"UNSCRUPLOUS POLITICIANS" IN MEGHALAYA TO PROVE POINT WITH LOKAYUKTA

The Meghalaya Government today affirmed that it would dispel the perception that “politicians are the most unscrupulous people” by soon passing a “strong and effective” Lokayukta Bill.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said in the Assembly that people have this perception nowadays that “politicians are the most unscrupulous people” around, but in fact corruption is endemic to all sections of the society.

The Meghalaya Government has been under tremendous pressure to pass a strong Lokayukta Bill from the civil society. This demand has found support with some legislators who have openly rejected the earlier Bill passed last year as “weak and ineffective” to fight corruption.

The then opposition Nationalist Congress party walked out of the Assembly, when the Bill was passed without discussion, saying, it did not want to be part of a legacy known for passing ineffective Bills.

Some legislators from the treasury too have voiced similar concern at that time, but the Government went ahead and passed it only to be snubbed by Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary who withheld his assent, maintaining the Meghalaya Lokayukta Bill, 2012 needs changes.

Paul Lyngdoh from the opposition United Democratic Party moving a resolution said the Lokayukta Bills does not upheld the ethos of transparency and justice that legislators espouses.

He pointed several anomalies to buttress his claim and suggested that “it should be redrafted instead of amending most of the clauses.” “Take members from the opposition in redrafting the Bill or send it to a select committee,” Lyngdoh demanded.

Other members of the House, like John Leslee Sangma, said, the Bill was weak, defensive and “exposed fear in the Government.” “Although the Government passed the Bill it cleverly inserted clauses to get away (from corruption charges). It was passed with an intention to obstruct justice and as a defense for the corrupt,” Leslee, one of the new members of the House, insisted.

The Chief Minister said later that the Government would not shy away from its responsibility in bringing a Bill that is acceptable to all sections of the society and it would do it soon.

“The Government would do all it can to fight corruption and would also supplement the Lokayukta Bill with other legislations like social auditing of schemes and a law for effective delivery mechanisms,” he assured the House. 

MEGHALAYA SOUGHT SPECIAL PACKAGE BEFORE PRESENTING BUDGET

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today presented a tax-free deficit budget of Rs 526 crore for the current fiscal, while informing a “special package” has been sought from the Union Finance Minister to improve roads.

It is estimated that the state’s total receipt during 2013-14 would be Rs 8609 crore. The centre’s grant-in-aid remains the bulk of this total at Rs 4761 crore. The state’s own tax revenue is pegged at Rs. 1371 crore.

The estimated total expenditure during this period would be Rs.9, 135 crore or a deficit of Rs. 526 crore, which is around 2.62 per cent of the gross state domestic product (GSDP).

“The key feature of Meghalaya’s public finance regime have been an over dependence on central resources (about 80 per cent) …A sizeable gap exists between the resources needed to finance development and infrastructure, and the resources available. The nascent and small private sector will not, in the future, be able to contribute significantly,” Sangma, who also hold the finance portfolio, said while presenting the budget.

He nonetheless informed that the state have sought a special package from the Union finance minister to improve roads in the state. “We propose to widen and upgrade all major district roads, state highways and other strategic roads. I have sought the intervention of the Union finance minster for a special package…,” he said adding, a plan outlay of Rs. 455.44 crore has been proposed for this sector.

Sangma added that state would try to explore other ways to mobilize fund from different agencies. He said that the state would send its recommendation to the 13^th Finance Commission highlighting the state’s requirement, besides it is negotiating on a 100 million dollar loan component from the Asian Development Bank to support “human capital development.”

The state Government has moreover estimated an amount of Rs. 210 crore for schemes and programmes to be implemented with the North Eastern Council’s assistance.

The Chief Minister said that the Meghalaya government has decided to propose a tentative plan of Rs 4, 141 crore for the current fiscal. Out of this allocation, 26.43 per cent is earmarked for the social sector, 19.90 per cent for power, 10.34 per cent transport, 9.36 per cent for agriculture and allied sector, 6.47  per cent irrigation and 4.88 per cent for rural development.

