Author Archives: TARIQ ABDULLAH

From Our Correspondent

From Our Correspondent

TURA, May 26: An MeECL employee lost his life on Monday while repairing electric lines near the Edenbari locality, on the outskirts of Tura in West Garo Hills.

The incident occurred when the lineman, identified as Dalbin Ch Momin, a resident of Megonggre under Edenbari, was atop an electric pole, repairing the lines when the entire line was suddenly made live. He was immediately burnt and died on the spot. His body was seen hanging from the same lines that he was repairing before it was later brought down by authorities.

Surprisingly, despite the death of an employee, who was amongst the top performers and responsible for the strategically important PHE line, no information on what took place and the cause of the accident has been notified by the MeECL.

Calls and messages to MeECL authorities, including the executive engineer, drew no response.

Netas, babus go on foreign visits

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, May 26: At a time when Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has directed all government departments to strictly follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s austerity drive — including slashing the size of vehicle convoys, cutting non-essential expenditure, and drastically reducing foreign travels — the message appears to have been conveniently discarded by many in his own government.

Despite clear instructions from the Chief Minister to “review and minimise all non-essential foreign travels” and to undertake only absolutely critical official visits in view of the state’s financial difficulties, ministers, MLAs, and senior bureaucrats continue to jet off abroad at will.

At a time when Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly called for financial discipline and asked ministers and officials across the country to avoid unnecessary foreign junkets to conserve foreign exchange, Meghalaya’s political and bureaucratic class seems to have received a special exemption.

Currently, Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma is in Canada attending the 16th Canadian Parliamentary Seminar along with senior officials.

Information and Public Relations Minister Lahkmen Rymbui is in France attending the glitzy Cannes Film Festival. A high-powered delegation of IAS officers, including Chief Secretary Shakeel P. Ahammed, Vijay Kumar, and C.V.D. Diengdoh, is currently in Argentina on a “Smart City Exposure Visit”.

Several other delegations are also reportedly touring different countries. Just weeks ago, a large group of officials returned from a training programme in London.

All these foreign tours, sources say, were cleared in advance by the Ministry of External Affairs.

However, this open defiance of both the Prime Minister’s and the Chief Minister’s austerity appeals has left many citizens shocked and angry. While the common man is repeatedly asked to tighten his belt and face continuous hikes in fuel and LPG prices, the state’s elite lot continues to enjoy lavish foreign excursions — apparently treating international travel as an essential perk rather than a luxury.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, during his recent five-nation tour to the UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy (May 15–20, 2026), had once again urged restraint on non-essential foreign travel.

Yet in Meghalaya, the austerity drive seems to apply only to ground-level measures like smaller convoys, while foreign junkets remain untouched.

The big question remains: Why this selective relaxation for Meghalaya?

IN LOVING MEMORY

(1st March 1954 – 25th May 2026)

S/o (L) Delipson Pyngrope and (L) Jensimai Nongbet

It is with deep sadness that we mourn the peaceful passing of our beloved father and grandfather on 25th May 2026, at his family home in Oxford Hills, Dunoon Compound, Shillong.

He served with distinction as Retired Assistant Commissioner of Taxes.

FUNERAL SERVICE

Date & Time: 28th May 2026, 2:00 p.m.

Location: All Saints Cemetery, Lumshatsngi

BEREAVED FAMILY

Wife: Mrs. Deibiangshisha Mary Blah

Children:

– Daniela Della Blah

– Mark Roger Blah

– Ivannah Easter Blah

– Dannette Mary Blah

Sons in law and daughter in law and all cherished grandchildren.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.” – Psalm 116:15 –

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the signing of the framework on securing supplies of mining and processing of critical minerals on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (PTI) See P-5

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PTI

By Forwardman Nongrem

By Forwardman Nongrem

The recent national education rankings placing Meghalaya at the bottom among all Indian States and Union Territories should not merely be viewed as an embarrassing statistic. It should instead be treated as a serious warning regarding the future of an entire generation of students whose right to quality education is gradually being undermined by systemic failures, administrative negligence, and lack of accountability.

According to reports based on the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 released by the Union Ministry of Education, Meghalaya ranked 36th out of 36 States and Union Territories in overall school education performance. The report highlighted severe shortcomings in learning outcomes, school infrastructure, governance mechanisms, teacher training, and educational accessibility. Particularly alarming were reports indicating that hundreds of schools reportedly have zero enrolment while thousands operate with only single-digit student attendance.

These figures expose a troubling contradiction. Meghalaya possesses thousands of schools and a large teaching workforce, yet educational standards continue to decline. This raises serious concerns regarding policy implementation, resource allocation, monitoring systems, and the effectiveness of educational administration at various levels.

