GLASS HALF FILLED HALF EMPTY

Two upset men today shook hands and transacted a 500 rupee currency, however in the episode, one couldn’t miss the irony of a situation when the glass has to be viewed as either half empty or half filled - but not totally filled.

The incident occurred at a travel agency when the manager R Sharma grudgingly handed over a Rs. 500 note to a customer J Dkhar. The customer accepted the currency and returned the favour with a grudging demeanour.

“Hope this is not a fake too,” the customer, J Dkhar asked the manager of Sheba Travel agency. “No,” Sharma almost screamed and both men shook hands and laughed.

Dkhar said, few days back he was handed a Rs. 1000 currency by Sharma after he cancelled an air ticket at his agency. But today he discovered it was a fake.

He, therefore, went to the travel agency and told them about the currency. Understandably, there was heated discussion over the issue as Sharma said he never handed the fake note.

After that both Sharma and Dkhar came to an understanding to share the loss, with Sharma giving Dkhar Rs. 500.

“At least we will share the burden and it’s a win-win situation,” one of the employees of the agency said encouragingly, however, the rhetoric didn’t make a lasting impact on either of the men.

Today’s incident may have been resolved amicably, but of late incidence of receiving fake note has been growing in the city. People complain that after being in possession of a fake currency accidentally, they are left with no alternative, but destroy it.

“I received a Rs. 500 fake currency few days back, the bank destroyed it…it’s a loss for me,” Bah Jean, a senior journalists said.

The matter has been accentuated with Meghalaya sharing a porous border with Bangladesh and this vulnerable area has been abused by militants and smugglers to pump in fake Indian currency from across the border.

Pakistan’s ISI has been blamed for the wide circulation of the counterfeit Indian currency here in the region through Bangladesh. The BSF has been successfully recovering fake Indian currency along the border, but still there is a lot to be done.

Meanwhile, Dkhar said he would double check before accepting a Rs. 500 and Rs 1000 note next time, Sharma echoed his sentiments saying: “this is the first time and the last time such an incident is going to happen to me.”

CANDIES TASTE BITTER IN SHILLONG

Ever wondered how sweets, or its North Korean currency equivalent, can leave a bitter taste on the spirit? Try shopping or marketing in the “Scotland of the East” – Shillong.

Business houses, large or small, here in the capital of India's northeastern state, Meghalaya, have discovered an ingenious but illegal way of short-changing gullible customers. Shopkeepers seldom return money worth Rs 5 or below as changes here, but hand over sweets instead.

It is not entirely true that coins in the denomination of rupee one to five are not available, which shopkeepers shrug as an excuse, but handing candies is the way out for these shopkeepers to laugh their way to the bank.

“I despise candies. Therefore, candies are as good as a North Korean currency for me. However, I was forced to take them, not once, but each time I shopped in Shillong,” Debjani Saikia, a tourist from Assam, said about her bitter marketing experience in Police Bazar.

Departmental stores in the city all have a neat candy box near the cash counter. “I saw a person handing Rs 75 to the cashier, but he refused to give me Rs 5 as change and instead handed me a milky bar, which I refused to take and was then rudely asked to hand back the items purchased,” Saikia said.

There are other shops which illegally hand over a stamped coupon instead of coins to be redeemed later at the same shop. “We have a shortage of five rupee coins,” claimed a large store in Police Bazar justifying the stamped coupons worth five rupees.

If Rs one to five currency – as made to believe – is in short supply, fifty paise is an absolute no-no. Not a single shop would accept fifty paise coins leaving many tourists here amused at this extravagancy.

“The public must complain to the Deputy Commissioner’s office about this illegal practises and then we can act,” East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Jopthiaw Lyngdoh said. But, it’s difficult for tourist like Saikia to bring up such complaints to the district administration.

There was no immediate assurance of taking suo-moto action against these errant shopkeepers by Lyngdoh. He nonetheless said that soon his office would convene a meeting with East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, AR Mawthoh on this issue.

