M A I L B A G

A look back at the gurdwara in Baghdad

IN the article "A look back at the gurdwara in Baghdad" (April 18), it was heartening to read that the Punjab CM is approaching the authorities concerned to repair the shrine where Guru Nanak had held discussions with Iraqi Pirs in 1520. The article covers improvements till February 1934, with a photo of that time.

The shrine was repaired in 1969 also on the 500th birth anniversary of the Guru. A marble slab with inscriptions in English and Arabic is embedded in the wall next to the place where Guru Nanak held discourses. A great amount of improvement to this shrine was made in the early 1980s when we had Indian construction companies in Baghdad.

The shrine is located in a prestigious graveyard. On the one side is a railway siding for military stores. Therefore, this area is cordoned off and guarded. An Iraqi caretaker of the graveyard lives next to the shrine. Notwithstanding the security of the area, devotees are permitted entry to offer prayers.

As the number of Indians visiting the shrine grew, it needed additional space. The government of Iraq permitted expansion. About one acre of land around was fully developed by the Indian community. The area was levelled and cemented. A compound wall was made as also toilets and a place for shoes. Weekly shabad kirtan and langar were also started. The Nishaan Sahib was erected.

Brig Arvinder Singh (retd), Noida

Pollution in Punjab The environment in Punjab is so polluted that foreigners and even NRIs avoid visiting the state. Due to lack of civic sense, houseflies and rats have multiplied. One cannot think of having hygienic food in hotels. The eradication of houseflies and rats should be taken up on a war footing. The SGPC should take the lead for its langar kitchens.The religious preachers, teachers and the administration should launch a joint campaign to spread cleanliness. The second problem is of polluted water in our rivers due to the non-installation of treatment plants. The waste of all towns and cities along the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj falls into these rivers. The government should install treatment plants. It should ban the immersion of ashes in the rivers. The rivers, which were once the pride of Punjab, are now no more than the disposal drains, resulting in an acute pollution of the sub-soil water. We should clean our environment and only then we can attract tourists as there is a great potential for tourism in Punjab. Sukhbir Kaur, PU, Chandigarh

Hope for thalassaemics

This referes to the news item “Hope for thalassaemics: ‘Green blood’ therapy works wonders”. It is interesting to know that patients of thalassaemia who got the wheat grass therapy were benefited and the interval for their repeated blood transfusion increased from 20 days to almost 55 days.

We wish to draw the attention of the public in general and of medical scientists in particular to the recent developments in homoeopathy. Homoeopathy can work at the level of genomics as well and can correct the genetic disorders like thosed in thalassaemic patients. This can prove an alternate form of treatment for our patients.

We are particularly convinced with the explanation of Dr R.K. Marwaha, a senior faculty member of the Paediatric Department of the PGI, that the chlorophyll content in the wheat grass acts as a potent germicide and can destroy many germs which can lead to a number of diseases and infections. The presence of Vitamins E and A in the wheat grass also helps the patients in many ways to combat their diseases.

We are working on a scientific study of some of the alternate therapeutic modalities, particularly in cancer where all the available evidence-based modalities (surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy) have failed.

We can design a study to evaluate the role of homoeopathy in the treatment of patients with thalassaemia. Our college of homoeopathy can join the Thalassaemia Society of India and can work in tendem with the PGI, Chandigarh, and other institutions to assess the efficacy of homoeopathic medicine as a treatment modality, especially to improve the quality of life in thalassaemic patients.

Dr B.D. GUPTA, Chandigarh

BSNL at it, again

For reasons best known to BSNL and much to our chagrin, the telephone numbers in the Zirakpur area have been changed for the fifth time from April. Certainly, not for security reasons!

D.V. Joshi, Bartana (Zirakpur)

Belling the (big) cat

This refers to your editorial “Belling the (big) cat” concerning Nirmla Devi of Pipli village in Mandi district. Nirmla Devi has shown to the world at large that by keeping one’s presence of mind intact, a human being can dare even a most dreaded devil-squarely and properly. Your devoting attention to this matter of utmost public interest and importance is welcome.

The forest officials have, as per the on going departmental practice, cremated the beast killed by Nirmla. Would it have not been of much greater public interest if the carcas was preserved and displayed at a public place along with tips on how to protect oneself from wild beasts-especially man-eaters?

K.L. NOATAY, Shimla