SHILLONG: There is outrage in matrilineal Meghalaya over a sexist comment made by Andhra Pradesh police chief V Dinesh Reddy that it was the dress a woman wears which determines how safe they are.
"We are surprised over the statement of Andhra director general of police, who mentioned that women are the main cause of rape because of the way they dress," a statement issued by the Civil Society Women's Organization (CSWO) here said.
"What about minors? Three-year-olds and 5-year-olds, what about them?" the CSWO asked in an apparent reference to rampant rapes of minor girls. Agnes Kharshiing of CSWO said, "He (Andhra DGP) is covering up for the laziness of cops entrusted with investigation and their connivance with the perpetrators to make money."
She added, "Most rape cases do not get convictions due to faulty investigation. There are cases where even medical reports are tampered with to help the accused." The CSWO said the statement of Andhra DGP only shows that his force is against women and with the perpetrators.
"We expect the National Commission for Women to take note of this statement, which encourages rape," the CSWO added. Andhra Pradesh DGP V Dinesh Reddy on Friday said one of the factors responsible was modern women's preference for fashionable dresses like salwar kameezes.
"Rapes and murders are not strictly under the control of police. People are turning out to be more fashionable nowadays. Even in villages, they are wearing salwar kameezes. All these lead to provocations and this cannot be under the control of police," the DGP said evoking strong condemnation throughout the country.
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Monday, 26 December 2011
Shillong partakes of the food of love on Boxing Day
SHILLONG: It's Boxing Day and besides opening boxes full of Christmas gifts it's time for grand feasts in the predominantly Christian-inhabited Meghalaya.
The Feast of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is observed on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas. Alms boxes are placed in every church on Christmas Day, in which worshippers drop gifts for the poor of the parish; these boxes are opened on Boxing Day.
Churches of various denominations in the city are organizing community feasts, which would continue up to the New Year's Eve. "Christmas is a time for sharing your blessings and caring for people cutting across barriers of community and religion. It is a time to spread the message of love and peace among all and what better way to do so than to organize community feasts," says a church elder.
Popular as 'Bam Khana Krismas' in local parlance, these community feasts are occasions of merrymaking and rejoicing, with people from all walks of life and socio-economic classes sharing food prepared in a common kitchen.
Dotted with churches and chapels, the 'Scotland of East' is agog with festivity this time of the year with street corners and households illuminated with fairy lights.
Meanwhile, with state government offices remaining closed for Christmas and New Year, Pine City these days is also a city of leisure with people draped in warm woolens mostly having fun with family and friends indoors to beat the sharp winter chill.
While offices are scheduled to reopen in the first week of January, schools, colleges and other educational institutions would begin reopening from mid-February after a long winter vacation.
The Feast of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is observed on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas. Alms boxes are placed in every church on Christmas Day, in which worshippers drop gifts for the poor of the parish; these boxes are opened on Boxing Day.
Churches of various denominations in the city are organizing community feasts, which would continue up to the New Year's Eve. "Christmas is a time for sharing your blessings and caring for people cutting across barriers of community and religion. It is a time to spread the message of love and peace among all and what better way to do so than to organize community feasts," says a church elder.
Popular as 'Bam Khana Krismas' in local parlance, these community feasts are occasions of merrymaking and rejoicing, with people from all walks of life and socio-economic classes sharing food prepared in a common kitchen.
Dotted with churches and chapels, the 'Scotland of East' is agog with festivity this time of the year with street corners and households illuminated with fairy lights.
Meanwhile, with state government offices remaining closed for Christmas and New Year, Pine City these days is also a city of leisure with people draped in warm woolens mostly having fun with family and friends indoors to beat the sharp winter chill.
While offices are scheduled to reopen in the first week of January, schools, colleges and other educational institutions would begin reopening from mid-February after a long winter vacation.
Take Shelter: Inheritance, Surveillance and Being Normal
by Katie Featherstone, School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, Cardiff University
Inheritance (of land, fortune, title) and inheritance of madness is a common plot device and this film gives a contemporary take on this story. The key themes I want to discuss are inheritance and surveillance, but also the competing versions of being ‘normal’ presented and challenged throughout the film.