The non-plan expenditure for 2013-14 has been estimated at Rs. 3482 crore. The government has proposed an outlay of Rs 607 crore for the education department, Rs 433 crore for police, Rs 309 crore for PWD, Rs 250 crore for agriculture and allied sectors and Rs 179 crore for health.

Along with the budget, the Chief Minister also presented Rs 2332.36 crore vote-on-accounts for proposed expenditure during the first quarter of the current fiscal.

MEGHALAYA SEEKS SPECIAL PACKAGE LIKE BIHAR

Janata Dal’s (U) political blackmail for special status for Bihar in exchange of its support in 2014 might have opened a Pandora’s Box with a Meghalaya legislator saying that it is “an opportune moment” for Meghalaya also to demand special package from New Delhi.

MLA Paul Lyngdoh, working president of the United Democratic Party and former student leader of the Khasi Students’ Union, described in the Assembly on Monday as “the opportune moment” for Congress legislators to make a similar demand for Meghalaya as Bihar, to wriggle out of its current financial woes.

“If Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar can take train load of people to New Delhi and demand special status (then) it is the opportune moment for the Congress members to go to New Delhi and demand for special package for Meghalaya,” Lyngdoh said.

He said with the additional funds the state can work in earnest to develop its fledgling infrastructure, especially its connectivity, which is the major hurdle towards development, be it poor roads or airports. He said development of the Umroi airport must be taken up as a priority with the additional fund.

Lyngdoh was referring to Kumar’s rally at the Ramlilla grounds in New Delhi recently where thousands of his state supporters demanded special status for Bihar in exchange of support during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

There are other states that are awaiting such largesse from the centre ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections in 2014. The northeast region, however, enjoys some sort of special status by way of fund allotment and other political freedom.

The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region looks after the interest of the region specifically. Moreover, the Non Lapsable Pool of Central Resources, in which ten per cent of fund from different departments are allotted for development of the region, are some of the centre’s other special initiatives. States like Arunachal Pradesh, on the other hand, are getting special attention owing to its strategic nature and constant claim over this territory by China.

Moreover, some of the district councils look after the social, economic and political freedom of the tribals of the region, but nonetheless regional parties from the region and elsewhere in the country might take a leaf out from Kumar’s book before the elections and milk the situation. 

WOMAN HOME MINISTER IN MATRILINEAL MEGHALAYA

It is only apt that Meghalaya following a matrilineal system in India’s northeast corner now has a women looking after the safety and security of its people in Roshan Warjri as the first women Home minister of the state.

Warjri becomes one of the few women ministers to hold the important Home portfolio traditionally reserved for men. Apart from the Home department Warjri has the additional charge of home (jails) and the public works department (buildings), equally important portfolios.

Warjri, 63, was elected from North Shillong assembly constituency in the state capital and is the first woman in Northeast and eastern India to hold the Home department. In fact, she is the second women to hold the portfolio in India after P. Sabita Indra Reddy in Andhra Pradesh.

She first joined politics in 1993 and won on a Hill People’s Union ticket. She returned to the Assembly in 1998 contesting on a United Democratic Party and held the urban affairs portfolio, but thereafter she did not contest, until this assembly polls.

Warjri has her task cut out ahead of her. Meghalaya though having a matrilineal society, wherein women retain their surname after marriage (Warjri’s late husband was Korbar Sing Phanbuh ) and children take their mother’s surname, crime against women is high, especially rape.

In 2012 Meghalaya, having a population of about 30 lakh or 3 million, there were 236 cases registered relating to crime against women. Out these cases, 158 were rape of women. The figure is an increase from the previous year which registered 130 rape cases of women, out of 269 reported cases of crimes against women.

“We are concerned with the growing crime graph against women in our state. We will establish fast track courts in all the district headquarters to ensure speedy delivery of justice to victims,” she said after taking charge of her departments.

Warjri, moreover said, there is need to inculcate “moral values” to school children. “There is a need to strengthen the teaching of moral science as a subject as a measure to curb crime against women in the state.” she suggested.

Moreover, militancy in another problem that needs to be tackled. Various banned insurgent outfits are continuing with their extortions, kidnapping and killings in different parts of the state and therefore maintaining the law and order is a challenge.