“We would inquire from the Reserve Bank of India if circulation of coins is short in the State or the shortage has been artificially created or there is no shortage. We would then take action based on the findings,” he promised.

Apart from shops, city taxi drivers are notorious for not returning money changes at all. “Be prepared to lose Rs one to five if you don’t carry the necessary changes in a local taxi,” a daily taxi commuter bitterly advised.

DANCE OF THE HAPPY HEARTS, MEGHALAYA

Dances are the finest monitors of the heartbeat, displaying the waltzing motions and emotions. Music is just a friendly accompaniment being in tune with it.

Dances begin in the cradle’s lullaby and end up in the crematory’s dirge. Precisely, there are the Chhatti dances of northern India, celebrating the birth of a child, to the Ka Shad Ksing, the funeral dance of Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district.

India's rich cultural heritage pulsates with colourful dances from classical to folk, dating back several thousand years.

In the northeast, some of the best known classical dance traditions are the Manipuri and Sattriya dances. Folk dances are what dancing shoes were made for. Some of the most colourful and vibrant folk dances of the region are the Bihu, Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, Cheraw, Wangla and others.

With India being an agrarian society, there is no better time to celebrate than the harvest season. The Bihu, Bhangra, Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem are therefore all dances of the harvest season in spring.

Many of these dances are replete with myths and legends. Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem (dance of the happy hearts), celebrating its centenary year from April 16 to 18, is one of them.

Khasi legends say that in the beginning there was void and God decided to create Ramew, the guardian spirit of earth and her husband Basa. Sun was their first daughter, followed by Moon their son and three other daughters, wind, water and fire.

But still there were vast emptiness and Ramew turned to God who finally decided to let descend seven of the sixteen clans from heaven to earth and populate it.

These seven clans came to be known as Hyniew Trep or the seven huts, the seven sub-tribes of the Khasi people. God, however, made a covenant with Man. Ka Tip Briew Tip Blei (know man know God), Ka Tip Kur Tip Kha (knowledge of one’s paternal and maternal relationships) and Ka Kamai ia Ka Hok (live with virtue). But, Man became rebellious and greedy, breaking its covenant with God.

So, God planted Diengiei (tree of gloom), which grew everyday and its branches covered the Earth with darkness. Man became vulnerable to wild beast and evil spirits due to the growing darkness.

He, however, came to know from a Wren called Phreit that the tree had a weakness and cannot heal its wounds and there was a gash which the evil Tiger was healing with his licks so that the tree grows further and he would be able to hunt more easily.

The Wren advised Man to fortify the portion of the trunk, with knives and axes, which they had hewn so that the Tiger would not be able to heal the portion with its licks. Man did likewise. Eventually, the Tiger could not heal the tree and enabled man to fell Diengiei.

This was a great occasion and Man decided to celebrate it with a dance and according to legends it was the first Shad Suk Mynsiem celebrations. But, during the celebrations, the Sun and Moon (brother-sister duo) were late and were insulted by the gathering.

The Sun decided to hide herself in a cave and never to show her face again on Earth. Everyone failed to convince the Sun to return and finally the humble Rooster brought back the Sun to Earth after much persuasion. The Rooster was given the title of U Saw Shyrtong or the purple crest for its effort and dance celebrations began again.

But the celebrations were short-lived as the animals began to rebel and fall out of the way with Man threatening to destroy them with its brute strength.

Ka Lei Hukum (the Goddess of divine law), however, taught man to make Ka tir ka Sumar or the weapon of protection, with which Man defeated the animals and Shad Suk Mynsiem was organised to celebrate the victory.

Recorded history say Shad Suk Mynsiem was first celebrated on April 14 and 15, 1911 at Weiking ground at Mawkhar, Shillong.

However, it is also said, the dance was first organised before that at the courtyard of an old Khasi woman of Mawkhar called “men Jorhat.” The dance was called Ka Shad Sujin after the main organiser.

