The health minister’s remark that state-run hospitals are not working in tandem should be taken seriously by the hospital authorities (Surya dose for hospital, January 17). They should remember that poor and middle-class patients mostly depend on the state-run hospitals for treatment.

Lack of coordination between various departments of a hospital is inexplicable. A co-ordination committee headed by the superintendent is needed in each hospital. The funds required by each department should be decided by the committee on receipt of proposals from the respective heads. The committee should send a consolidated request to the health department.

Non-utilisation of funds by the departments should be condemned. To make the best use of existing facilities, the committee should re-arrange rooms, beds and equipment keeping the requirements of all the departments in mind. Grievances of the hospital staff or complaints by patients’ relatives should be looked into by the committee.

Trampled greens: The pandal that hosted the soiree at Citizens Park; (below) The chief minister on stage at the venue

Dinabandhu Mukherjee,
Behala

Apropos the report “Buddha boost for rule-flout stage”, January 22, it is unfortunate that Citizens Park, recently christened Mohor Kunja, has been converted to a venue for cultural programmes.

How could the chief minister call for cultural programmes to be organised in the park? Does he not know that the park is part of the green zone around Victoria Memorial and next door to SSKM Hospital? By virtue of being the chief minister of the state, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee should have ensured that the ban on using loudspeakers in the park was not violated. Parks should be silence zones where visitors can retreat to to relax in peace.

When the chief minister and his colleagues show scant regard for laws and norms, how can they expect the common people to abide by rules?

Mihir Kanungo,
Polytechnic Road, Rajbari

It appears that our culture-crazy chief minister does not bother about pollution — noise, vehicular or otherwise. He is fully aware that Citizens Park is within 100 metres of SSKM Hospital but despite that he attended the closing ceremony of a seven-night soiree there and declared that more such programmes should be held at the green venue. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s nod to Book Fair on Park Circus Maidan was another example of his lack of concern for the difficulties faced by thousands of residents of the area as well as schoolchildren and patients of the neighbourhood. I pray that wisdom dawns on him before he creates more problems for the ordinary people.

A.S. Mehta,
New Alipore

One wonders how the chief minister could condone the use of loudspeakers barely 30 metres from SSKM Hospital. If the administration continues to violate environment laws, the worst-affected will be infants, students, patients and the elderly. The court seems to be the only hope for the people.

Bhupen Bose,
Dum Dum Park

Apropos The City Diary item “Mayor plea to evict hawkers”, January 12, the mayor is at last talking sense. Footpaths on all important roads, especially near the vital intersections, are occupied by hawkers. The onus is on motorists and pedestrians to avoid mishaps while the hawkers continually increase the risk factor. The encroachers also affect the business of the shopkeepers, who pay so much tax, under various heads, to the civic body. Only the mayor can put things right by evicting hawkers on an emergency basis.

N. Qureshi,
Kustia Road

Apropos the report “Rap for tuition ban flout”, January 28, it is good to learn that the state education minister is bent on stopping college and university teachers from offering private lessons. Although, teachers are well-paid now, most of them leave no stone unturned to earn fast bucks by offering tuitions. This malpractice needs to be stopped for the benefit of the students.

Prahlad Agarwala,
Majdia, Nadia.

It is a pity that the fire services took five days to douse the blaze in a Burrabazar market (100 hours on, blaze battle won, January 17). The incident underscores the state of the fire prevention infrastructure. The Calcutta Municipal Corporation authorities must be punished for allowing such a tall tower to come up in violation of rules.

Ratan Kumar Halder,
Behala

The report “Landfill rush erases VIP Road canals”, January 4, aptly describes the danger to canals on either side of VIP Road. Almost every week, new constructions are starting by the sides of the road without a thought for the narrowing of the canals and the resultant problems in drainage. The civic authorities claim that they are determined to stop filling up of canals, ponds and water bodies, yet the practice has only become more widespread.

Ashis Kumar Bhowmick,
Kaikhali

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