Meghalaya goes the Sri Lanka way

 

Sri Lanka’s economic downfall is a case study for countries around the world and policy makers in Meghalaya in India's northeast realized belatedly how one of its policies was an exact replica of Sri Lanka’s.

 

 

According to economists, one of the policies that contributed to Sri Lanka’s economic downfall was the decision to shift from traditional farming methods to organic. This policy was implemented strictly from 2019 by Sri Lanka strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa with an import ban on agro chemicals.

 

 

After the diktat, there was a steep decline in production with farmers unable to get organic fertilizers or had little knowledge to deal with the new farming practice. The yield decreased drastically and tea and rice production were badly hit.

 

 

Similarly, Meghalaya banned subsidies on chemical fertilizers in 2014 under the then Congress-led government with Mukul Sangma as the Chief Minister on the advice of some over-enthusiastic bureaucrats.

 

 

The decision to ban subsidies on fertilizers was taken to "protect the environment" but in reality Meghalaya was in a hurry to capture the niche organic market.

 

 

Like Sri Lanka, there was an acute shortage of organic fertilizers in the state. Seven years later in 2021 the state government opened a bio-fertilizers production unit at the suburbs of the state capital. But by then damage was done and it was too little too late.

 

 

Faced with an acute shortage of organic fertilizers coupled with little knowledge on organic farming the farmers turned to chemical fertilizers albeit without the subsidy.

 

 

Black marketers thrived and farmers got the fertilizers at double and triple the regulated market rate. In turn, the cost of production increased and the policy to shift to organic farming went for a toss.

 

Recently, the state government reversed its policy and declared that it would lift the ban on fertilizers subsidy and would allow 50 percent subsidy to buy chemical fertilizers.

 

 

Now the state government is in talks with the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to release the state’s quota of chemical fertilizers since the ministry stopped the supply after the ban on subsidy.

 

 

Once this quota is released Meghalaya State Cooperative Marketing and Consumers' Federation Limited would handle the distribution of the subsidized fertilizers to the farmers.

 

 

Although agriculture is not self-sufficient in agricultural produce, this decision to lift the ban would provide solace to the farmers and in return  consumers would benefit from price reduction due to optimum production.  

Spartan Warrior fights on

He is no Spartan king Leonidos, but his fight isn’t any less noble than the Greek warrior king because Bristerlet Ramsiej has vowed to fight and make Nongstoin a safer place for his townsfolk.

 

Ramsiej, a chef at a resort in Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills district, was pained to see young bikers not wearing helmets and also riding rough. So he thought of taking direct action and then dug up some old bronze utensils from the attic.

 

“I took out the entire old bronze utensils from home and took it up to my friend who is a blacksmith and crafted out a helmet that resembles one that was used by the Spartan warriors, including king Leonidos,” he chuckled.

 

The helmet was popularized in the Hollywood blockbuster 300 which depicts the Spartan king Leonidos leading 300 of the best Spartan warriors to defend for freedom against tens of thousands of Persian army.

 

Ramsiej watched the movie several times and thought of taking up the role of king Leonidos in real life. So after he made the helmet he wore it and rode the entire town for the next couple of days, which literally turned heads. 

His message is simple: “wear helmets for safety and comply with the law of the land.”

 

Wherever he went he spoke to riders urging them to wear helmets. “My message is to spread awareness to my fellow riders all over to always wear helmets with ISI mark and obey traffic rules,” Ramsiej said.

 

He further said that he has been creating awareness not just on wearing helmets, but also to ride safely. “Riders should not use the road as a racing track,” he suggested.

 

Statistics available for the year 2018 reveals that 196 persons died in road accidents  and another 232 were injured across the state. Out of this total there were 33 two wheeler riders who died and another 35 were injured. 

In 2017, there were 232 persons who died in road accidents and 379 were injured. Out of these, 37 persons who died were two wheeler riders and another 42 persons were injured.

Ramseij, who also owns an eatery in Nongstoin town, says he is currently busy with his business and his profession as a chef at the resort, but he would squeeze out some time and take out his bike to create awareness in Shillong.

 

“I will definitely come to Shillong wearing the helmet and raise awareness not just on wearing a helmet but also safe riding.  The reason being that many blame “the will of God” when accidents occur. “God protects those who know how to protect themselves, ” the warrior in Ramsiej said.