• After spending the better part of my service life out of Calcutta I recently settled in Salt Lake. To keep fit in retired life I started going for morning walks but had sad experiences, particularly relating to the amount of water people waste.

One day I saw water over-flowing from the underground tank of a nearby house. I tried to see if anybody was awake so I could tell them to shut the tap but there was no one. I even tried ringing their doorbell a few times but no one answered. I was forced to leave.

Another day I was lucky to spot somebody in the house. I mustered my courage and told the lady about the situation but she snapped back, telling me it's none of my business!

A third day I saw the “Ramu kaka” of a house washing the cars with a hosepipe. I tried to tell him it would be more effective to use a cloth and bucket and cloth but he's not bothered. He continues his chore and I mine.

But nothing could beat my experience at a fourth house “Ramu kaka” was now washing the passageway with a hosepipe. Once again I tried to explain what a colossal waste of waste it was but the lady of the house shut me up. She said goddess Laxmi has settled in her house permanently as she keeps the path clean. Wasting water is a part of the puja.

It’s been one jolt after another for me but after spending years in water-scarce states, I still cannot reconcile to such waste.

Subhas Sengupta,
BL Block

Risky biking

• Reckless biking is common on the roads of Salt Lake.

Bikers flout traffic rules, race amongst themselves and refuse to wear helmets. So many accidents, and even deaths, have resulted due to their reckless behaviour.

The police needs to be stricter with them so that they toe the line.
 
 

Sourish Misra, 
Sarat Abasan