Inheritance and Surveillance
The risk of inheritance of major mental illness and the silent surveillance of Curtis by the couples friends, their family and their wider community and importantly by Curtis himself, runs through the film. I am a sociologist of medicine, and I am particularly interested in how people make sense of genetic illness and risk. My detailed ethnographic study Risky Relations: Family and kinship in the era of new genetics (2006) examines the ways in which individuals and families respond to having a genetic risk, and the ways in which they disclose this risk of disease to other family members. Genetic conditions lead to alertness and monitoring in various ways and in this monograph we identify processes of ‘mutual surveillance’ among family members:
• Older family members observe the next generation in order to try to detect early signs of the condition ‘coming out’ in them.
• Similarly, if they are aware of the familial nature of the condition, members of the younger generation survey their older relatives, in order to try to assess their own possible fate.
Importantly, they all search for patterns to assess how the condition affects their own particular family, the onset and early signs of the condition and how it manifests and progresses within their family.
From the aftermath of his first dream Curtis surveys himself for the signs of the onset of the mental illness that affected his mother at a similar age (30’s). Every time his wife, closest friend and brother ask ‘Are you OK?’ he gives no indication of his underlying anxiety, but tries to cope and manage on his own, seeing his GP and counselor in secret. In response, his wife, their friends and community silently watch him. Even his GP when he discloses what to him is possibly his most embarrassing symptom (bed wetting), just asks ‘have you seen your mother recently?’ No one mentions the possible diagnosis that is clearly in all their minds (onset of mental illness) and they all watch and worry in silence.
It is also typical that family members worry about onset at a similar age- he has reached the same age as his mother developed her mental illness. Beliefs about who is ‘at risk’ within the family often follow social rather than biological patterns of transmission. The assessments of clinical professionals are often assimilated into the broader systems of belief and practice that form the context of ideas about kinship and inheritance. In one of the final scenes, the psychiatrist tells Curtis he needs to ‘commit to treatment’ and to enter a treatment facility, this mirrors both the onset of his mothers condition, but also her fate: following onset and diagnosis she was hospitalised and became institutionalised for the rest of her life. For me, this seems to tap into Curtis’s deepest fears.
We do not need genetic science to provide us with a general sense of biological relatedness or to tell us that risk of disease can be transmitted through families (for example, Haemophilia and the royal families of Europe) or that there are strong cultural beliefs that traits such as talents and aspects of personality are inherited. In the film, these more general beliefs about inheritance are played out during the play date, where the women discuss the fate of the tiny baby with them: he is destined to be just like his father- drinking beer and going to bars every night. My own work examines Mendelian genetic conditions, however, work has yet to be done to examine the ways in which individuals and families make sense of more complex multi-factoral conditions such as the major mental illness, that have more complex patterns of familial risk.
The wonderful ambiguity throughout this film means that we always question whether Curtis is experiencing the onset of mental illness or is it something else? Is he a prophet? or is he expressing a deep anxiety about being abandoned? We find out that his father (who brought him up) has recently died and his mother abandoned him in a car when he was a child. The shelter may be a way of shoring up his world, he repeatedly states throughout the film that he won’t leave his wife or daughter.
Being Normal
Reality is contested through the film. The first scene is a very Norman Rockwell scene of Curtis standing in his yard with the picket fence and pick-up truck. As his friend says, he has the ‘perfect life’ in the context of this blue collar Mid-Western world. It is ‘normal’ but only one version of it. But it is also an apple pie fantasy of a small town world. However, as he starts to get ill, he is seen as stepping out of line and the clear message from the community is that he does not fit in.
In return, he also imposes a world on them. This is the God fearing bible belt of America and we see this in his father-in-law’s damning statement that Curits does not attend church. But Curtis in turn, also imposes another world on them; he becomes a prophet warning them of Armageddon.
For me, the most powerful scene is the oyster bake, which encapsulates so many of the key themes. The family are trying to function as normal, as the wife puts it she wants them to have a normal family night out. But as they sit down to enjoy the meal, all the eyes of the community are on them - silent surveillance of him – and importantly they sit apart. His best friend confronts him and makes it clear he no longer belongs there. They fight and no one intervenes and as he is covered in food the community keeps silent whilst he accuses them of believing he is mentally ill. Then the tone changes dramatically - his speech turns into a sermon warning of Armageddon and of fire and brimstone, dispensed from the pulpit. The community who are still silently watching him from their seats become more akin to a scared flock- his language now holds a resonance for this God fearing community and they look scared. Curtis turns to his wife who looks at him not in fear, but in horror at what is happening to them. The three of them (Curtis, his wife and daughter) hold each other and leave this silent ever-watching audience and their isolation from the community becomes very clear.