Warjri has replaced senior Congress leader HDR Lyngdoh, who earlier held the portfolio in the previous Meghalaya United alliance Government.  “I am totally committed to the task that I have been assignment,” she said about the job at hand.

Abu Taher Mondal first non-tribal Speaker of Meghalaya

After electing Abu Taher Mondal, as the first Speaker from the minority non-tribal population, Meghalaya legislators wished that the cause of tribal people would be suitably “trumpeted” at different platforms of the country and abroad.

It is for the first time that a legislator from the non-tribal minority population was elected as the Speaker after the creation of the state in 1972. Meghalaya has a predominately Christian tribal population.

Incidentally, Mondal, who is a structural engineer by profession, is the lone non-tribal representative from the Congress in this 9th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly having 60 members. He now has become the 15th Speaker of Meghalaya Assembly.

Mondal first created history in 1998 when he was inducted in BB Lyngdoh’s ministry as the first non-tribal minister.

 “You represent the tribals of the state. People should know the tribals of the state through you,” former Chief Minister and United Democratic Party (UDP) president, Donkupar Roy said while felicitating the Speaker. Others expressed similar views:

“We need a non-tribal trumpeter for the tribals,” women legislator and former Urban affairs minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh said.

Incidentally, four Hill State People’s Democratic Party legislators abstained from the election opposing Mondal’s nomination from the non-tribal community for the Speaker’s post. They wanted a tribal from the state instead.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the election has proved that “Meghalaya provides space for everyone, irrespective of caste creed or religion.” Sangma, believed to be close to Mondal, said other regional parties like the UDP were consulted on the election and they have agreed not to put up their candidate and so the Speaker was elected unopposed.

Other senior legislators like former Chief Ministers, DD Lapang and SC Marak congratulating Mondal and urged that the he would remain impartial and would uphold the dignity of the Assembly. “Meghalaya Assembly is known for its high level of dignity, decorum and discipline, please maintain the same,” Marak said.

Meanwhile, in his maiden address to the House as the Speaker, Mondal said, he would represent the state keeping the interest of all section of the people, especially the tribals, into consideration.  Stating that he was “deeply overwhelmed” by the support of the legislators, Mondal said that he would endeavour to protect and maintain the traditional interest, privileges and independence of the House.

Later, he told reporters that he would like to see that the Meghalaya Assembly gets its permanent complex during his term and said he would begin on the work immediately. The old Meghalaya Assembly was gutted in 2001 and since then the Assembly has been functioning from temporary locations. 

KALAM: " INDIANS NEED ANTI-CORRUPTION BILL AT HOME NOT PARLIAMENT

Former President, APJ Abdul Kalam today said,  Indians first need an anti-corruption bill legislated in their respective homes, rather than a bill from the parliament.

 “First, we need an anti-corruption Bill for a clean house, home and then the Nation,” Kalam said, who was here to inaugurate the annual seminar on sustainability at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong.

The “missile man” was at his eccentric best and while spelling out the ways to make India corruption free, he inquired to the questionnaire with a hint of cynicism: “If I say something would you follow?”

then the former President went on to explain that  it is the duty of the parents to inculcate within their children a spirit of doing the right things in their houses for a clean and vibrant India.

The youngsters on their part needs to step their foot in when they find the elders going awry, Kalam told the gathering of students, faculty and other guests.

“Strong anti-corruption laws, like what Anna Hazare is demanding may come, but would only fill jails…we need something else right in our homes,” Kalam emphasised.

Although many would agree with what Kalam meant about “regulating ourselves first” and this process of self-regulation may be on within many, but many Indians wouldn’t mind to see the jails filled up at this moment with conmen increasing by the day and looting the public exchequer.

The Congress-led UPA Government has been dilly-dallying from framing a “strong” Lokayukta, despite the country having witnessed some of the strongest protest on its streets last year against scams and demand for swift punitive action against the guilty.

Meanwhile, Kalam has accepted a request from IIM, Shillong to be its visiting faculty and would teach on “societal transformation bio-technology and its application.” He had earlier taken up a similar assignment at IIM-Ahmedabad.

“I am a teacher. As a Professor wherever the knowledge takes me I go and share it. I like meeting young people and I would like to contribute to their knowledge," he said.