The place was congested and so the venue was shifted to the premises of one Mohan Massar. The dancers were given as a token of gift, Shira (flattened Rice) and so the people also called the dance Ka Shad Shira.

The dance is part of the Seng Khasi’s objective to further the ancient socio-religious cultural heritage of the Khasi people and to thank God for his blessings. Seng Khasi was formed in November 1899 to protect the indigenous Khasi religion.

In Shad Suk Myniem, both male and female dancers participate. Female dancers wear a Jainpien or a piece of cloth tied around the waist. A velvet blouse called Mukmor, a sarong-like garment called Jainsem and gold, silver necklaces together with bracelets and armlets.

But, the most important part of the adornments is the crown known as the Pansngiat made of gold or silver signifying the dancer’s dignity, purity of heart and modesty. The crown also consists of the Tiew Lasubon which is a wild orchid that symbolises the unmarried dancer’s chastity.

Male dancers wear the Jainboh a colourful silk dhoti. A sleeveless jacket called Jymphong. A waist band of colourful silk called Jain Syngkai and a red or yellow turban of pure silk called Jain Spong Khow attached with bird feathers called Thuia. The men also wear gold and silver necklaces and earrings.

Additionally, the men carry a silver sword, a whisk or Ki Symphiah and a silver quiver, Ryngkap with three arrows each symbolising Nam Blei (dedicated to God), Nam Lawblei (dedicated to the first mother of the clan) and the third, Nam Thawlang (dedicated to the first father of the clan.)

There are six different mode of dance in Shad Suk Mynsiem. These are Shad Nalai, Dum Dum, Klang, Padiah, Pyllun (circular formation) and Mastieh (sword or warrior dance).

During Shad Pyllun, women dance moving in the inner circle of the dancing arena through slow drag of the body with the foot digits surrounded by men on the outer circle accompanied by drum (Ksing and Nakra Bom) beats and the Tangmuri’s (wind instrument) melody.

In fact, drums form an important constituent of the festival and can be a male or female drum. Specific wood of the Lakiang tree is used to make the drums but not before strict religious ceremonies invoking U Biskorom, keeper of fire, king of artists, the master moulder, who is the patron spirit of drums and musical instruments.


“Drums are one of the great arteries palpitating in the heart of the Khasi people beating to the rhythm of one voice and culture,” says Sumar Sing Sawain, a Seng Khasi elder and senior journalist.

Shad Mastieh is a dance for males only and two groups of dancers face each other and charge shaking their swords and whisks demonstrating their fighting skills before bowing each other at the centre and retreating. The dances continue till sun-set.

Before this three-day dance festival, consecrators invoke the God for his blessings at the Seng Khasi House, Mawkhar.

Then a procession is taken out from Mawkhar to the Weiking ground with people singing, dancing to the tune of drums and flute, chanting Phawars (chanting clusters).

“There were lot of challenges in keeping this ancient tradition of ours alive. The British tried to stop it unsuccessfully. There are still challenges, but we are happy and proud that we have continued to progress completing 100 years of Shad Suk Myniem this year,” Seng Khasi general secretary, BS Rumnong said.

However, the practitioners of this indigenous faith are decreasing and contribute a little over 10 per cent of the state’s total population.

Nonetheless, the “happy hearts” continue to celebrate life, chanting light-hearted Phawars: Aaaaa! Lama ka seng khasi, bah kaweh na u sai sieij, ban duh ia la riti, lah bah duh te i baieit, Hoooi kiw..!. Hoooi kiw…! - Flag of Seng Khasi, flying from a bamboo string, rather than lose my culture, it’s better to lose my beloved.

360 DEGREE IN 365 DAYS MEGHALAYA CHIEF MINISTER

Chief Minister Mukul today came a full circle, completing a year in office, but his “360 degree performance in 365 days,” raise questions whether he is circling to nowhere.

Sangma celebrated his 46th birthday and completion of his one-year tenure in office by releasing a booklet of his government’s achievements, titled - 360 degree performance in 365 days. Critics say the title figuratively illustrates the Chief Minister moving in confused circles and heading nowhere.