I love the ambiguous ending. In the final scene they are having the holiday at the beach house that the wife has saved for and fantasized about throughout the film. Yet even here the family are alone and isolated: the house looks the same, the routines are the same: she cooks in a similar kitchen and he plays with their daughter on the beach instead of the backyard. No one else can be seen. For the first time others see the storm coming- the daughter (who sees it first) and his wife. Is he a prophet, a modern Noah who’s vision saves his family, is this another dream or has his psychosis spread to Folie a deux for this family now isolated, shunned and set adrift by their community.
References
Featherstone K, Atkinson P, Bharadwaj A, Clarke AJ. (2006) Risky Relations: Family and kinship in the era of new genetics. Oxford: Berg.
Inheritance and Surveillance
The risk of inheritance of major mental illness and the silent surveillance of Curtis by the couples friends, their family and their wider community and importantly by Curtis himself, runs through the film. I am a sociologist of medicine, and I am particularly interested in how people make sense of genetic illness and risk. My detailed ethnographic study Risky Relations: Family and kinship in the era of new genetics (2006) examines the ways in which individuals and families respond to having a genetic risk, and the ways in which they disclose this risk of disease to other family members. Genetic conditions lead to alertness and monitoring in various ways and in this monograph we identify processes of ‘mutual surveillance’ among family members:
• Older family members observe the next generation in order to try to detect early signs of the condition ‘coming out’ in them.
• Similarly, if they are aware of the familial nature of the condition, members of the younger generation survey their older relatives, in order to try to assess their own possible fate.
Importantly, they all search for patterns to assess how the condition affects their own particular family, the onset and early signs of the condition and how it manifests and progresses within their family.
From the aftermath of his first dream Curtis surveys himself for the signs of the onset of the mental illness that affected his mother at a similar age (30’s). Every time his wife, closest friend and brother ask ‘Are you OK?’ he gives no indication of his underlying anxiety, but tries to cope and manage on his own, seeing his GP and counselor in secret. In response, his wife, their friends and community silently watch him. Even his GP when he discloses what to him is possibly his most embarrassing symptom (bed wetting), just asks ‘have you seen your mother recently?’ No one mentions the possible diagnosis that is clearly in all their minds (onset of mental illness) and they all watch and worry in silence.
It is also typical that family members worry about onset at a similar age- he has reached the same age as his mother developed her mental illness. Beliefs about who is ‘at risk’ within the family often follow social rather than biological patterns of transmission. The assessments of clinical professionals are often assimilated into the broader systems of belief and practice that form the context of ideas about kinship and inheritance. In one of the final scenes, the psychiatrist tells Curtis he needs to ‘commit to treatment’ and to enter a treatment facility, this mirrors both the onset of his mothers condition, but also her fate: following onset and diagnosis she was hospitalised and became institutionalised for the rest of her life. For me, this seems to tap into Curtis’s deepest fears.
We do not need genetic science to provide us with a general sense of biological relatedness or to tell us that risk of disease can be transmitted through families (for example, Haemophilia and the royal families of Europe) or that there are strong cultural beliefs that traits such as talents and aspects of personality are inherited. In the film, these more general beliefs about inheritance are played out during the play date, where the women discuss the fate of the tiny baby with them: he is destined to be just like his father- drinking beer and going to bars every night. My own work examines Mendelian genetic conditions, however, work has yet to be done to examine the ways in which individuals and families make sense of more complex multi-factoral conditions such as the major mental illness, that have more complex patterns of familial risk.
The wonderful ambiguity throughout this film means that we always question whether Curtis is experiencing the onset of mental illness or is it something else? Is he a prophet? or is he expressing a deep anxiety about being abandoned? We find out that his father (who brought him up) has recently died and his mother abandoned him in a car when he was a child. The shelter may be a way of shoring up his world, he repeatedly states throughout the film that he won’t leave his wife or daughter.
Being Normal
Reality is contested through the film. The first scene is a very Norman Rockwell scene of Curtis standing in his yard with the picket fence and pick-up truck. As his friend says, he has the ‘perfect life’ in the context of this blue collar Mid-Western world. It is ‘normal’ but only one version of it. But it is also an apple pie fantasy of a small town world. However, as he starts to get ill, he is seen as stepping out of line and the clear message from the community is that he does not fit in.
