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| Made in tollygunge:
Chokher Bali, one of the success stories of 2003
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Better choices to speak, post-cancer
The report ‘Band of silent brothers battles cancer’ (Jan. 7) about the recovery of speech for cancer patients who have undergone complete removal of their voice-box (laryngectomy) was interesting.
However, it talked only about oesophageal speech, one of the various modes of therapy for restoration of voice after cancer surgery. Voice rehabilitation techniques after laryngectomy also include artificial larynx, tracheoesophageal shunt and more recently, surgical restoration of voice through implantation of a tracheoesophageal fistula (prosthesis). The success rate of oesophageal speech, one of the oldest techniques used for voice restoration, is reported to be 30-80 per cent and the quality of speech is often not satisfactory. In contrast, surgical voice restoration through a prosthesis provides a much better quality of life and has a success rate of 70-90 per cent. Indeed, it is now unacceptable to perform laryngectomy without giving patients the opportunity to undergo surgical voice restoration in the developed countries.
The report has remained silent about the other choices for voice restoration of cancer patients. It appears that the laryngectomy club may be unaware about the advancements in this area. While a lower socio-economic status of a patient may be a factor for choosing oesophageal speech over the more preferable techniques, at least the doctors treating such patients need to keep themselves abreast about the progress in medical science. Patients who can afford the cost should not be denied the option to choose the more modern forms of treatment.
Dr. Kunal Saha,
Ohio, USA.
Toast to Tollywood
In recent times, many Bengali films have done well due to their thought-provoking storyline, acting, photography and above all, directorial acumen (Box-office boom sends Tollywood budgets skyhigh, Jan. 12). Films like Rituparno Ghosh’s Chokher Bali and Tarun Majumdar’s Aalo are cases in point. Budgets of films have naturally increased. Three cheers to Tollywood for its turnaround after the untimely death of Uttam Kumar.
T.R. Anand,
Budge Budge.
Kind edge of knife
It is a welcome move to train budding orthopaedic surgeons in the latest techniques (Bone doctors go back to class, Jan. 15). City surgeons are skilled but have fallen behind times. But only knowing new techniques is not enough. They should also be committed to their profession. We do not want another Rajnis Patel incident.
Sunil Banerjee,
VIP Road.
Tax logic
It is quite understandable why the Trinamul Congress leadership is in favour of imposition of water tax by the CMC in a “scientific manner” rather than in a “discriminatory” way (Meter ploy to tarry water tax till poll, Jan. 13). It will serve the interests of both the party and the water-users. Water tax based on annual valuation of the property or the size of the ferrules cannot decide the actual consumption of filtered water.
Dinabandhu Mukherjee,
Behala.
Cleanse the cream
Kudos to Writers’ Buildings. Calcutta Police traffic sergeant Sumit Ghosh was suspended from duty within hours of being reported against by a bus driver for extorting Rs 1,000 (Extortion axe on traffic sergeant, Jan. 17). But is the police top brass free from corruption?
Monojit Sanyal,
Chandernagore.
Boon or bane
A hike from Rs 10,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh will definitely force a re-think before people apply for a liquor shop or a bar licence. Though this is expected to bring down the count of liquor shops, this is not enough to erase alcoholism.
Kunal Ray,
Santragachhi.
We want food, employment, shelter,
education, health and human rights, not liquor shops. The
decision to issue new licenses for liquor shops is anti-people.
Sachindra Nath Mitra,
Rakhal Ghosh Lane.
Clarification
It was inadvertently implied in the second paragraph of the article ‘NK Realtors: on the Frontline’ in the special advertisement feature Home Sweet Home that NK Realtors were the constructors of the project South City on Prince Anwar Shah Road. NKR is marketing the project and South City is being built by a conglomerate of promoters.
Thus the word “the” should be read in place of “their” in the line “And now comes their dream project — South City …” and the word “marketing” in place of the word “building” in the line “We are building the tallest towers…”
Letters on reports appearing
in Metro may be sent to:
The Telegraph (Metro)
6, Prafulla Sarkar
Street
Calcutta - 700 001
E-mail: ttmetro@abpmail.com
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