By: Adv. Kerlang Ksoo, Dkhiah West, East Jaintia Hills
With the election knocking at the door, the game of political play is however still being hosted dominantly by the ruling MDA coalition whose lack of effective governance have failed the people’s expectations and hope for a developed and progressive society. Countless issues are being witnessed and viewed since the alliance reign in 2018. The handicap nature of ruling by the government however seems to reflect and mirror personal gain and achievement for those in power. The public’s well being is usually at stake in many scenarios.
Jaiñtia Hills region is a region least developed by the government in both the districts. The government’s dream of 300 projects amidst the commemoration of the state’s golden jubilee year is just another infatuation for the people of the region. West Jaiñtia Hills District is still combating its garbage problem besides other major issues, particularly Jowai town being the epicenter of trade and commerce in the entire region is facing acute and chronic garbage syndrome that seems to have no permanent treatment or cure by the government at all.
Paradoxically, East Jaiñtia Hills District being a business district for those in powers has witnessed the political game being played in full swing. The district at a tender age of ten years from whence it was established, which in fact requires special attention in terms of development and administrative setup to run the overall progress of the public however fall victim to a regular and almost annual re-shuffling of administrators every now and then for the reasons best known to the government. In a span of four years, the district witnessed a total number of 4 Deputy Commissioners to run the administrative agendas in the district. Distinguished senior and experienced administrators like M.S. Lhuid, IAS, F.M. Dopth, IAS and E. Kharmalki, IAS despite being applauded and praised by the people of the district for their commitment and devotion in bringing development to the district at their capacity and projecting the district before others and most of all for their approachable and friendly nature with the public at all times besides being local. However, they lasted for a very short period in fact much shorter than what they even deserved to render their services to the district.
After a gap of two months or so when the district was left with no full fledged Deputy Commissioner, the government humorously out of the blue gave the district with somebody who is a ‘first timer’ in his capacity as the Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Chief Minister, doesn’t the district deserve a senior and an experienced bureaucrat to run the administrative business in the district? When both the DC and the SP of the district are non-local officers, how do you expect that the residents of the district will not have problems while approaching the administration? Does the government even think of the public while making a fuss all these years specifically for East Jaintia Hills? What sort of game is the government playing with the administrative setup in the district? Does the government seek administrative puppets in the district for its own gain rather than appointing real administrator?
As a concerned resident of the region, I urged the Chief Minister to focus on the well-being and progress of the district rather than launching a ‘One Year, One DC’ policy for the betterment of those in power. The district calls for an administrator who delivers for the public and who looks and understand the present scenario of the district and most of all who isn’t hesitant to go forward to develop and attend the major issues faced by the district at large.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of this organisation.