Director IIM, Shillong, Keya Sengupta said that the institute would be greatly enriched through Kalam’s intervention. “We are extremely grateful and lucky that the former President has accepted our request to be our faculty this summer,” she said.

Meghalaya gets strongest feminine touch in its Assembly

The 9^th Meghalaya would get its strongest feminine touch with the entry of four female candidates in the 60-member House.

This is the highest number of female candidate entering into the Meghalaya Assembly after the creation of the state in 1972. During the 6^th Assembly in 1998, there were three female candidates and was the previous highest record of women representatives.

In the first general elections of 1972, just one woman candidate won. The trend has been more or less the same over the years. In the last Assembly the urban affairs minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh was the lone women representative. She is currently embroiled in a controversy, after being indicted by the CBI for tampering with results of teachers’ recruitment last year.

Incidentally, all the four women legislators are from the Congress who would form the Government. Apart from Lyngdoh, senior Congress legislator and working Pradesh president, Deborah Marak, Roshan Warjri and Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s wife Dikanchi D Shira are the four women representatives.

Many would have preferred that a few of these representatives belonged to the opposition parties like the United Democratic Party, Hill State People’s Democratic Party, National People’s Party and others.

Meghalaya follows a matrilineal society and therefore the Chief Minister’s wife surname is not Sangma and Shira, as is the norm elsewhere. Children belonging to the three tribes, Khasi, Jaintia and Garo take the mother’s surname and women retain their surname after marriage.

But, despite being a matrilineal society, women have the least say in the traditional political setup and in terms of economic freedom, women are also marginalised. The crime rate against women is also, especially  high.

Meanwhile, Marak is a seasoned politician and has held several key portfolios over the years and is likely to get a ministerial berth this time. She is also the niece of former Chief Minister Salseng Marak who has made a comeback in this election.

Warjri, after joining the Congress last year was made the chairperson of the women’s commission and is also a veteran politician. She has contested and won in earlier elections, but, on regional party ticket. She too held several key ministerial berths in her political career.

Only Shira is the newcomer, but should not find it difficult to move around the male-dominated corridors of power with the guidance of her husband and also brother-in-law, Zenith Sangma, who is making a comeback for a second term after losing in the 2008 elections.

Although many would argue that less than 10 per cent representation of women in the Assembly is far from satisfactory, nonetheless, one would expect that women related issues would be more sensitively taken up now with the entry of these women legislators.

CONGRESS WINS MEGHALAYA POLLS

Led by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, the Congress today emerged as the single largest party, two shy of getting the absolute majority, but nonetheless was the party’s best performance ever in Meghalaya Assembly elections.

With a total of 29 seats, the Congress is two short from getting the absolute majority in the 60-seat Assembly, but has little to worry with a record 13 Independents winning the elections and some of these candidates would definitely provide the extra cushion in forming the new Government. The Congress has never crossed the 25 seat mark ever since Meghalaya attained statehood in 1972.

In this Congress victory, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma led from the front winning for the fifth consecutive term from Ampati constituency with the largest victory margin from amongst the 60 candidates with 9096 votes polled in his favour and would be a strong contender for the CM's post. Sangma’s wife, Dikkanchi D Shira, moreover, won from Mahendraganj and his brother Zenith Sangma  from Rangsakona constituency in Garo Hills.

Similarly, most ministers belonging to the Congress won the elections. Prominent amongst these include: former chief ministers DD Lapang (Nongpoh) and Salseng C Marak (Resubelpara), Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh (Sohiong), Education Minister, RC Laloo (Jowai), Forest and environment minister, Prestone Tyngsong (Pynursla), Water resources minister, AL Hek (Pynthormukhrah) and Information and Technology minister, AT Mondol from Phulbari constituency.

“The people have responded to the Congress party for our good governance and development,” a jubilant Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma said.  

The regional parties, especially Purno Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP), was routed in Garo Hills able to get just two seats – a sharp drop from the 2008’s tally of 15 seats. Only Purno Sangma’s son, James Sangma and Nihim D Shira won from the NPP in the Garo Hills region.

In this bargain, the leader of opposition, Conrad Sangma from the NPP lost from Selsella Constituency against rival Congress candidate Clement Marak by 2000 votes.  “This is the people’s mandate and we accept it,” Conrad Sangma, another son of Purno Sangma, said after his election defeat.

