terms of providing children their right to life and to education, India is placed at the rock bottom with Nigeria, Pakistan, Congo and Angola. A family can improve its lot mainly by ensuring a good future for its children. So too a country. But we seem to have forgotten this ABC. Ours is a lopsided, malignant path of growth that makes four out of ten children malnourished and stunted. How long shall we keep on flaunting the moon, Mars, space, CERN and bullet missions, leaving our children out in the cold?
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