Sangma after taking charge 365 days ago promised change. “Change is the only constant,” he quipped to everyone’s attention because Meghalaya was going through a period of socio-economic stagnation before him.

A year on his promise of bringing about change in the social sector, especially in rural fringes of the state, remains largely unfulfilled. One example is the tardy Public Distribution System and the scam-hit National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Wheat has been cent percent diverted for years. The quality of other food grain distributed through PDS in Meghalaya has remained inconsumable.

Sangma even after repeated demands from the public and NGOs has only promised, but so far not been able to bring about qualitative and quantitative changes in the PDS.

The much-talked about education and mining policies drafted before Sangma took charge is waiting for a Cabinet approval.

The controversial elevation of legislators to the rank and status of Chief Ministers has remained unchanged, although Sangma promised to do away with such unhealthy political largesse. Still, there are four legislators enjoying the rank and status of a Chief Minister.

What Sangma can take credit from are the central projects that the state government is implementing. The much needed widening of the Guwahati-Shillong road is underway. The construction of the Nongstoin-Tura road is another project that people can take heart from.

The utilisation of 100 per cent fund from the planning commission is another aspect that Sangma can take credit from. In a press conference, Sangma said a committee has been formed to draft a bill to enable social auditing of all state government projects.

This, he said, would help check corruption, a welcome-news for the people. But, at the release of the booklet at Hotel Pinewoods in the evening, several senior legislators from the Congress and coalition partners abstained, unhappy with the Chief Minister’s unilateral style and functioning.

Sangma, before he took charge, promised he would take everyone into confidence and take collective decisions, but legislators and ministers say he has broken the circle of trust by angling 180 degree on the promise and hence are demanding his ouster.

INTENTIONALLY-RIDICULOUS 4000 KM RICKSHAW RUN

Call it an “intentionally-ridiculous race’” or an “inside joke turned travel phenomenon,” but, a 4000 mile Auto Rickshaw race on Indian roads is definitely as challenging as breaking the sound barrier.

Seventy-one teams from around the globe have embarked on a journey from the coast of South India (Cochin, Kerela) to the hills here in Shillong today all hopping inside their 150cc powered mean machines - Auto Rickshaws. The event is dubbed as Rickshaw Run.

Breaking the sound barrier would definitely be a bonus for the seventy teams from twenty countries, apart from raising Rs 60 lakh for charity. The fund from the charity would go to International Rescue Corps and Social Change and Development, India.

International Rescue Corps mobilises teams anywhere in the world in response to natural and man-made disasters.

Scad runs a large variety of projects and programmes for the poor in India in the areas of Education, Health and Community organisation and development.

The team intends to ‘tuk-tuk’ its way to the finishing line at Hotel Pinewood sometimes on April 30. In the process, would endure 4000 kms of notorious Indian traffic, unrelenting heat and muck and of course a fatigued self-discovery.

The annual event, organised by UK based group, “The Adventurists,” has generated immense interest amongst amateur adventurers around the world, who wish to seek Nirvana not through “easy and boring” journeys of life.

The organisers believe that adventurers need to be “flush their guide books down the toilets” and join the battle against an “increasingly boring and sanitised world.”

The “mighty three-wheeled race” would have live updates from the teams, including a position tracking system, SMS from the road, photos, videos and blogs on its website http://www.rickshawrun.theadventurists.com, during the back-breaking journey.

The Rickshaw Run has no prize waiting at the end of the finishing line, but lots of back-slapping, champagne and yes: take home tales to bore grandchildren.

“(This)intentionally ridiculous and hugely popular adventure is designed to raise money for charities in India and guarantee the very tallest of tales to bore your grandchildren with.

"The finish line doesn’t have a clock to mark the teams’ arrival, it has cucumber sandwiches, much back-slapping and a huge party,” Tom Morgan, Adventurists and Rickshaw Race founder said.