In return, he also imposes a world on them. This is the God fearing bible belt of America and we see this in his father-in-law’s damning statement that Curits does not attend church. But Curtis in turn, also imposes another world on them; he becomes a prophet warning them of Armageddon.
For me, the most powerful scene is the oyster bake, which encapsulates so many of the key themes. The family are trying to function as normal, as the wife puts it she wants them to have a normal family night out. But as they sit down to enjoy the meal, all the eyes of the community are on them - silent surveillance of him – and importantly they sit apart. His best friend confronts him and makes it clear he no longer belongs there. They fight and no one intervenes and as he is covered in food the community keeps silent whilst he accuses them of believing he is mentally ill. Then the tone changes dramatically - his speech turns into a sermon warning of Armageddon and of fire and brimstone, dispensed from the pulpit. The community who are still silently watching him from their seats become more akin to a scared flock- his language now holds a resonance for this God fearing community and they look scared. Curtis turns to his wife who looks at him not in fear, but in horror at what is happening to them. The three of them (Curtis, his wife and daughter) hold each other and leave this silent ever-watching audience and their isolation from the community becomes very clear.
I love the ambiguous ending. In the final scene they are having the holiday at the beach house that the wife has saved for and fantasized about throughout the film. Yet even here the family are alone and isolated: the house looks the same, the routines are the same: she cooks in a similar kitchen and he plays with their daughter on the beach instead of the backyard. No one else can be seen. For the first time others see the storm coming- the daughter (who sees it first) and his wife. Is he a prophet, a modern Noah who’s vision saves his family, is this another dream or has his psychosis spread to Folie a deux for this family now isolated, shunned and set adrift by their community.
References
Featherstone K, Atkinson P, Bharadwaj A, Clarke AJ. (2006) Risky Relations: Family and kinship in the era of new genetics. Oxford: Berg.
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Christmas celebrated with fervour in Meghalaya
Shillong, Dec 26 (IANS) Christians in Meghalaya Sunday celebrated Christmas with fervour and spirit, exchanging greetings and gifts with friends and relatives.
Bishops and pastors led services and delivered sermons in various cathedrals and churches of different Christian denominations in the capital, Shillong.
Archbishop of Shillong Archdiocese, Reverend Dominic Jala presided the midnight Christmas mass at the Mary Help of Christian Cathedral here.
In his sermon, Jala appealed to people to uphold the ideals of universal love and brotherhood.
All churches, missionary schools and institutions were also decorated with colourful buntings and lights.
Exchange of greetings and gifts, visits to relatives, games and sports among children and community feasts marked celebrations across the state where over 80% of the population is Christian.
Leaders of various political parties have greeted the people on the occasion of Christmas.
Meghalaya Governor R S Mooshahary said that the spirit of Christmas brings peace, happiness and joy to every home.
Bishops and pastors led services and delivered sermons in various cathedrals and churches of different Christian denominations in the capital, Shillong.
Archbishop of Shillong Archdiocese, Reverend Dominic Jala presided the midnight Christmas mass at the Mary Help of Christian Cathedral here.
In his sermon, Jala appealed to people to uphold the ideals of universal love and brotherhood.
All churches, missionary schools and institutions were also decorated with colourful buntings and lights.
Exchange of greetings and gifts, visits to relatives, games and sports among children and community feasts marked celebrations across the state where over 80% of the population is Christian.
Leaders of various political parties have greeted the people on the occasion of Christmas.
Meghalaya Governor R S Mooshahary said that the spirit of Christmas brings peace, happiness and joy to every home.
Friday, 23 December 2011
What's sucking Meghalaya's famed oranges dry
Shillong, Dec 24 : They have in the past been certified as the "best, sweet and juicy oranges" by Central horticulture authorities. But the famed Khasi Mandarin oranges of Meghalaya are under threat from pests and outside varieties of the fruit.
Khasi Mandarin is grown on the southern slopes of Wahkhen Mawphu and Nongsteng villages, among others, in the sub-division of Sohra, previously known as Cherrapunji, in the East Khasi Hills district.
"But fruit sucking moths (Othresis fullonica) are destroying oranges and making cultivation economically unviable," said Herman Sanlyngdoh, an orange farmer from Nongsteng. Other farmers echoed similar concern. "We need government help to save our orchards," urged another grower of the citrus fruit from Sohra.
Meghalaya produces 40,000 tonnes of oranges annually, about five percent of the country's total.