The other regional party United Democratic Party (UDP) and an ally of the Congress party in the Government didn’t fare well either from its traditional stronghold in Khasi-Jaintia Hills belt, winning just eight seats. In 2008 elections the party won 11 seats.

Even UDP working president and deputy Chief Minister lost against Congress legislator and Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh from East Shillong constituency by 5084 votes.

“The result is shocking and unbelievable. The result is beyond our expectations as we were hoping for at least 15 seats,” former Chief Minister and UDP president Chief Donkupar Roy said, who himself won narrowly by 455 votes from Shella constituency.

However, another regional party the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) won four seats, increasing its tally from 2008 elections by two seats. HSPDP president and senior politician Hopinstone Lyngdoh retained the Nongstoin seat for the eighth consecutive term. The Nationalist Congress Party won two seats, Garo National Council and North East Social Democratic Party one seats respectively.

The Congress, meanwhile, suffered a major setback in Nongthymmai constituency where Speaker of the Assembly, Charles Pyngrope lost to UDP candidate Jemino Mawthoh by 1137 votes. Moreover, PHE minister Shitlang Pale lost in Sutgna-Saipung constituency against Independent candidate, Hopeful Bamon by 1462 votes.

Similarly, UDP candidate and Minister for social welfare, JA Lyngdoh lost to Congress candidate Kennedy C Khyriem from Mawphlang seat by 3344 votes. 

RAHUL GANDHI NOT INVOLVED IN AGUSTAWESTLAND DEAL: AK ANTHONY

Defence Minister, AK Anthony today expressed sadness as well as anger that Congress vice president, Rahul Gandhi has been dragged into the  controversial AgustaWestland chopper deal.

“It is very sad…there is a limit for these kinds of allegations,” Anthony said, when asked about the BJP’s allegations dragging Rahul Gandhi into the scam. He nonetheless rubbished the allegations as “baseless” and said that the case is being investigated by the CBI.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has reportedly written to the CBI accusing that the relative of Kanishka Singh – a close political aide of Rahul Gandhi – owns Emaar MGF Land Limited and made profit from the chopper deal.  

“We have nothing to hide, CBI is inquiring into that, whoever is guilty will be punished and nothing can be said beyond that at this point,” the defence minister said.

A joint CBI team, as well as the Defence Ministry’s Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager (Air) Arun Kumar Bal, is slated to leave for Italy to investigate into the case of kickback given to officials in India to strike the 3,546 crore chopper deal.

Under the contract 12 helicopters were meant to be delivered for VVIPs’ travel by AgustaWestland, which is a UK-based subsidiary of Italian conglomerate Finmeccanica.

The chief of Finmeccanica, Giuseppe Orsi has been arrested after an investigation in Italy found that the company bribed Indian officials to strike the deal.

In the controversy, the former Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi has also been embroiled for allegedly tweaking guidelines to get Finmeccanica into the bidding process. Some of the revelations were unearthed during investigation of Finmeccanica officials during investigation in Italy.

Thereafter, India’s Defence Ministry issued to a show-cause notice setting a week’s time to AgustaWestland, asking why the contract should not be cancelled in view of the corruption charges.

Meanwhile, Anthony said that "making allegations and taking judgment positions" at this juncture is not correct. “Let’s have patience and let the CBI inquiry report come out and after that whoever is involved in the case will be punished,” he said.

Meghalaya youth says India a failed democracy surrenders Voter identity card

A youth from Meghalaya has surrendered his Election Voter Identity Card (EPIC) to the Election Commission of India with a dissent note stating that the bourgeoisie “democracy in India has failed” and doesn’t inspire him any longer to vote.

Likening the present governance of India as one for the bourgeoisie, Sajeki Passah, a law student from Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills district in northeast India surrendered his EPIC (No.  BKX0651000), to the Election Commission of India, through the state election department here.

Passah lamented to the Commission that the “have nots” have been sidelined and ignored in the present democratic set-up with the government machinery only “favouring ‘the haves’ who in turn reap the benefits from the prevailing system of flawed governance.”

