M A I L B A G

Making blood donation a regular habit

Apropos of the editorial “A bloody shame” (Oct 1), it is sad that we have to import blood. Unhealthy blood can be lethal for our people. In the Army, every soldier is a voluntary blood donor (on call) and there is never a shortage of blood in military hospitals. But it is not so in our civil and government hospitals.

The worst sufferers are the poor who run from pillar to post for blood and pay heavily for it. Moreover, most depend on their healthy relatives for blood. The problem gets heightened when the blood group required by a patient is not available. We have to solve these problems by making voluntary blood donation a regular habit.

  Blood donation is necessary because there is no substitute for blood. Giving blood is extremely safe. Donation of one unit (250 gm), which is about 1/20th of the total quantity of blood in an average person, is made up within 72 hours. A healthy person, between 18 and 60 years, can donate blood three or four times a year. Blood is the most precious gift that you can give to a needy man. Blood knows no caste, colour or creed. It only saves life and reminds human beings that we are all one.

Colonel R.D. SINGH,
Ambala Cantonment

Of choe and chu

There is a misconception among some people on the possibility of a linkage between choe and chu. The available information about both does not reveal any inter-relationship. Choe, the Punjabi one, does refer to a seasonal stream. But the Spiti chu, while being quite similar in meaning, does not seem to have any relationship with choe. Moreover, both are pronounced differently.

Even in the absence of any evidence, the similarity in structure and meaning does suggest that there may have been some borrowing and modification. One can lay the question to rest with the oft-quoted maxim that language knows no barriers of land or people.

Dr BAKSHISH SINGH & Dr DEEPTI GUPTA,
Panjab University, Chandigarh

Water pollution

Vast stretches of land in the Kala-Amb industrial belt in Sirmur district are being flattened near the Kheri water supply plant which augments drinking water supply to Nahan town. The fast upcoming industries upstream of Kheri village are posing a serious threat to the underground water table of this area as industrial effluents are bound to pollute this source of water supply.

Has this vital factor been taken into consideration by the Himachal Pradesh government before permitting the industrial belt upstream of Kheri village?

O.P. CHAUHAN,
Nahan (HP)

The concept of self

The self is the epicentre of the whole universe in which it dwells, perceives and interacts. It means each individual identity, in general, calls itself as ‘I’ with its own distinct structural, physical, chemical and biological boundary. The collection of all such unique I’s constitute the universe. This ‘I’ or ‘self’ is the ultimate doer and receptor of all good and evils, every action and reaction. All thoughts and anti-thoughts, pleasures and pains are the handiwork of the self, which spring up and culminate endlessly into it.

The self always seeks to protect and maintain its integrity and entity. The stronger and greater one’s self becomes, the greater the happiness and satisfaction. Since this equally holds for other selves, each self must strive for peaceful mutual co-existence so that each self becomes the mighty and prosperous king of its own kingdom called ‘I’.

VIVEK CHAUDHARY,
Faridabad

No more refreshing

Lata Mangeshkar, the country’s reputed and distinguished playback singer, has given innumerable melodious songs. But today her voice is no more refreshing. Moreover, her voice does not even suit the younger generation.

Some of her recent songs may have become hits but that is because of either good lyrics or music and not because of her voice. It would be better if she stopped singing for commercial cinema. Instead she should train youngsters on how to reach the pinnacle of glory in music (which she has achieved in her lifetime) and encourage new blood.

HARBINDER,
Chandigarh