Editor,
Everyone talks about the environment these days. It is becoming an increasingly important topic. This is due to the fact that the environment has suffered a lot especially from the dumping of garbage. Looking at our city we see that there are a lot of ‘dustbins’ and ‘dumpsters’ everywhere. These are not actually rubbish bins but roadsides and drains and basically any free space near highways. Garbage is basically dumped everywhere as if no one knows the use of dustbins. Most ironically is that now you can see cabs with stickers saying that throwing of rubbish will make you liable to a fine of Rs 5,000 but sometimes people sitting in that cab throw something or the other on the road. Our rivers and streams are also dying a slow death due to pollution especially in the form of car washing. New streams are being discovered not to be preserved but to be polluted. Garbage is still being burnt in non-municipal areas, thereby contributing to air pollution especially when plastics are involved. There’s a reason we refer to the earth as ‘Mother Earth’ because like our mother who looks after the house and our well being similarly the Earth through the environment is providing us with all that we need. Since we repay our Mother with good deeds, we also need to repay Mother Earth by conserving what she gives us. We don’t really pay much attention as yet to the importance of our environment as our climate is still one of the best in the country. It’s only till the changes due to our own acts start affecting us that we will realise our follies. Let’s hope that day never comes where our natural ‘fog’ will turn to ‘smog’ and ‘World Environment Day’ will be ‘World Environment Remembrance Day’. Let’s live up to the slogan ‘Green and Clean City’, as we must first be Green and Clean before becoming and aiming for a ‘Smart’ One. We still have time and let’s use this precious time correctly and start preserving what we have now at every level of the community as environmental change affects all and spares none.
Yours etc., ,
Banmmankhraw Lyngdoh,
Shillong – 793005
Doctors or mercenaries?
Editor,
We know how poor children were made to work as chimney sweepers in the United Kingdom after the industrial revolution. It bears testimony to the fate of the poor when a State leaves the general people to the mercy of the market players. Similarly, when Gurugram’s Fortis Memorial Hospital charged a seven-year-old girl Adya Singh’s parents Rs.18 lakh for her 15 days of treatment in the hospital and that too after her death, it clearly shows the results of allowing profiteers to hijack the health sector without any control. Lack of Government’s participation, involvement and control in the health sector is responsible for what is happening in Gurugram and also in many other hospitals in our country.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Reliance cheating its customers!
Editor,
Kudos to Mr. Salil Gewali for calling a spade a spade! I fully endorse his views as I am one of the victims of Reliance Telecom who is facing this predicament. My only mobile connection for the past 17 years was “Reliance” and this number was my identity and e-address. But when this company abruptly stopped its services I have suffered tremendously like thousands of my other friends. Some weeks ago when I went for porting out the SIM to another company this shameless Reliance declined as it notified through SMS that I have to first clear the bill amount of Rs 350. But what about my security deposit which is lying with this company. Why is the company is silent on the process of refunding the security deposit but aggressively collecting outstanding dues from its old customers. This is a shame and also a big crime. Is the Meghalaya Government listening? We the victims would like to know what the Government proposes to do to recover help recover public money. Yes we want our money back with full compound interest and the company must also be taken to task .
Sarad Joshi
Via email
Why an undertaking on attendance?
Editor,
Through your esteemed daily, I would like to express my views on a recent development in St. Edmund’s College relating to students. As parents we have come to learn that all students of the college are required to sign an undertaking with regard to their attendance. One may say that the College is only seeking to ensure regular attendance on the part of the students which is a good thing. But the question that arises is, when the requisite minimum attendance for students has been clearly laid down and stipulated in the College Prospectus and when similar rule of NEHU in that respect is also often referred to by the college, where was the need for such undertakings? Is the Principal so weak and helpless that he cannot enforce the existing rules on student attendance? Is the Prospectus, with a very high price tag, only a decorative piece that should not be taken seriously? If the college administration is so keen to deal with students through undertakings, then I think it would only be fair that there should be undertakings of a binding nature on the college as well to fulfil its part of the obligations towards the students insofar as the services and needs paid for by them are concerned. Unfortunately, this is where the college has failed miserably. All is not well especially since the last few years after a new dispensation took over the administration of the college. Accountability is not of the students and parents only but of the college administration as well.
Yours etc.
A Concerned Parent
(Name withheld on request)