Education is not merely another department of governance; it is the constitutional backbone of social justice, equality, and human development. Article 21A of the Constitution of India guarantees every child the Right to Education. Furthermore, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 obligates the State to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality education. When educational systems repeatedly fail, the issue extends beyond administrative inefficiency and becomes a constitutional and moral concern.

The crisis is especially severe in rural and remote areas of Meghalaya, where many students continue to study in schools lacking proper classrooms, sanitation facilities, libraries, laboratories, internet access, and adequate teaching materials. In many villages, students walk long distances merely to access basic schooling, only to encounter institutions struggling with poor infrastructure and limited academic support.

The decline in educational performance also threatens the long-term socio-economic future of the State. Poor educational outcomes directly affect employment opportunities, competitive examinations, higher education prospects, and overall human resource development. Without urgent reforms, Meghalaya risks widening the gap between its youth and the rapidly evolving educational standards seen elsewhere in the country.

However, criticism alone will not solve the crisis. The present situation demands practical, transparent, and long-term corrective measures.

The Government must immediately prioritize foundational literacy and numeracy at the primary level. Many students progress to higher classes without acquiring basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. Special learning recovery programmes must therefore be introduced, particularly in rural and underperforming schools.

There is also an urgent need for rational deployment of teachers. Currently, some schools remain understaffed while others have surplus personnel. Teacher postings must be made transparent, balanced, and based on necessity rather than influence or convenience. Rural schools deserve equal educational attention and quality teaching support.

Strict monitoring mechanisms must also be introduced. Schools with zero or extremely low enrolment should undergo detailed review and restructuring. Educational authorities must conduct regular inspections and publish transparent performance assessments of schools and district educational administrations.

Infrastructure development is equally critical. Many schools still lack proper classrooms, drinking water, electricity, digital access, toilets, laboratories, and libraries. Educational development cannot occur in the absence of basic facilities. Rural students deserve the same educational standards and opportunities available to students in urban areas.

Teacher training and accountability must also be strengthened. Regular professional training programmes should focus on modern teaching methods, digital education, and student-centred learning approaches. Simultaneously, negligence, absenteeism, corruption, and misuse of educational funds must invite strict disciplinary action.

Community participation is another essential element of educational reform. Parents, village communities, School Managing Committees, student organizations, and civil society groups must actively participate in improving educational standards. Education cannot improve through government efforts alone; it requires collective social responsibility.

The State must also expand digital education and technological accessibility. Smart classrooms, internet connectivity, and digital learning resources should be extended to remote and rural regions so that students are not left behind in the modern educational era.

To reduce dropout rates, the Government should strengthen scholarship schemes, transportation support, counselling services, vocational education, and student welfare programmes, especially for economically disadvantaged families.

Most importantly, education must be protected from political favouritism, corruption, and administrative manipulation. Appointments, transfers, and educational decisions must be based strictly on merit, legality, transparency, and public interest.

The Government of Meghalaya should therefore launch a transparent and time-bound Educational Recovery Mission with measurable targets, independent monitoring mechanisms, and public progress reports.

The students of Meghalaya are not lacking in talent or potential. They are victims of a weakened educational system that has failed to provide adequate support and opportunities. Given proper infrastructure, quality teaching, accountability, and sincere governance, the youth of Meghalaya can compete with the best in the country.

The present crisis should therefore become a turning point. Meghalaya must stop accepting poor educational outcomes as normal. The future of the State depends not on political speeches or statistical presentations, but on the quality of education delivered to its children today. Unless immediate and sincere reforms are implemented, the consequences will be dire.

(PTI)

MUMBAI, May 26: The rupee depreciated 44 paise to close at 95.70 against the US dollar on Tuesday, on renewed geo-political tensions in West Asia and a rise in crude oil prices.

Forex traders said a strong US dollar and weak domestic markets also pressured the rupee.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.43 against the US dollar, and touched an intra-day high of 95.33 and a low of 95.76 against the American currency.

At the end of Tuesday’s close, the rupee was quoted at 95.70, down 44 paise from its previous closing.

On Monday, the rupee gained 34 paise to close at 95.26 against the US dollar with the RBI selling dollars and keeping the rupee well bid at all upper levels.

Forex traders said the rupee remains vulnerable to rising crude oil prices and the strength of the American currency in the overseas market.

The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading at 99.05, down 0.19 per cent.

