Different takes on the ILP
While some are taking the ILP issues very seriously and literally losing sleep over it there are others who share their ideas with one another about how to cope with bus-loads of passengers bound for Silchar and beyond.
This reporter was privy to a conversation among some avid ILP supporters who when asked how the ILP is expected to deal with transit passengers travelling from one end of Meghalaya to the other , replied with all seriousness that “the passenger buses will be locked up at the point of entry and then unlocked at the point of exit. This is to prevent any outsider from surreptitiously disembarking along the way”.
Looks like an opportunity for any local inventor for a disposable, odourless bus toilet. (Huggies, as outsider inventions, will not count). God help us if the key at the exit point does not fit! Worse, imagine a local person on a passenger bus for Shillong from Guwahati. You board, you’re locked in and unlocked only at the Silchar border. You board again for Shillong and will be able to disembark only at Guwahati. On and on it goes, a bus ride for a life time. You’ll never reach home again. Whew!!!!
A wit commenting on a recent ‘Letter to the Editor’ in this paper which viewed the ILP as a potent mechanism to prevent outsiders marrying local girls, and, as a devise to strengthen the matrilineal system, said the relation between influx and matriliny is not clear.
He said it is unclear how the ILP can be a real libido dampener but said came up with a refreshing perception of the ILP, as an opportunity to kick-start a thriving entrepreneurship. He suggested chastity belts which he believes will soon have a big demand and the key to the belt can be handed over to NGOs for safekeeping. For a fee of course! What a take!
Some positive effects of agitations
The ILP agitation has been able to tame inflation in the city. On the days of the night road blockades prices of vegetables at Iewduh fell drastically by the afternoon hours as vendors scrambled to sell their stuff at throwaway prices to catch their last village bus.
A lucky shopper bought some 3 kg of capsicum at Rs 20 only whereas most vegetables in this traditional market were selling between Rs 10 to 20 per kilogram during the blockade days.
People were happy and surprised to see the inflation meter dipping despite the fact that the rupee is tumbling against the dollar. The vendors were heard shouting “Rs10 only” in chorus and the consumers got a good bargain in return, courtesy the approaching blockade hours. There was no question of price of “per kg” of a particular vegetable then as the vendors were trying to push their wares at lump-sum throwaway prices.
If the ILP agitation can bring respite to the lives of the aam aadmi then it might as well continue, felt many of those who have learnt to take advantage of the late afternoon shopping bonanza.
Pynthorumkhrah roads worst ever
Commuters complain that the roads in Pynthorumkhrah are the worst ever, no matter which side of the large area you travel from. Of course the bad roads begin from the Spread Eagle Falls road which comes down to Polo. Roads maintained by the Cantonment (Military Engineering Services) are the worst in the city.
There is hardly any sign of a road on that slope yet traffic is very heavy as many try to beat the jams on the highways by taking these short-cuts. The road from Pynthorumkhrah leads towards Lalchand Basti and thence to NEIGRIHMS.
The state of the road is pathetic. People of the constituency have begun to complain that their MLA does not seem able to bring better roads despite being elected several times over.
People coming from and going towards Mawlai uses the Pynthorumkhrah road as it helps cut distance but they feel that their vehicles face a lot of wear and tear. Even pedestrians complain of the poor state of the roads.