CAG REPORT NOT A FAIRYTALE WITH HAPPY ENDINGS

The Comptroller and Auditor General's report is “not a fairytale, always with happy endings,” but, an “objective report” compiled by professionals.

A senior official from the CAG’s office, said on condition of anonymity, that the CAG comes up with an objective audit report annually after going through painstaking process of checks and balances and giving ample space for the government to present its side of the story.

“The CAG’s report is not a fairytale with happy endings as some would wish, it is objective and state what are facts,” the official said after Meghalaya Speaker, Charles Pyngrope raised doubts about the report’s trustworthiness.

Pyngrope said that the CAG’s report is “not the gospel truth” and therefore not above suspicion. He was reacting to charges of financial mismanagement of his predecessor, MM Danggo as exposed by this year's CAG report.

Earlier this year, Union Telecom Minister, Kabil Sibal defending his colleague and predecessor, A Raja, similarly challenged the CAG report, which estimated a loss of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore to the Indian nation in 2G spectrum allotments.

The Supreme Court later criticised Sibal for undermining the CAG report. The CAG’s office also stood by it report, saying, the data and estimated loss was corrected.

Meanwhile, the official here said all data reflected in the annual audit report are screened from government files. “We visit state government department and ask for details and the report is prepared based on those data,” the official said.

Once the draft audit is prepared, he added, it is sent to the concerned departments for their comments and feedbacks. “This process is repeated twice not once. If there is any mistake in the draft audit and is pointed out by the government, we correct it,” he said.

Moreover, professionals visit and conduct physical verification and finally the report is compiled and presented to the Assembly.

He added the CAG’s office is constitutionally mandated to audit the government’s finance and if there are any government wrongdoings it gets reflected, which eventually becomes an unhappy report for some.

SPORTS AND POLITICS MUST NOT MIX

The unhealthy trend of politicians doubling up and clinging as sports bosses in India is likely to change after the government enacts the National Sports Development (NSD) Bill.

Union Minster of sports and youth affairs, Ajay Maken said the draft NSD Bill would address some of the concerns such as politicians continuing as sports federation and association chiefs for years. He added sports persons are best suited to run these bodies.

“The draft bill is likely to infuse freash blood in the National sports associations and federations. It has proposed that 25 per cent of the voting rights would rest with sportsperson connected with respective associations and federations,” Maken said after inaugurating the 2nd Northeast Youth festival at the Polo grounds here today.

The elections to these sports bodies, he said, would be done through a secret ballot and the Returning Officer would be a retired judge of the High Court to ensure fairness. The upper age limit of presidents would be limited to 70 years.

“We are trying to bring about changes through this new bill to help develop sports in the country,” Maken said.

As of now, several politicians have also held posts of sports association and federations despite having scant experience of the sports they head. Experts, especially sportsperson, say, politics and sports should not be mixed.

Some of the striking examples of polticians dabbling in sports being Suresh Kalmadi, president cycling federation of India for 14 years, Jagdish Tytler president judo federation for 14 years, JS Ghelot president amateur Kabbadi federation of India 24 years VK Malhotra president Archery association of India 32 years and many others. The same is the case here in Meghalaya with several politicians also doubling up as presidents of sports bodies.

Meanwhile, Maken said northeast would be given special focus for development of sports in India. Citing the example of Manipur he said the tiny state has produced some world class athletes for India.

He added adequate fund would be released by his ministry to develop sports. “We have sanctioned Rs. 40 crore for Meghalaya to develop synthetic turfs and sporting facilities here,” he said.

BSF BDR FOOTBALL MATCH

The Border Security Force (BSF) played and won a football match with Bangladesh Rifles (BDR). Elsewhere, a team of Bangladeshi boys and the BSF engaged in a game of hide and seek.

In the first match, BSF (Shillong frontier) and BDR (Sylhet frontier) fought their hearts out to win. Although, the players’ skills were nowhere close to Zidane’s, but thankfully his kind of head-butts were also absent.

