Editor,
Wards Lake is famous as a tourist destination since there is no other tourist spot within the town that is well maintained, and appreciated. The latest attraction is the light and sound show, which is the initiative of the Government. But the fact remains that Wards Lake is too small to accommodate all the visitors at once during the light and sound show. This instead poses a threat to the people because of the narrow path along the lane which is without fencing. The lake bridge is also posing great danger to the lives of the visitors since the bridge is an old structure which can no longer support the weight of all the visitors at one time during the show. It is expedient to first locate another spot for the light and sound show which will be convenient and safe for the visitors as is experienced in the Brindavan Gardens in Mysore, Karnataka.
Yours etc., Pynshai M. Syiem,
Via email
When doctors turn mercenaries
Editor,
Private doctors are making a business out of their medical practice. This when medicine is supposed to be a noble profession! On a daily basis poor patients have to shell out Rs 400 for examination, followed by amounts ranging from Rs 2000 and above for medicines. Then they send the patients for further tests in their desired lab which will cost a minimum of Rs 4000. At the time of showing the report the patients again has to pay Rs 400 plus medicine charges. That’s only the first installment. The case is repeated with each subsequent visit. This is actually a case of rampant corruption. The nexus between doctors and pharmacy owners and diagnostic centres is a symbiotic one because it is mutually beneficial. Usually doctors prescribe medicines from certain companies and in turn are compensated with foreign trips and other gifts. Hence they will recommend only drugs of certain companies and not generic drugs.The Government of Meghalaya should come up with patient-friendly facilities along with generic medicines and also ensure that hospitals have doctors round the clock.
Yours etc…
RK Sarki,
Via email
IAF’s missing aircraft
Editor,
This has reference to media reports that massive search operations are still going on to trace the AN-32 transport plane of the Indian Air Force which went missing near the thickly forested Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh. Many well-equipped aircrafts including C-130J, AN-32 and Indian Navy’s long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft P81 were deployed besides Mi-17 and ALH helicopters of the Army to locate the missing plane.
It may be recalled that the Russian-origin transport aircraft with 13 people on board went missing on Monday afternoon around 33 minutes after taking off from Jorhat in Assam for Mechuka near the border with China. It is very shocking that the aircraft with 13 people on board went missing with no trace at all. What is even more shocking is that the Army has not been able to make sense as to how the plane had gone missing. What compounds the fear of everyone is that the plane went missing near the border with China and that the rescuers never received any signal from the emergency locator beacon in the missing plane.
What happened to the air craft is still a mystery. Is it an attempt of sabotage by some unscrupulous elements? Or is it a case of inadvertent shooting down by China? The government should expedite steps to trace it at the earliest and bring relief and consolation to the families who have been waiting inordinately from Monday.
Yours etc.,
TK Nandanan,
Via email
Why the unwarranted anger?
Editor,
If a leader loses his cool at the drop of a hat then he is not a real leader. Anger and leadership scarcely go together. The recent number of video clippings that went viral have further dented the credibility of Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee. It all looks like a comical drama of fury — obviously unbecoming of any leader. What is strange is that a phrase dedicated to God could bring out a load of nasty abuses!
The Bengal CM immediately stopped her car and got down to scold the people around who chanted “Jai Shri Ram”. She went further and got them arrested. One wonders how sane citizens of India look at this. Would the Bengal CM do the same with people of other faiths? Much can be said about this in Mamata’s Bengal which is an epitome of “discrimination and injustice”. While it is not proper to provoke anyone but why on earth does the Bengal CM get so easily provoked when she herself has “provoked” the majority of the population in the state?
The natives of Bengal have done this out of sheer frustration – which is their way of expressing their pent-up anger towards their maverick CM. The present Lok Sabha election results have emboldened people to speak up. Needless to say, Didi’s hands are stained with the blood. Her government witnessed a number of violent massacres. She is responsible for ruining countless households. She is also responsible for breaking the hearts of innumerable women who have become widows, and their children orphans. The ground realities and the condition of those bereaved families is pathetic with practically no one to support them.
On the other hand, why does this sacred Hindu phrase of a holy name set off anger in someone? Being the head of a state and showing direct contempt for a particular faith only has sent out the wrong message. It’s totally unwarranted and unconstitutional. Why are the custodians of the Constitution silent and not taking step? Is this not an acceptance of the brutish “might is right” aphorism of olden days? How much bloodshed and terror will Mamata indulge in before the Centre takes decisive action? No CM can take the natives and their culture hostage and arrogantly live off the country’s resources.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong -2