By Toki Blah

By Toki Blah

The unfortunate and un- timely passing away of (L) Dr Ricky Syngkon, Lok Sabha member from Shillong constituency on Feb 19, 2026 left a gaping void in Megha- laya’s political milieu. The Lok Sabha vacancy be left behind now needs to be filled up and till the writing of this op-ed, three potential candi- dates, from three prominent political parties have an- nounced their candidature and intention of contesting his vacant Shillong MP seat. No doubt other parties will soon follow suit with their own candidates. That is the easy part. The daunting nature of the exercise lies in identifying a candidate acceptable to the electorate and public acceptance will go a long way to fill the Dr Synkon’s shoes. Dr Synkon belonged to that rare breed of politicians whom the common man looked up to. A people’s representative whom one somehow radiated that sense of ethics, sincerity and val- ue-based politics that is in such short supply among Meghalaya politicians. It’s the type of leadership Me- ghalaya needs and has been in search of. Candidate selec- tion is therefore going to be a tough call, for besides the above-mentioned qualities the element of sympathy vot- ing also has to be taken into consideration. The content of this writeup will therefore from on (1) how to, without prejudice to any candidate or party, assist the electorate, in electing the type of person Meghalaya needs to send to Parliament (2) create aware- ness as to the duties and re- sponsibilities expected of an elected MP from the Shillong Constituency.

In the coming MP elec- tions, although everyone will deny it, money will definitely play a role as it usually does. To point bewailing this un- avoidable fact. This write-up therefore will not waste time deliberating on a socio-po- litical malaise that everyone pretends is not there. Instead, let us talk about the expecta- tions, both social and politi- cal that people expect from their MP and as a corollary to that, the official duties and responsibilities the elected MP has towards those who elected him to power. The contest usually proceeds in the following manner. Once the name of a candidate is announced for any election, his/her disposition and tem- perament, personal lifestyle, personal history, attitude towards others, especially the poor, form hot topics for

public discussion. The main points usually debated upon are the attitude and conduct of the candidate in his/her so- cial interactions with others. Humility, the trait Dr Synkon displayed with such natural ease of which Ellerine Di- engdoh highlighted in her article titled “The Sound of Silence”, ST 22nd May is a definite advantage. Academic qualification is another plus point because we have learnt from the past that MPs who are comfortable with English are better equipped in driving home a point on the floor of Parliament. Being solicitous and compassionate; ready to help; ready to walk the walk of the poor and the marginal- ized is another quality that the electorate admire and expect from their representa- tive. A candidate who man- ages to emerge unscathed through this unofficial pre- poll, public screening will enter the fray with an edge over others.

“It’s the type of leadership Meghalaya needs and has been in search of. Candidate selection is therefore going to be a tough call, for besides the above-mentioned qualities the element of sympathy voting also has to be taken into consideration.”

Once elected, the tenure of an MP is usually for 5 years. During that time he either sits with the treasury or the opposition. Everyone knows this. The sad part however is the fact that most of us remain ignorant of what exactly is a MP supposed to do. Actually, the onus placed on an MP is quite intense and heavy as he represents people at three overlapping levels. First at the constitu- ency level. In our case the Shillong Constituency that comprises both the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. At this level he is expected to raise issues that impact the constituency he represents. The Shillong MP raising the question of inclusion of the Khasi Lan- guage in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution is an example. Secondly, he also represents the state he comes from. The MP from Shillong standing up in Parliament to flag the seriousness of the border dispute with Assam and to call for Central inter- vention on the matter, is what Meghalaya expects its MP to do. Thirdly he automatically also represents the nation as a whole, irrespective of wheth- er he belongs to the treasury benches or the opposition. This inclusive character of

our democracy is usually displayed when delegations of MPs are sent abroad to ad- vocate core interest issues of India. Such delegations are multi party in nature and can even be led by an opposition member, the latest example of which are the delegations sent to various countries after Operation Sindoor.

Let us therefore assume that by late 2026 we would have elected and secured an MP seat for a person we be- lieve is best qualified to rep- resent us in Parliament. Now what do we expect him to do in New Delhi? It’s a cheeky impertinent question to ask but it has to be asked for the simple reason that most of us view our MPs simply as money bags elected to dis- perse the MPLADS funds. That of course is ridiculous for, the MP we send to Delhi must possess a world view that is in tune with Megha- laya’s needs. The (L) GG Swell as Deputy Speaker of Parliament did once com- ment on the qualifications and ability of a rival MP candidate with the caustic remark “Un leit leh aiu sha Delhi? Un leit leh diena?”(“ What does he expect to do in Delhi? Sell hot gram by the wayside?”) Malicious no doubt but true!

