Pomlum villagers devoid of ration cards, govt cash aid

SHILLONG: As is the case in most other Dorbars, Pomlum is no exception when to comes to receiving cash benefit for the registered daily wage earners. This suburban area, only about 10 km from here, is also devoid of the benefit of ration cards.
With most of the residents being daily wage earners like labourers, domestic workers, taxi drivers etc, the Dorbar Shnong has registered 400 labourers but they have so far not received any help from the government.
According to village elders, the local MLA, MDC and Ramkrishna Mission (Sohra) have distributed food items to the people but the people are struggling owing to severe cash crunch.
There are very few people in the area who possess ration cards, nevertheless essential items are being distributed to all of them.
After weathering the initial shock of a national lockdown, the cluster of villages around Pomlum are slowly coming to terms and finding ways to sell the local agricultural produce.
Farmers’ market a success
Speaking to The Shillong Times, headman of Pomlum, Armwell Lyngdoh and locality head, Bris Nongkhlaw informed that people from Sadew, Pomlum, Mawngianglah and Laitmynsaw sell at Madan Umdiengpun and get supplies directly from farmers sans the middlemen. The market at Madan Umdiengpun was started two weeks ago.
Again, some folks have been selling packets of potatoes, meat etc from the government market, while others are hawking the essential items door to door.
“There are 160 stalls that sell vegetables, fishes, fruits, betel nut and betel leaf. Farmers from Pynursla, Sohiong and Sohra also come to the market to bring their produce. It is a direct interface between farmers and buyers with no middlemen involved as seen in other markets. The produce is sold at market price,” Lyngdoh said.
However, some customers would also buy from the place. The reason being that there is a government market in 5th Mile which is located in the interior part on the way to Shillong Peak and another village market is in 4th Mile. However, the government market in 5th Mile is located 500 metres away from the highway and people prefer to visit the nearest market.
Health protocol of maintaining social distancing, hand-washing, wearing of masks is ensured.
There are two volunteers from each of the four villages as well as volunteers from San Shnong Youth Welfare Organization. Lyngdoh said that the shops are closed at 4 pm.
As for the COVID-19 related issues, Lyngdoh informed that there are only three returnees – one from Kolkata and two from Karnataka. They were accommodated in home-stay. They get their food delivered from home.
Lyngdoh said, “The community hall is unsuitable for habitation since it has no proper toilet and no proper bathroom. As for the home stay owners, there will be some donation for bearing the electricity and cable charges”.