During the course of the match non-partisan crowd from this small border town of Dawki cheered both the teams. Across the border, on Bangladeshi hilltops, spectators watched and cheered their team.
The ice was melted at the end when BSF IG (Shillong frontier) named Md. Feroz Hussain BDR’s goalie as the ‘player of match.’

Ironically, Hussain’s brave efforts could not save his team from BSF pumping in four goals, two each in each halves of the match. BSF won the match 4-0 after 90 minutes of dominance.

In the other game, hoards of Bangladeshi children tore down the nearby hill tops inside India to watch the football match from close quarters. It was tough for the BSF jawans to search the kids hiding behind trees and bushes and chase them away constantly.

In one such incident, a Bangladeshi boy stood still with his hands raised after being cornered by BSF personnel. What was noticeable was the nervous blush on his face knowing the game wasn’t over.

He gave the BSF personnel a slip and disappeared behind the bushes after the BSF jawan asked him to return to Bangladesh, only for another hoard of children to return. The scores were level in this game!

“Results don’t matter,” BSF IG (Shillong frontier) PK Mishra said. “It’s a beautiful beginning. Families of BSF and BDR are interacting and sharing quality time… that’s important,” BDR Sector Commandant (Sylhet frontier) Abdul Hossain added on the newfound bonhomie between BSF and BDR.

Earlier, it was nice to see for once Indians carrying their injured Bangladeshi counterpart on stretchers and administrating medical aid during the match. A far cry from the pictures of April 2001 when 15 BSF jawans were hauled on bamboo poles after being killed by BDR near Boraibari, Assam.

This stretch of the Indo-Bangla border in Tamabil is not fenced due to opposition from a handful of local organisations. This area is in “adverse possession” of India and claimed by Bangladesh. It is therefore difficult to tell when a person is inside India or Bangladesh.

Other children, like Sami and Safin, who accompanied their parents from Bangladesh as part of the BDR invitees, were thrilled: “the match between India and Bangladesh was good. We like India and want to come back again”.

BSF team would tour Sylhet, Bangladesh and play a volleyball match there soon. “There would be cultural programmes too,” informed the BDR Sylhet Sector Commandant.

In this entire friendly match, the Bangladeshi team may have lost the match, but their friendly demeanour on and off the pitch won many hearts.

INDIA BANGLADESH TO RESUME JOINT SURVEY OF DISPUTED BORDER

India and Bangladesh are holding negotiations to resume the stalled joint survey of disputed border areas between the two nations.

A mutual Indo-Bangladesh agreement last year decided to jointly survey the disputed areas along the Indo-Bangla border as part of a confidence building measure. The areas of differences are often referred as “adversely possessed” areas and inherited from the days of partition of the two countries.

The survey began on December 7 last years, but sixteen days later, it abruptly came to a halt in the Meghalaya sector amidst claims and counter-claims that border guards of the two nations were interfering in the survey works.

“We have decided to resume the joint survey, but there are some areas of differences in our views, so negotiations are on to iron out those differences,” an official from the Meghalaya land records and survey said today.

In fact, it was Bangladesh’s Directorate of land record and survey which insisted on resuming the stalled process. The official said two teams from both the countries are holding talks from yesterday at Muktapur and Pyrdiwah along the international border in East Khasi Hills district to chalk out modalities to resume the survey.

The major point of difference is in nine areas in the Meghalaya sector which is “adversely held by India” and claimed by Bangladesh.

The nine areas include, Pyrdiwah, Lyngkhat, Amki-Amjalong, Ranghong, Naljiri, Tamabil, Kurinala and Muktapur mostly in East Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya and Sylhet district in Bangladesh. India claims Lobacheera being “adversely held by Bangladesh.”

Incidentally, the survey of Lobacheera, a tea growing area, has been completed last year, although details are yet to be exchanged between the two nations.

The meeting between the survey officials between the two sides passed off well yesterday and also today. Sources, however, said a concrete decision to resume the survey work would not be possible before next week.

