Shillong, Aug 12: A meeting of concerned citizens was held in Shillong on 11 August, 2014 to threadbare discuss on issues and actions taken by the new NDA Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well on issues of concern, regionally and globally.
The concern society appreciative of the recent statement made by the Union Health Minister with regard to entry of Ebola into India through International Airports and that necessary preventive and corrective measures being undertaken to control and minimise its spread. However, the ground reality is just the opposite both in hospitals and airports.
Therefore, it is incumbent that advisory be issued and mass awareness drive be undertaken both at national and state levels whereby all medical institutions, i.e. hospitals, dispensaries, health centres and sub-centres, veterinary hospitals and dispensaries, particularly with regard to handling of pigs and monkeys as this disease is extremely contagious and spreads non-human to human to human and is very prevalent in tropical regions.
Many persons have died from Japanese encephalitis in rural Meghalaya, particularly in Ri Bhoi region and apparently, State’s health institutions have not been able to deal with this deadly disease. Therefore, it is incumbent that medical personnel be acquainted with this fatal disease as well, health centres and sub-centres be fully equipped with medicines and medical personnel on an emergency footing for any eventuality. Further, institutions like NEIGRIHMS should undertake immediate study and make recommendations to stop attack and spread of what is commonly known as ‘brain malaria’.
We appreciate the recent statement made by Honourable Prime Minister of India on ICAR Foundation Day to protect and promote India’s farmers’ interest. In this connection, we would reiterate that there should be a National Policy for Farmers taking into account, Minimum Support Price (MSP) of farm/agricultural produce and products, infrastructure development like roads, water supply, electricity, marketing, promoting organic farming and not dependant on genetically modified seeds as well, organic manure for sustainable farming, etc. Further, this policy should have a priority thrust for marginal and landless farmers.
We fully support India’s stand at the recent WTO meet, i.e. to keep in abeyance the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) unless and until the issue of food subsidy for the poor and marginal farmers is taken into active consideration.
At the same time, the existing Export – Import (exim) Policy needs to be reviewed so as to be Indian Exporters friendly and not otherwise.
We appreciate the statement made by India’s Union External Affairs Minister in Dhaka recently in that the present position of the Indo – Bangladesh border settlement needs to be reviewed.
In this context, while we welcome the initiative undertaken for border fencing and that the work is progressing but unfortunately, it has been found that the wall and fencing along Meghalaya’s portion, is being constructed on land belonging to the local people who are marginal farmers and when the work is completed, the land will automatically go to Bangladesh while the original land owners have not been compensated till date. Nobody explained to them of the implications and the final loss of their land but simply allowed such construction to be undertaken out of fear of government bureaucracy. This anomaly has to be rectified.
Further, construction of the border road along India’s side of the international border must be expedited so as to provide road transportation link of all border villages and setting up of ‘border haats’ will then be meaningful.
We appreciate very much with the call made on Hiroshima Day (06/08/2014) by Honourable Prime Minister, i.e. for all to come together and work for world peace. In this context, we would like to stress the fact that every person wants peace – social, racial, economic, political and spiritual and to effect true peace, all concerned must eschew the path of violence to the extent of dismantling the prevailing structures of violence at all levels and in every institution, stop arms manufacture, stockpiling and race, including nuclear and acts of terrorism, particularly on the innocent like the shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines plane, MI 17 in Eastern Ukraine, Palestine, whole Middle East conflict and in North East India, withdrawing draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 and so on and above all, ensuring peace and justice to one and all irrespective of ethnicity, religious belief, caste, social and economic status and gender, said Rev PBM Basaiawmoit.(SP News)
