Editor,
I wish to express my concern and appreciation at the same time for your recent editorial on illegal coal mining in Meghalaya, published on January 20, 2026. Though painful to read, the editorial was timely and necessary, as it brought attention to an issue that, sadly, continues to trouble the state even as of now.
As your editorial, along with earlier reports published from time to time in The Shillong Times, coverage in other newspapers, and observations of the National Green Tribunal, have repeatedly shown, deaths in illegal coal mines are neither new nor unforeseen. Yet, despite these warnings and directions, workers continue to lose their lives in unsafe conditions, while rivers and land suffer lasting damage. With due humility, one cannot help but feel that this ongoing situation reflects a serious gap between awareness and effective action.
The concern shown in the editorial for poor and voiceless labourers, many of whom are migrants, is particularly touching. These individuals enter hazardous mines not by choice but out of necessity, and their deaths often do not receive the attention they deserve. The frequent justification of coal mining as a livelihood appears increasingly difficult to accept when, as things stand now, ordinary workers continue to bear the risks involved.
Equally distressing is the environmental harm that has gradually become accepted as routine — polluted rivers, damaged land, and potential threats to future generations. When such consequences persist despite court orders and scientific findings, it raises concerns that go beyond administration and touch upon our shared moral responsibility.
Your editorial reflects sincere concern for human dignity, environmental protection, and the rule of law. I humbly hope that those responsible for decision-making will take note of the issues raised and respond with the seriousness they deserve, so that further loss of life and damage may be prevented.
Yours etc.,
Jairaj,
Via email
How Dare They Trade a Church for a Mall?
Editor,
This is in response to the article titled “Between Church and Mall” published in your esteemed newspaper on January 20, 2026. While the author is entitled to her personal opinions, I feel compelled—on behalf of countless believers and citizens of Shillong—to express deep anguish and strong disagreement with the casual acceptance of dismantling a heritage church for commercial development.
For many of us, this church is not merely a structure of stone and timber. It is our heart and soul. It is the sacred space where we first learned to pray as toddlers, where generations found solace, hope, moral grounding, and communion with our Lord and Saviour. It shaped our lives, our values, and our identity. To reduce such a place of worship to a negotiable asset between “church and mall” is profoundly disturbing.
The very idea of dismantling a church that has stood for nearly a century—one that holds immense spiritual and heritage value—to make way for a commercial complex reeks of unbelievable greed. Who conceived such a proposal? Whose interests are being served? Is this not an attempt to grab public land and erase the very fabric of Shillong under the guise of development?
Are we witnessing a government that is increasingly anti-people and insensitive to Christian faith and heritage? Is this the real intention of those in power under the NDA—development at the cost of conscience, faith, and history? Turning Shillong into a concrete jungle by sacrificing heritage structures, and not sparing even places of worship, is a betrayal of the city’s soul.
To even contemplate selling or dismantling a church evokes the biblical image of betrayal for thirty silver coins. Such an act would amount to the ultimate betrayal of Christians and their sacred space. Over our dead bodies should such a thing be allowed to happen.
This proposal must be unequivocally condemned. Shillong must not be handed over to a nexus of greedy businessmen and complicit politicians. Development cannot, and must not, come at the cost of faith, heritage, and the collective spiritual life of its people.
God forbid that this church ever be reduced to a commercial transaction. The people of Shillong are watching, praying, and will not remain silent.
Yours etc.,
EK Challam,
Via email
Between church and mall – an absurd comparison
Editor,
Ellerine Diengdoh in the third paragraph of her letter to the editor under the heading “Between a Mall and a Church: How different are they?” (ST January 20, 2026) is sharp, and provocative and it captures a truth about how both institutions operate as ritual theatres of hope. Unpacking the two in a dashboard below:
A comparative insight – both spaces ritualize emptiness into hope: one through transcendence, the other through consumption. Both rely on repeat visits: weekly services vs. seasonal sales. Both create community theatres: congregations vs. crowds. The difference lies in tangibility: the mall gives you objects, the church gives you narratives. The statement is clever but slightly reductionist. It is true that both institutions “sell hope,” but the quality of hope differs as one trades in stories of permanence, the other in objects of impermanence. Both soothe emptiness but in radically different registers.
Yours etc;
VK Lyngdoh,
Via email
Irregularities in our Neighbouring State
Editor,
I would like to bring to your notice the rampant corruption prevailing among traffic police personnel in Guwahati, Assam. It has been repeatedly observed that vehicles from neighbouring states are deliberately targeted and fined arbitrarily, often without any valid reason.
Motorists are frequently given ultimatums—either to pay the fine immediately or be taken to court. To avoid unnecessary harassment, delay, and legal complications, many people choose to pay on the spot. Unfortunately, in most such cases, no challan receipt is issued, making it evident that the money goes directly into the pockets of these officials.
This raises a serious question: is the responsible administration unaware of this malpractice, or is it happening with the knowledge or involvement of higher authorities? Such actions severely undermine public trust and tarnish the image of law enforcement.
I strongly appeal to the concerned authorities to review CCTV footage at traffic checkpoints and take strict action, including suspension, against officials found indulging in corrupt practices. The ground reality is deeply disappointing and demands immediate intervention.
Yours etc.,
B. Laitphlang,
Via email
