On VIP security

Editor,

Kudos to your editorial, “VIP security and public money” (ST, September 7, 2016). The lion’s share of public money is being spent for the security of VIP of ‘X’ , ‘Y’ and ‘Z’ categories. Unfortunately, very little is left for the social security for general ‘A’ , ‘B’, ‘C’ public. Alas! Democracy has become of the people, by the people but for the VIP.

Yours etc.,

Sujit De,

Kolkata

Neglected locality

Editor,

We wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the shortage of water supply and extremely bad road conditions in our locality. The roads (rather lanes) here have been neglected for the past several years. Half of the lanes have become totally kutchcha and muddy most of the time. There have been many cases of people, especially school children, slipping and falling on their way to school and office. The remaining half of the lanes that were cemented about 7- 8 years back are now totally damaged after being dug out, right in the middle, in order to connect huge pipelines. When enquired, we were told that the pipelines were for water supply to our area but which ironically has never arrived till date! Additionally, the residents here have been facing acute water scarcity for decades. Earlier, our water demands were met by a small spring and a river, which are now almost drying up. One of the causes for the drying up of the (only) river here is also noteworthy. Then the garbage truck arrives weekly, but only up to a certain point in the locality, owing to the inaccessible road conditions. Hence, majority of the residents find it easier to dump their household wastes in the river, than to run after the garbage truck parking so far from their homes. Apparently, the problems faced by us are interlinked, one leading to the other! We do not enjoy water supply facility, nor do we have good roads in the locality. Why is this section of Madanrting area being neglected like this? Why are we still deprived of the basic fundamental rights of adequate water supply and better roads? We appeal to the concerned authorities to take a serious view of the matter seriously and take prompt and necessary action to overcome these problems.

Yours etc.,

Namita Thapa,

Via email

Delayed BEd results!

Editor,

With a heavy heart, I put forward my plea to the higher authorities of NEHU who are responsible for withholding our 1st Semester, B.Ed Exams 2015 results. It is almost a year now since we have completed our 1st Semester Exams which were held on December 2015, but the results are not out till date. In addition to this, we have also completed our 2nd Semester B.ed Examination held on July 2016 and currently we are pursuing our 3rd Semester session. I wonder what the reasons are for the delay in publishing our results? Is it because our answer scripts are lost? Or is it too difficult to tally our marks? Whatsever the reason maybe we the studentteachers of the B.Ed Course 2015-2016, are anxiously awaiting our results. Will the Vice Chancellor take personal interest in this urgent matter?

A Concerned Student

(Name withheld on request)