A CORRESPONDENT
TURA: The young generation of the 50th North Tura constituency is unhappy with the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance Government (MDA), as many say that they are unable to access 4G internet connectivity properly. John Marak, a young voter from the North Tura constituency, said, “I love playing games on my Android mobile during my leisure time, even though I take a lot of information from the internet.” However, the lack of proper 4G connectivity has let me down. “So my expectations from the party that leads the government would be to ensure high-speed internet connectivity by installing towers, fibre cables, etc.” Marak also added that he came to know through the internet and social media and also from his friends that the Assam government provides lots of schemes like free scooters for meritorious female students besides various scholarships from time to time and also distributes laptops, tablets, etc. to the meritorious students. But in Meghalaya, no such scheme has been provided to the students. Brayan Marak, another college student, wished for better employment opportunities from the government that would be formed next month. “The Assam government recently started a mission mode to generate jobs for the young generation. “On the contrary, Meghalaya is yet to implement such schemes.” Ahead of the Meghalaya state assembly elections, mixed reactions have emerged over past governments in the 50 North Tura Constituency and the 51 South Tura Constituency under the West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya. Jagadish Thapa, a retired employee of the Meghalaya electricity board, said, “Previous governments have failed to live up to their pre-election promises.” “So now, we expect changes from the new government across various sectors.”
Grim K. Sangma (25 years old) from the Dakopgre area under the 51 South Tura Constituency, who sold water door to door with a Mahindra Pick-up, said, “In the South Tura Constituency area, most of the places are facing scarcity of water. I am selling 1500 litres of water for 800 to 900 rupees. “I am selling around 12000 litres of water daily.” Fleming R. Marak (18 years old) Williamnagar, who lives in a rented house in the Walbakgre area of the 51 South Tura Constituency and studies Bachelor in Computer Application at ICFAI University, says there is a lack of communication in the area. It takes him fifteen minutes to walk to the university, which is two kilometres from his rental house. But because of the lack of public buses, autorickshaws charge ten rupees one way. “If I spent 20 rupees for up and down from my college, then I had nothing for pocket money for having some food during college time.” “Most of the time, auto rickshaws also refuse to go due to the backward place,” added Marak. Fleming said, “Some students used to come to the university from around 7 kilometres away. But due to the lack of public buses, it is hard to reach the university. It takes 50 rupees one way from the Chandmari area to the university. He also added, “Software engineering is the aim of my life.” But here in this place, there are internet issues, like the JIO network having towers in nearby areas, but the 4G network is not working properly, so we are facing lots of problems during the programming class and practices.”
“Next month, Meghalaya people will get a new government, and I request the upcoming new government to develop the roads, bus connectivities, and internet connections, so that students will be relieved of those problems and we will move forward with more speed.” Pancheng Amfang Sangma (45 years) and his wife, Stella V. Marak, who come from a low-income family that collects water from streams in the hills, said they did not qualify for the central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which provides water to every household.
“We didn’t even get a PMAY house too.” “Now we hope to get a house and free water from the next upcoming government, along with job facilities.” Sangma added. It is to be mentioned that the family collects 32 buckets of water from streams in the Hawakhana area under the South Tura constituency every day to support their family. Bhanu Dey, a 70-year-old non-tribal voter from Belderpara in the 51 South Tura Constituency, stated that the previous government built roads in his area. Now they are also getting water and constant electricity. But the hope of the upcoming government is to increase the reservation for government jobs for non-tribals living in Meghalaya. Bhanu Dey also said that the government should establish engineering, medical, etc. colleges so that people of the Garo Hills get relief and students will complete their higher studies in their homeland and serve their state as well as the country. It is to be mentioned that Bhanu Dey runs a stationery shop in the PA Sangma Supermarket Complex. He also added that the government should construct bridges to control the traffic jam. “In the Tura market area, there is very little walking street as people establish roadside vendors, which creates traffic jams and poses problems for people walking in the market area, so the government should give them a place for varieties of vendors like vegetables and other items,” Dey added. It is to be mentioned that the 50 North Tura (ST) constituency has 34232 voters, which include 17164 males and 17068 females. On the other hand, the 51 South Tura Constituency (ST) has 33499 voters, which include 16362 male and 17137 female voters.
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