Leader Writer: Paojel Chaoba
Recently a friend came back from abroad, after spending some weeks here. I was given a detail on how things which are supposed to be mandatory for a civilized society are much at lacking even in the State capital itself.
One at the foremost was the erratic power supply issue, the public is more than aware of the present status, sometimes it becomes a task to charge one’s mobile phone, carrying a mobile charger has become routine and to look at other localities or offices whether if power is there. All these just to charge a phone, the myriad ways that the commercial enterprises must be suffering are left to one’s imagination.
The effectiveness of the Power Department recently concluded drive also fails to address the woes of the public. The drive carried out had disconnected scores of lines of the defaulting consumers and arrested several persons for illegal connections, tariff were collected to the tune of several crores. But ,despite the supposed all out effort of the State Power Department has yielded but naught and the supply remains erratic as ever.
If we dig deeper and the concerned officials are approached for their departments non performance, the reason is always pointed towards one thing only,i.e. the prevailing law and order situation of the state.
It is observed that most of the top executives of the State may ride in fancy cars, have fabulous mansions and have numerous bank accounts with bulging balances, but they lack the air of a contented person. Most have a worn out and apprehensive look, truth be told, they cannot sleep with their gates open nor travel without security escort. And the blame for their condition is still on the law and order, the scare tactics and threats of the UGs.
The blame game is open to both sides, the officials on their part stating that the UG interference and extortion have affected the workings and proper implementation of many schemes aimed at public welfare, whereas the UGs also in their circulars charge the official of high corruption and the blame game continues.
It is pertinent to mention that the factionalism trend of the UG outfits still continues unabated and the extortionist approach sometimes gives the benefit of the doubt to the state officials.
It is heard in many occasions for the insurgent groups need to come under an administrative umbrella as they all have a common objective. A united front if emerged into reality would be beneficial to all. Their struggle for independence would gain momentum and it may be easier for the government to address a political solution which may come in the form of a plebiscite or otherwise. Moreover, public servants cannot blame their shortcomings to a vague splinter organization.
The State government also needs to come clean in addressing the insurgency issues and the recent surrender of PULF cadres which according to Tehelka Magazine was a farce is factually evident by the series of events in itself. If a media house based on its sources announces that a jailbreak will occur and so many prisoners including a high profile convict will escape on a particular date, and later if the jailbreak occurs. It clearly shows that the media house knows about the system working inside the jail and the weaknesses and covert schemes of the concerned jail authorities. Quoting a line from Reggae music legend Bob Marley, “You can fool some people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all of the time” should be acknowledged from all quarters that if the public stands up for their rights, then there will be no stopping them and they are not afraid to lay down their lives for the just cause. A significant example is the observation of the Great June Uprising Day which falls today. The 18 martyrs are the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice neither for money nor independence but for the real love of the land.
