From Our Correspondent

JOWAI: Unkiang Police on Sunday arrested one Tynraimon Pohleng (23) of Rattacherra village in Jaintia Hills for allegedly killing two persons of the same village on Saturday night.

Sources informed that Pohleng attacked Bangla Myrshiang (35) and Dot Khonglah (32) with a dao (machete) while they were walking on the road in the village at around 8:30 pm on Saturday.

Sources also informed that all the three persons were in an inebriated condition.

The bodies of the deceased were handed over to their relatives on Sunday after post-mortem examination at Khliehriat CHC.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: Unknown miscreants on Friday last burned down a WMM Paver (asphalt paving machine) belonging to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) which was being used for construction work on the Shillong Bypass.

The incident which occurred around 14 kilometers from Umiam in Ri-Bhoi district, has been criticized by the NHAI, which will meet the State Chief Secretary soon to discuss the issue of security of equipments and workers engaged in the project.

Commenting on the incident, a senior NHAI official on Sunday said, “It is very surprising that some people do not want development to come to Meghalaya and probably that’s why they burned down our equipment.”

Meanwhile, the official informed that NHAI needed an additional 10 to 15 hectares of land to incorporate the new alignment in the four-lane project.

“We have already submitted the proposal for new alignment to the district administration,” the NHAI official added.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: KHADC CEM Pynshngain N Syiem has informed that the Council has received a total allocation of around Rs 4 crore from the 13th Finance Commission to create the necessary infrastructure for development of the ‘traditional heritage village’ at the proposed sites near the Sacred Groves in Mawphlang.

“The traditional village would be developed for holding of the proposed Annual Monolith Festival to showcase the indigenous culture and tradition of the Himas (traditional states) within the Khasi Hills,” Syiem told The Shillong Times on Sunday.

He however informed that the Council has already received a total amount of Rs 2.81 crore which is the first instalment of the total fund allocated for the purpose.

“We would want the work to start at the earliest. We are going to issue the work order at the earliest,” KHADC CEM said.

Replying to query, he said that the major infrastructure they would develop in the first phase is the MP theatres and the traditional huts while adding that they are contemplating to utilise the second instalment of the funds for construction of the footpaths and other necessary facilities.

“We are planning to lay the foundation stone for the project before the coming winter session,” Syiem said.

When asked when the festival is going to take place, he said that they would be able to organise the ‘Monolith Festival’ only when the necessary infrastructure has come up.

“They are likely to hold festival only by the beginning of next year,” Syiem said.

In December last year, the council had constituted a Monolith Festival Committee headed by executive member (EM) in-charge of culture, Teinwell Dkhar. Other members of the committee include Neil Antonio War, Lamphrang Blah, Enbin K Raswai, Embhah Syiemlieh, Adelbert Nongrum, Grace Mary Kharpuri and officials of the council.

It may be recalled that The Hima Mawphlang, under the leadership of its Lyngdoh (chief), N.K. Lyngdoh, inked the agreement with the council for an unspecified span of time where the council has also been given land measuring 8 acres to develop the traditional heritage village wherein the annual Monolith Festival would be organised.

During the festival, all the 54 Himas within the confines of the council would be invited to showcase their culture and tradition in the form of dances, music, cuisines and attires.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: The teachers of a school in West Khasi Hills are enjoying their salaries without having a single student for the past two years.

Sources on Sunday informed that the three teachers in the Nongkulang Lower Primary School in West Khasi Hills are still getting their salaries though there are no students in the school since 2010.

The matter was brought to the notice of the Deputy Inspector of School long time back sources informed that till date no official has come up to inquire on this whole episode.It is learnt that the students have been forced to leave the school since the teachers are always found absent from their duties.