Speaking over the phone from Jaintia Hills district, Passah said he took the decision to surrender his EPIC and not to vote any longer a few days back as he “lost hope” on the present system of governance.

“I have lost hope on the present system of Governance in India. The politicians promise during every elections and forgets. They only work for the high and the mighty and the common men’s plight has not changed,” Passah added.

Citing that the present “failed democracy” is the cause of hardship of the ordinary Indians, Passah said, unless the system was drastically changed than rampant corruption, backwardness, and under-development would continue to further corrode the system and unhappiness would shadow the “have-nots.”

“Scores of ‘have nots’ are left with hopelessness and unfulfilled dreams,” he rued in his note to Commission. “Politicians instead of representing the people are representing for their self-interest and their parties. They have failed the people in addressing to their miseries,” Passah, who lives in Panaliar locality of Jowai in the coal-rich district of the state, said.

Due to the failure of the present Governance, Meghalaya has remained under-developed in terms of infrastructure development, health care, rising unemployment, corruption, law and order problems, and environmental degradation.

“Villages have remained unconnected for years now, some are left unrepaired despite money being sanctioned and work orders and deadlines being issued,” Passah said adding that such delays have resulted in huge losses for tax payers with reformulation of estimates.”

With regards to the youth, he asked, what is the need to pursue education, which only leads to years of struggle?  “The luckiest and not the fittest get jobs as nepotism prevails and the qualified are abandoned,” he said.

Moreover, on corruption he said in his note: “The democracy speaks of ending corruption and malpractices by only instituting malleable committees and commissions to inquire into matters and concludes with none being held liable.”

Similar dejections were noted in terms of health care, environment protection and other issues that are rocking the state and the country. “I am unaware in what way my decision not to vote would help the system, but I have made up my mind not to be part of the present failed democratic set-up,” Passah asserted. 

FREEDOM OF SPEECH "DONT HIT BELOW THE BELT" CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA

Coming right after the recent controversy over posting of comments on Facebook by two Mumbai girls, Chief Justice of India, Altamas Kabir said here today that Freedom of Speech and Expression cannot be used as an instrument to “hit someone below the belt.”

Emphasizing that Freedom of Speech and Expression is one of the most important fundamental rights of a citizen; he however, added that the right must be used in a “proper and disciplined manner” so that it doesn’t offend others.

“Freedom of expression is one of the most important fundamental rights in a democracy and must be used properly in a disciplined manner without hitting someone under the belt. It must be used reasonably,” the Chief Justice suggested.

On section 66 A of Information Technology Act, 2000, the Chief Justice on the other hand refused to say much as the matter is pending before the Court.

A PIL was filed by Delhi Student recently, to amend the section as the "the phraseology of Section 66A of the IT Act, 2000 is so wide and vague and incapable of being judged on objective standards, that it is susceptible to wanton abuse and hence falls foul of Article 14, 19 (1)(a) and Article 21 of the Constitution."

Under the present section of the IT Act, anyone can be punished for sending offensive messages information etc through computer resource or a communication device. The PIL argues that the section violates Freedom of Speech and Expression.

Kabir said that the section needs more clarity adding that it can be misused in its present form as the language has a wide interpretation. He said that points have been brought before people involved in framing of the rules so that “ways and means can be channelized.”

The Chief Justice, who was here to launch a programme of legal aid awareness classes and clubs in schools and colleges, also said that in exercising ones right to speech and expression an individual must “self-regulate.”

He said that freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 (1 and 2) can be balanced to some extent, but he said, the best option before the people is to adopt an approach of self-regulation.

“We have to self-regulate and if we say, for example, that we mustn’t then we create a difficult situation. We have to know where to draw the line,” Kabir added.

MEGHALAYA PWDs: "WANT ACTION, NOT SONGS AND DANCES"

Meghalaya Government must “take action” to alleviate problems of people with Disabilities (PWD) instead of organizing just “dancing and singing programmes” every year on World Disability Day.

“We don’t want just singing and dancing programmes to mark World Disability Day, but want action for an inclusive and barrier-free association with everyone,” Celene Lawai, a young girl with locomotive disability, demanded. The Social welfare department organizes such programmes, which Celene says is okay, but such programmes “doesn’t create change” in PWDs’ lives.