So aside from the de- mand for ILP and inclusion of Khasi language in the 8th Schedule, there is also the bigger picture of what Meghalaya needs to obtain from the Center. Our MP should have the intellectual capability and oratory skills to shift parliamentary focus on Meghalaya’s rural devel- opment where 75% of our population reside. He should be able to leverage Central schemes on issues such as agro-processing; value addi- tion to agricultural products; urge upon the center for studies on how our small marginal hill-side-farmers can create adequate econo- mies of scale production to enable Meghalaya’s agro products to compete in the open market.

Speaking of markets let us also create awareness at the Center of the need for an alternate people’s market based on the lewduh model. I

am not speaking of malls but of a much wider marketing complex where between My- New Shillong needs to create relief to a conges- lated and stressed city. Such a market should for small scale local preneurs (lewduh) to It will provide local opportunities; decon- Shillong and improve cal economy. Can the KHADC cannot be in such an enterpris-

The Shillong MP also have the skills to ize and bond with the even if they don’t the political side of Friendship with other mentary colleagues pushing Meghalaya even with MPs who nothing about our er issues our MP troduce in Parliam- seemingly impossi- improving Shillo- congestion. There technologies deve- cifically to introd- urban transport. B- such improvement Central assistance boon for all concer-

Then there is to is now officially a the state’s biggest engine. Space pre- from naming all th- areas and places await developmen- take Umiam lake a ple. It has all the po- attracting tourists. hypocrisy and dec- the first order if w- 5-star tourism inf- in and round the leaving its water dirty, polluted and mised as it is toda-

Today Umiam the world’s bigges- fed with raw sewag- bage from both the and the Umkhrah. a waterbody that natural ecosystem into a stagnant, tox-

need a MP who vince the highest in both the Urban and DONER M- Delhi for a comp- Umiam Ecotourist tion project at the In conclusion ma- person for Shillon- opment carry the c- counting.

THE central government and the oil marketing companies are into a game of their own. Fuel prices are steadily being increased in recent days, with the hikes totalling about Rs.10 while more raises are only to be expected. While it is understandable that the Iran War has its impact on global crude prices, it would look appear as if the Government and the oil companies are turning this adversity into an opportunity to sharply raise fuel prices. Raising the prices in one go would have invited strong protests. But the repeated small raises have become a huge burden on the common man. Clearly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi created the necessary conditions for this by magnifying the adversity through a call to the people to reduce travel etc.

Raising fuel prices is an invitation to larger problems in the form of a massive rise in the price of essential goods for daily use as also of materials for construction etc., on the pretext that their transportation costs have spiralled. This is happening across the board for no good reason. Traders are game raising prices on their own as they have sufficient excuses in the form of a governmental warning to the people vis-a-vis the consequences of a war that was fought elsewhere. The resultant inflationary pressure is having serious consequences on the national economy and on people’s lives. Government employees could remain unaffected by inflationary trends as they get matching periodic raises in their pay packets. The common man’s struggle, it would appear, is not the governments’ concern. Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman’s invocation of a “loss of Rs.1 lakh crore to the exchequer due to the cuts in excise duty on fuel” is only one part of the big story. She hides the other part.

What should not go unnoticed in this context is the fact that the central government had not reduced the prices of diesel and petrol, other than a negligible amount of one or two rupees, for the past several years even as global crude prices fell by half since 2014. Apparently, the Modi Government took a heavy cut from the profits thereof for all these years to majorly swell the national exchequer. While the people were taken for a sweet ride, the national economy remained in robust mood thanks to these huge earnings to the national coffers. Perhaps the only reason for the feel-good economic growth story was this, coupled with the huge earnings from the implementation of the GST. This helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi to run the government in an effortless manner, while the economies of neighbouring Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal nosedived, resulting in anti-government protests. Be that as it may, the central government is now duty-bound to plough back a share of what it unduly earned from the oil marketing segment, and allow the oil prices to stabilize irrespective of the global headwinds. At a time when people are struggling to cope with the abrupt rise in prices of essentials and other commodities, the government come to their help and avoid creating conditions for a further uncontrolled rise in prices across the board.

(AP) MONTREAL, May 25: Kimi Antonelli went from furious to victorious. A day after clashing with Mercedes teammate George Russell in a heated sprint race, the 19-year-old Italian star won a wild Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday for his fourth straight victory. Russell dropped out with an engine failure after the title-chasing Mercedes duo put on a show in a thrilling fight through 30 laps, trading the lead several times and coming dangerously close to making contact. Then trouble struck for Russell, giving Antonelli a clear path to the finish – and a commanding championship lead. Antonelli finished more than 10 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton. The spotlight shifted to two longtime rivals once Russell’s day ended, with Hamilton chasing down Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in a throwback to 2021. The seven-time world champion finally overtook Verstappen for second with six laps to go in cold and windy conditions at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for his best result since joining Ferrari last year.

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