INDIA MUST ALSO BUILD DAMS ON RIVER BRAHMAPUTRA

India must also build storage facilities for River Brahmaputra’s water in the same manner China was doing.

Union Minister for Water Resources, Salman Khurshid said, India must stop worrying about China’s dams and instead focus on building storage facilities for River Brahmaputra’s water.

He said such storage facilities would help the people of the region to address issues of flood and drinking water requirements. “We need to store water from the River Brahmaputra to address issues like flood and drinking water needs,” Khurshid said here.

China is building dams at Zangmu, Tibet on the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra known as Yarlung-Tsangpo. The Zangmu project would tap the immense hydropower potential of the Brahmaputra for energy-starved Chinese population.

The biggest fear though is China’s reported plan to divert water from Brahmaputra River for its arid northern provinces to replenish agriculture there to feed its growing population.

Khurshid said the centre was keeping a “close eye” on China’s dam constructions and said the situation need not be viewed as alarming at this juncture.

“China has given us an assurance that flow of water would not be affected on the River Brahmaputra and it has not. The issue is not alarming,” he said at the sidelines of a workshop on water resource management with reference to flood.

Overall, the senior Congress leader’s statement was a tacit blessing for construction of dams on the River Brahmaputra, a sensitive subject in Assam, especially during the ongoing Assembly elections.

Various organisations in Assam have registered their opposition against the construction of the 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Power Project in Arunachal Pradesh. They have pointed out that such a mega dam would have serious repercussions on the ecology and the people of the region.

Khurshid, nonetheless, clarified that any decision for constructing big dams would rest primarily with the concerned state governments of the region.

The central government, Khurshid assured, “would not take any decision that would endanger public lives.” “Necessary consultations would be held between the centre and state governments together with experts on the issue of constructing big dams,” he said.

RAT-HOLES MINES IN JAINTIA HILLS,MEGHALAYA AND ITS CHILD LABOURS

A few fortunate kids would bury their heads inside books rather than inside dark inhuman rat-hole mines of Jaintia hills, thanks to the initiative of some journalists from India and France.

Sunil Pradhan and Gautam Rai (names changed) are just a few victims of child labour. They have been scrapping coal from the dangerous rat-hole mines of Jaintia hills district for years now.

But, after a team from France 24 channel came to report about child labour in the coal mines and subsequently saw the plight of children pledged to sponsor the children’s schoolings and take them off the mines. Some Indian journalists too have taken the same initiative.

Now Sunil and Gautam would be lodged in the Pashupati boarding school on the Indo-Nepal border. Both the kids say they are looking forward to experience the new world under the Sun.

The kids belie their age of 14 years and speak maturely about the “dangerous world” they live in. They claimed to have seen several people die in the mines due to roof collapse, flooding and infighting.

“There is lot of fight after consumption of alcohol and gambling. We have seen it and want to leave this place. We got into mining to support our families who are very poor and have no source of income,” Sunil and Gautam echoed.

Mine owners pay about Rs. 1500 for ten coal filled carts measuring about two sq meter. The children said they need two-three days to fill those carts labouring from 6 am in the morning to 3 pm in the afternoon.

“We frequently fall sick as the mines are on most occasions flooded with water. Moreover, Malaria is very common near the mining areas,” the two children said.

The state government remains a helpless bystander to the whole issue as it says that mines are privately owned and therefore the mining department has no say over these unregulated mines.

In fact, Meghalaya deputy Chief Minister in-charge mining Bindo Lanong dismisses the presence of children inside the mines " as children playing and not working there as child labours."

Due to this, there are conflicting figures as to how many children are working in these rat-hole mines. NGOs give an astounding figure of 70,000 children; the government’s claim is 220.

“Some of the international companies are now inquiring if coal is mined by children in Jaintia Hills. They are going to stop buying the coal if that is the case. We have presented our case to them,” Hasina Kharbih of Impulse NGO fighting for the children’s right claimed.