“With no teacher in the class, it is impossible to expect the students to learn on their own,” sources said while adding that the teachers who are teaching in the school are not qualified.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG:Dishari, a socio cultural organisation of R & R Colony organised a ‘Musical Nite’ as part of Vijaya Sanmelon on Friday last.Apart from the cultural function, the members paid rich tributes to late Ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh. The club members also presented the ‘Kanauj Memorial Scholarship’ to Miss Mohana Singh of All Saints Diocesan Higher Secondary School for securing the highest mark in English in the last SSLC examination conducted by MBOSE.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: An in-depth teaching on the Holy Spirit by Rev. Roland Bruce of the USA will be held at the Seminar Hall, State Central library on October 18th and 19th at 9:30 am.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: The 7th North East Regional Dental Conference which will commence with 2 pre-conference courses to be conducted by eminent speakers from Chennai and Mumbai on October 17th will be host to about 300 dentists from all over North East.

The second day October 18 will comprise of of scientific sessions and deliberations by eminent speakers, post graduate and undergraduate dental students.

From OurCorrespondent

 NONGSTOIN: The Hynriewtrep National Youth Front Western Zone on Sunday demanded speeding up repairing of NH- 44 (E) Shillong – Umjei road within two weeks.

On their visit on Saturday, the HNYF found that the repairing was done only from Upper Shillong till Rangshken but the work was stopped halfway and is pending till date.

President HNYF Western Zone K.S.Rani told pressmen in Mairang that that the sanction for the repairing of the said road amounts to 9 crores.

He also informed that recently the HNYF members met the engineer of the NH as well as the contractor demanding them to speed up the repairing of the road because it is becoming worse day by day making it very were hard for vehicles to ply .

Engineer of NH as well as the contractor has assured them that the work will soon start within this week.

Extended holiday

Officials at the Main and Additional Secretariat are still enjoying Puja Holidays.

Many visitors could not get their wok done since the officers they wanted to meet are enjoying their holidays and that too, ten days after the official holiday period. In some central government offices officers had gone on leave from the last week of September.

Their colleagues say they might return only after Diwali. This has been the trend for many years now and office attendances following Durga Puja is at its lowest. A lady who required a signature on a document from a particular officer was told that he would only be available after Diwali.

She asked if there is any deputy/assistant who can sign the document which was urgently required by her daughter studying in South India.

The lady was told that only peons and clerks are present in the office. The lady returned frustrated and cursed the festival season!

 “No Car” day

The president of Bolivia has urged his countrymen not to use cars on Sunday and make it a pedestrian day.

The president himself took the lead recently when he walked and jogged in the major streets of the town. Many in the city asked why Shillong too should not follow suit and have a “no car” day once a week.

This will be a sign of respect to pedestrians. It’s quite a sight to see how bad-mannered drivers do not even allow pedestrians to cross the streets.

Some regular pedestrians have decided to form an NGO to demand their rights for walking and crossing the streets without the fear of being run over. High time but will they win over the din and fury of the car crazy citizens here?

These days people hire cabs and take out their vehicles even to do short distances. Time has come where some leading light of the city start becoming pedestrians.

If China can enforce the use of bicycles only in offices and workplaces then Meghalaya should emulate both China and Bolivia.

 Hotels fully booked

It is learnt that all hotels in Shillong are enjoying 100 % occupancy during Durga Puja and beyond.

Only the most unlivable spaces are available. A lady of means who came to Shillong for some research work had to stay at a hotel in one of the crowded lanes of Khyndailad. She thought it was a weird place.

Then there is the case of two Japanese tourists from Yokohama (Japan) who also stayed at a downtown hotel. They were not aware that the hotel also allows guests to cook their own meals in a kitchenette. Those using the kitchenette seemed to enjoy chillies…. Lots of it too.

The pungent smoke of chilly being friend in hot oil enveloped the entire hotel.

The two Japanese ladies opened their windows and put their heads out, gasping for fresh air.

Later they were told that the exhaust fan in the kitchenette of their fellow guests had gone kaput. Bad experience this!

 Wanted names for roads, lane and bye-lanes

Many roads in Shillong are nameless. It is always very difficult to explain to visitors the address of a place as there are very few landmarks around.

Many tourists have rued the absence of signage in the city. One tourist got totally confused between Camel Back Road and Bivar Road since there is no signage.