“We instead want to have conferences with the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and other officers so that we can discuss some of our problems. We want an inclusive and barrier-free association with the Government and the society,” the young girl said.

Celene, together with Melip D Sangma, president of Association of Challenged People of Meghalaya and others had a candid interaction with the media here today on occasion of World Disability Day sharing some of the problems faced by people with disability in Meghalaya.

Steps, Celene continued, aren’t exactly the stepping stones to success, but are in fact “barriers” and makes life more difficult for some of the PWDs with movement problems.

 “I don’t like someone helping me up the stairs. I would rather like to move my wheelchair around, but in most offices and even the secretariat do not have arrangement for ramps and this makes it difficult to call upon officers in these buildings,” she said.

Sangma on the other hand said that the government must ensure that the Government buildings in the newly created districts must be made assessable for all. “Please consider the accessibility factor for PWDs when you make these new buildings,” Sangma urged the Government.

Reiterating that “barriers must be removed to remove pain,” Celene said: “nothing should be decided about us without us.” She lamented that most of the Government decision are being made without taking into confidence the PWDs of the state. There are over 32000 PWDS in Meghalaya, according to the census data.

Another important factor relating to the PWDs is education. Celene said that most of the schools don’t have trained teachers to teach both the non-disable and disable students. “The schools must be inclusive under the PWD Act and teachers must be trained accordingly, especially for the hearing and visually impaired,” she pointed out.

MORE ATHLETES THAN FOUR OLYMPICS IN MEGHALAYA POLICE RECRUITMENT RALLY

There are more athletes here than in the London, Beijing, Athen and Sydney Olympics put together  and the competition is fierce where contestants are fighting it out in the grueling 10 km and 5.5 km race, day and night.

Welcome to the recruitment rally for the post of unarmed and armed police constables in Meghalaya police department. More than 45,000 candidates have submitted their form for about 1500 openings.

And with the recruitment process beginning from November 26, candidates from far-flung regions of the state are putting all their effort to run 10 kms in under one hour in the case of male candidates and 5.5 km in forty minutes for women candidates.

The test is being held every day and also in some instances in the night under flood lights, where about 1500 candidates are taking the grueling test daily in two centres, one at 1st Battalion, MLP Mawiong, East Khasi Hills district and the other at 2nd Battalion, MLP Goeragre, East Garo Hills district.

“The test begins at 10 am. We are able to take the test of about 1500 applicants in a day. The process would continue till the 45000 odd candidate takes their test. We are also conducting the test in the evening under lights or else we would not be able to complete the recruitment process on time,” BL Buam additional director general of police, said.

The Meghalaya police, Buam said, first printed 20,000 forms, but due to the overwhelming response, it printed another 20,000, but when that too was insufficient it decided to print 1.2 lakh forms and distributed across the state.

In the 10 km run for male candidates, the field at Mawiong represents a fierce battlefield where ambulances and medics are present with other policemen neatly queuing up rows of water bottles for the contestants who run 25 laps to complete 10 kms and 14 laps in the case of female candidates. In case of Goeragre the male candidates run 33 laps to complete 10 kms and 20 laps to complete 5.5 km for female candidates.

The candidates, moreover, have signed a bond that the board would not be held responsible in case of any eventuality and only those medically fit are encouraged to undergo the test.

The race again is being held with the help of advanced technology. Radio Frequency Identification tags are fitted on the contestants legs, which gives the exact timing of the runners from the start to the finish.

These are studied by experts and the contestants are given their result there and then. Those who qualify would be eligible to sit for the written test to be held later and those who don’t have to bid adieu.

 “We have done away with measurement of chest, and other eligibility requirement done previously such as high and long jump etc as it is felt that a contestant who can run 10 km (and 5.5 km for women) under one hour is medically fit enough to take up the rigours of a policemen,” Buam said.

Buam believes that the run would take another 15-20 days to be complete going by the number of applicants. The multiple choice written test would be on English grammar, science, arithmetic and general knowledge. The answer sheet would be optical mark recognition for quick and transparent evaluation.

Finally, the personal interviews would be held and the entire proceedings would be held on camera. “We want to do away with this fear of nepotism and biasness in the entire recruitment process,” Buam added.