With a little bit of help from friends Sir - No one realized it was his spin doctor Bal Thackeray was putting in the place of the spoilsport, Manohar Joshi, when he unmade kings in Maharashtra recently. The rite has obviously paid off. Look at the diligence with which the state government, led by stooge Narayan Rane, is going about its business, washing clean the Shiv Sena supremo's sullied image and reaffirming the party's bhai bhaiism with the sangh parivar ('Thackeray pushes Sena, BJP on boost-image blitz', March 1). The Rs 20 million extravaganza is evidently in the public interest - a warning against 'Congress conspiracy'. But didn't we hear of a severe cash crunch in the state? Yours faithfully, M. Joshi, Calcutta Mission possible Sir - It is a matter of great honour that the Gandhi peace prize was awarded to the Ramakrishna Mission on February 13. The award carries a cash reward of Rs 10 million. The Mission has distinguished itself in this country and abroad through its relief and rehabilitation work for victims of natural calamities, through its service for children and young people, the oppressed classes, its medical service and its promotion of communal harmony and goodwill. However, it needs to be pointed out the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, Dakshineswar, has contributed substantially along similar lines, particularly towards the welfare of women. Various difficulties prevent nuns associated with the Sarada Mission from approaching the public directly. The state government ought to consider a financial award to the sister concern of the Mission. This, besides helping the advancement of the women's cause, would enable the concern to acquire the house Sister Nivedita lived in. The Ramakrishna Mission could also consider sharing its award with the Sarada Mission. Yours faithfully, Madhumita Ghose, Calcutta Sir - Sanyasins, according to Ramakrishna, should rid themselves of the trammels of individual, social and political respectability. What prompted Swami Ranganathanandaji to receive the Gandhi peace award from the president on behalf of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission? Yours faithfully, Badal Pradhan,Calcutta Oh, Calcutta Sir - Horror stories about the incompetence and callousness of civic officials are so common that one would imagine nothing moves in Calcutta. But my experience with the health department of the Calcutta municipal corporation was different. I had thought there would be a complicated procedure before I could collect my daughter's birth certificate. What happened was beyond my expectations. Within five minutes the certificate was in my hand. No difficult questions asked, no long list of documents demanded, no deferments and no underhand dealings. Are we changing? Let's hope so. Yours faithfully, A.K. Mahanty, Calcutta Sir - Residents of the southern part of Bright Street, ward 65 have been facing an acute shortage of filtered water supplied by the corporation for a year or so. I wrote a letter to the municipal commissioner, Asim Barman, for help. Someone in the corporation must have opened the letter to find my address and returned the letter through the return letter office, disowning it as 'unclaimed'. So much for work culture. Yours faithfully, S.A. Ajad, Calcutta Letters to the editor should be sent to: The Telegraph 6 Prafulla Sarkar Street Calcutta 700 001 Email: the_telegraph_india @newscom.com Fax: 225 3240/41