Meghalaya Horticulture Director CO Rangad said Khasi Mandarin and other variety of oranges being grown in various parts of Meghalaya were under attack by two types of pests. "One insect known as aphid destroys the orange leaves and another insect known as shot border attacks the stem of the orange tree," he said.
Also most worrying is the use by farmers of orange saplings from outside Meghalaya, he said. "This is a worrying trend. Our farmers should realise that the mixture of saplings from within the State and from outside is a major threat to the identity of our own variety," Rangad said.
Orange growers were tempted to buy saplings from places outside Meghalaya because of lower price as compared to the good quality saplings being supplied by the Meghalaya horticulture department. "Our homegrown sapling is priced Rs 7.50 but the price of one sapling from outside is between Rs 1-3 and that's why our farmers are buying orange saplings from outside, causing a major threat to the identity of our own Khasi Mandarin oranges," said the government horticulturist.
On government steps being taken to ensure that farmers bought Khasi Mandarin saplings, Rangad said the 13th Finance Commission recently awarded Rs.30 crore for Meghalaya to set up two planting material hubs for different types of horticultural saplings, including oranges - one in East Khasi Hills and another in East Garo Hills district.
"Out of Rs 30 crore, Rs 5 crore will be utilised for orange saplings since the government did not want to encourage orange growers in the state to buy saplings from outside," Rangad added.
The government is also advising orange growers to follow the latest growing methods in order to prevent attacks by insects. "We have asked the farmers to strictly follow the pest control and other sustainable ways, besides supplying sufficient manure to increase the productivity of the orchards. Most of them did not follow the scientific methods which prevent the orange trees from attack by insects," Rangad said.
Khasi Mandarin is grown on the southern slopes of Wahkhen Mawphu and Nongsteng villages, among others, in the sub-division of Sohra, previously known as Cherrapunji, in the East Khasi Hills district.
"But fruit sucking moths (Othresis fullonica) are destroying oranges and making cultivation economically unviable," said Herman Sanlyngdoh, an orange farmer from Nongsteng. Other farmers echoed similar concern. "We need government help to save our orchards," urged another grower of the citrus fruit from Sohra.
Meghalaya produces 40,000 tonnes of oranges annually, about five percent of the country's total.
Meghalaya Horticulture Director CO Rangad said Khasi Mandarin and other variety of oranges being grown in various parts of Meghalaya were under attack by two types of pests. "One insect known as aphid destroys the orange leaves and another insect known as shot border attacks the stem of the orange tree," he said.
Also most worrying is the use by farmers of orange saplings from outside Meghalaya, he said. "This is a worrying trend. Our farmers should realise that the mixture of saplings from within the State and from outside is a major threat to the identity of our own variety," Rangad said.
Orange growers were tempted to buy saplings from places outside Meghalaya because of lower price as compared to the good quality saplings being supplied by the Meghalaya horticulture department. "Our homegrown sapling is priced Rs 7.50 but the price of one sapling from outside is between Rs 1-3 and that's why our farmers are buying orange saplings from outside, causing a major threat to the identity of our own Khasi Mandarin oranges," said the government horticulturist.
On government steps being taken to ensure that farmers bought Khasi Mandarin saplings, Rangad said the 13th Finance Commission recently awarded Rs.30 crore for Meghalaya to set up two planting material hubs for different types of horticultural saplings, including oranges - one in East Khasi Hills and another in East Garo Hills district.
"Out of Rs 30 crore, Rs 5 crore will be utilised for orange saplings since the government did not want to encourage orange growers in the state to buy saplings from outside," Rangad added.
The government is also advising orange growers to follow the latest growing methods in order to prevent attacks by insects. "We have asked the farmers to strictly follow the pest control and other sustainable ways, besides supplying sufficient manure to increase the productivity of the orchards. Most of them did not follow the scientific methods which prevent the orange trees from attack by insects," Rangad said.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Meghalaya to produce electricity from garbage
SHILLONG, Dec 23 – The Meghalaya Government has embarked on a hi-tech waste management project to clean up its cities and turn garbage and wastes to productive use as a spin-off.
An Expression of Interest floated by the government recently for such a pilot project here has had as many as seven Indian and International companies participating. The list was later pruned to three. Shillong city has been selected to host the pilot project.
Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who had visited the plant sites of two such hi-tech waste management plants in Pune, shortlisted by the government, said she intended to inspect the third site in Bangalore early next year.
