To take aid in crime prevention, Hima Mylliem has installed a public address system in Ïewduh, the biggest traditional marketplace in the city.
There have been numerous reports of pick-pocketing and theft in the market, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem.
S Nongkhlaw, officer in charge of Ïewduh, informed today that the PA system was installed on December 20.
“Through the PA system we will be able to make announcements now and then to alert the people who come to Ïewduh about the menace of theft and pick-pocketing. The PA system also comes in handy to make announcements when children become separated from their parents, etc,” he said, adding that it has helped the Hima’s police, shopkeepers and visitors to the market.
C Jyrwa, who has been running a clothes business at Ïewduh for the last 25 years, said that theft has increased in the last few years and the PA system has somehow put the people on alert and disconcerted the thieves.
“I have lost many materials to these thieves but now it seems that this has subsided even during the festive period when there is a mad rush of people in Ïewduh. With the constant announcement made from the PA system the thieves have been scared away,” she opined.
Another shopkeeper, A Malngiang, said the PA system has not only addressed the problem of theft but also come in handy to remind people to wear their masks and stay protected from the coronavirus.
What would probably be even more helpful in tackling crime would be a CCTV network in the market. The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council had recently urged Hima Mylliem to install CCTVs in Ïewduh to assist the authorities in identifying those involved in illicit activities.
