Why Chandigarh deserves to be saved

THIS refers to the article ‘‘Why Chandigarh deserves to be saved’’ by Sayed Shafi (August 19).

Chandigarh has more than 5 lakh vehicles. Traffic congestion is a problem. Contamination of the air by exhaust gases from the vehicles is another. By no stretch of imagination can a city be called beautiful if its citizens cannot breathe fresh air.

The fleet of local buses is too inadequate to cope with the passenger load. The buses, therefore, are mostly packed to capacity. There is a need to introduce private transport to run more comfortable buses.

Unplanned peripheral growth, too, is spoiling the beauty of this city. The Anandgarh Project will further complicate matters. In fact, it is high time that some of the offices of Punjab and Haryana Governments were relocated to Mohali and Panchkula, respectively.

RAM NIWAS MALIK
Panchkula

This refer to Shirish Joshi’s write up ‘‘Is visiting temple good for health? (August 19). Undoubtedly, religion provides a means of adjusting and coming to terms with the events and situations like uncertainty, death, particularly premature death.

If life were to always run on a smooth pattern, religion would certainly not have the significance that it does. As such, people tend to visit religious places for reducing anxiety by feeling more confident and more in control, which lowers blood pressure, depression and anxiety levels, and in the process improves one’s physical health. Social life is impossible without shared values and moral beliefs, which form the collective conscience of a society and promote social solidarity. That is why religion is also known as a social institution for strengthening the unity of the group.

While emphasising the positive contribution of religion to society, very often, we tend to ignore its dysfunctional aspects. In a sense, religion can be seen as a divisive and disruptive force. History tells us that the number of wars waged between different societies over the question of religious dogmas and worship outnumber the wars that were waged for all other reasons. Therefore, it is difficult to accept the theory that religion always strengthens the unity of the group.

P.L. SETHI
Patiala

I would like to convey my deep appreciation of the quality of articles that appeared in Windows dated August 12. These include "Flawed law and a sleeping watchdog" by Lalit Mohan, Khushwant Singh's column "This above all", The Spirit of Olympics on children’s page and "Shimla's French connection" by Roshni Johar. All these articles were highly informative and interesting.

GURCHARAN SINGH
Chandigarh