“What impressed me and my officers the most is the fact that both the plants generate electricity using shredded plastic and other wastes. They also produce organic fertilisers. This could be implemented here on a PPP mode,” Lyngdoh said.
Apart from generating electricity, the plants would also create direct and indirect employment for the youth, she said.
In Pune, she said, at least 80 entrepreneurs had been employed in the project. Besides, rag-pickers have also been engaged in collecting wastes for the plants, the Minister said.
The Shillong Municipal Board has to deal with 170 metric tonnes of household wastes on a daily basis. At present, the dumping site at Marten in the city suffers from a lack of space. It caters to a population of 3,14,610 (2011 census) and has been in operation since the 1930s.
“With these amount of wastes,” Lyngdoh pointed out, “the proposed plant could produce about 16 MW of electricity and the plant runs on its own power.”
Explaining how the system works, Lyngdoh said, “The plant first segregates dry garbage from wet. The wet garbage is collected by the municipality and dumped in the manure bin while the rag-pickers collect the dry garbage. Fertiliser is made from the wet garbage.”
Dry garbage includes plastic bags, papers, cans and boxes and can be collected by rag-pickers and wet garbage includes vegetable wastes, fruits and flowers.
Wet garbage is decomposed using worms EM solutions and eventually converted to manure, she points out. “Interestingly, the whole process does not emit any toxic gas into the atmosphere,” she said.
“Once the government makes up its mind to select one among the three companies, a proposal will be sent to the Government of India for funding,” Lyngdoh explained.
The project cost is estimated at around Rs 70-100 crore and it takes 12-15 months to install machinery, she said.
An Expression of Interest floated by the government recently for such a pilot project here has had as many as seven Indian and International companies participating. The list was later pruned to three. Shillong city has been selected to host the pilot project.
Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who had visited the plant sites of two such hi-tech waste management plants in Pune, shortlisted by the government, said she intended to inspect the third site in Bangalore early next year.
“What impressed me and my officers the most is the fact that both the plants generate electricity using shredded plastic and other wastes. They also produce organic fertilisers. This could be implemented here on a PPP mode,” Lyngdoh said.
Apart from generating electricity, the plants would also create direct and indirect employment for the youth, she said.
In Pune, she said, at least 80 entrepreneurs had been employed in the project. Besides, rag-pickers have also been engaged in collecting wastes for the plants, the Minister said.
The Shillong Municipal Board has to deal with 170 metric tonnes of household wastes on a daily basis. At present, the dumping site at Marten in the city suffers from a lack of space. It caters to a population of 3,14,610 (2011 census) and has been in operation since the 1930s.
“With these amount of wastes,” Lyngdoh pointed out, “the proposed plant could produce about 16 MW of electricity and the plant runs on its own power.”
Explaining how the system works, Lyngdoh said, “The plant first segregates dry garbage from wet. The wet garbage is collected by the municipality and dumped in the manure bin while the rag-pickers collect the dry garbage. Fertiliser is made from the wet garbage.”
Dry garbage includes plastic bags, papers, cans and boxes and can be collected by rag-pickers and wet garbage includes vegetable wastes, fruits and flowers.
Wet garbage is decomposed using worms EM solutions and eventually converted to manure, she points out. “Interestingly, the whole process does not emit any toxic gas into the atmosphere,” she said.
“Once the government makes up its mind to select one among the three companies, a proposal will be sent to the Government of India for funding,” Lyngdoh explained.
The project cost is estimated at around Rs 70-100 crore and it takes 12-15 months to install machinery, she said.
11 drown in Meghalaya
Shillong : Eleven coal miners were drowned and five others critically injured when a truck in which they were travelling fell into a river in Meghalaya, police said Thursday.
The incident took place Wednesday evening when the truck rammed into the railing of the 140-metre Jadukata bridge across the Ranikor river in West Khasi Hills district, near the Bangladesh border.
The miners were on their way home to spend Christmas with their families.
The dead included the truck driver, Muthu Ramachandran, the police chief of West Khasi Hills, told IANS.
The incident took place Wednesday evening when the truck rammed into the railing of the 140-metre Jadukata bridge across the Ranikor river in West Khasi Hills district, near the Bangladesh border.
The miners were on their way home to spend Christmas with their families.
The dead included the truck driver, Muthu Ramachandran, the police chief of West Khasi Hills, told IANS.
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