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| Hidden talent: Students play basketball in a city school. A Telegraph picture |
Apropos the reports ?Subhas signals fare hike?, January 11, transport minister Subhas Chakraborty is more interested in hiking bus fares than pulling up bus operators for the deplorable condition of their vehicles and service they provide.
Taking a ride in a private bus, including a mini-bus, (excepting those conforming to the Euro-II norms) is a nightmare. The service rendered by these buses verge on the criminal.
Commuters will not mind paying increased fares in buses if the minimum comfort level is ensured. There are protests every time the bus fares are increased because people do not get value for money.
The distance of the journey should not be the only criterion for determining the price of tickets. The comfort and the level of safety provided during the journey are very important considerations as well.
The next time the bus operators clamour for a fare hike they should be asked to address the comfort and safety issues first.
Although it is the private buses which need to do the most in these regard, the state buses are not above criticism either. The dwindling number of state buses have made private bus owners bolder. They are now exploiting the situation to the hilt.
The government, on its part, should take a stand: it should either abolish the state buses or the private buses. If that is not feasible, the government should at least ensure that the operators of private buses are monitored properly and punished if necessary.
Although government buses are more comfortable than private ones, their service also needs to be improved. To avoid work, the drivers and conductors of state buses often do not halt at stoppages and drive recklessly
Madhabi D. Ghosh,
Salt Lake.
Apropos the report ?Shine not by book alone?, January 11, it is wonderful that the Delhi-based Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations is contemplating the introduction of extra-curricular activities as a compulsory subject in schools under its jurisdiction. The move is long overdue and will go a long way in bringing out the hidden talents of students.
It is sad that due to academic pressure, students have very little time at their disposal to participate in extra-curricular activities. As a result they become easy prey to various types of health hazards, including psychiatric problems. The other education boards should follow the lead taken by the council to secure the future of today?s schoolchildren.
Piyal Mukherjee,
Lake Town.
It was good to learn that the police have arrested the owner of a computer centre on Ekbalpore Road for running a sleaze racket (Sleaze racket at computer centre, January 8). Given the way the number of sleaze rackets in the city has been increasing, strict measures should immediately be taken against them.
Prahlad Agarwal,
Majdia, Nadia.
The accident on Taratala Road which claimed the lives of seven people was heart-rending (Collision claims family of 7, January 13). It has become an open secret that policemen take bribes to allow heavy vehicles to ply on roads closed to them. The accident underlines what deep roots corruption has grown in our system.
Rajdeep Guha,
Gol Park.
Apropos the report ?Academy revamp runs aground?, January 10, Lady Ranu Mukherjee used to look after the Academy of Fine Arts with great care. But the Academy is in deplorable condition now. The auditorium needs to be renovated and overhauled. The government, municipal corporation, industrial houses and NGOs should come together to rejuvenate this Calcutta showpiece.
Bhupendra Nath Bose,
Dum Dum Park.
Apropos the report ?Dud drugs being pushed?, January 10, it is distressing that some chemists in the city are selling spurious medicine to customers to augment their income. The practice is dangerous and can even cause death. Physicians should see that their prescriptions are complied to, in letter and in spirit.
Debaprasad Mukherjee,
Nayapatty Road.
The report ?Buck pass in beam war?, January 3, has opened our eyes to where the money that we pay for our cable connection goes and what we get in return. The cable operators charge exorbitant subscriptions from customers by saying they have to pay a huge amount to the multi-system operator, but they never do so. The broadcaster, too, is cheated in the process. And the consumers become the scapegoats in the deal. The cable operators have to be made liable for the service they provide.
Diptimoy Ghosh,
Salt Lake.
Reports of deaths due to medical negligence appear in the news almost on a daily basis (Justice cry in mother?s tears, January 13). Not just the ordinary people, even doctors and heads of medical associations frequently complain about the shabby treatment meted out at hospitals across the state. When will the government assure justice to victims of medical negligence?
Dr Kunal Saha,
Ohio, USA.
Rajnis Patel?s death has not only highlighted the sad state of affairs in West Bengal hospitals, but also in the courts. The unending legal process has only succeeded in keeping alive the pain of losing a son in Munni Devi?s mind. Given the situation, she should, perhaps, withdraw the case against the doctors for the sake of her family.
Subhankar Mukherjee,
Address not given.
I was intrigued to read a senior bureaucrat?s comment that the government unfortunately had not realised that poor connectivity hampered trade (Upgrade for road links to export zones, January11). In which planet do the government officials live? These are the people governing our daily lives!
Amal Basu,
Lake Terrace.
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