M A I L B A G

Metros must have proper
infrastructure

The editorial “Urban sludge” (Aug 20) rightly shows concern about the lack of proper infrastructure in our metros and cities. The sludge of Mumbai has been accumulating, thanks to the politician-builder nexus for long. The end result is before us. Since no one pays heed to proper long-term planning, things continue to deteriorate.

Even the so-called planned city like Chandigarh will soon suffer from similar problems. The Chandigarh Administration’s questionable tendency of planning future multi-storeyed constructions only in already overpopulated southern sectors would enhance the problems of these and other sectors.

The new scheme to house jhuggi dwellers is welcome, but why not have them in less congested areas?

BALVINDER, Chandigarh

II

Mumbai lived out its worst nightmare on July 26, facing the fury of the dark skies for nearly 48 hours. Lakhs were stranded at suburban rail stations, while others were forced to spend the night on streets as Mumbai’s infamous traffic refused to budge. This highlighted Mumbai’s poor infrastructure and shows how far it has to go to become another Shanghai.

Mumbai suffers from severe inadequacies with slums and no infrastructural support. Its drainage system is century-old, clogged by years of accumulated garbage. No wonder, the administration slept while the nature sounded alarm bells.

Mumbai needs to be rebuilt, not to make it another Shanghai, but taking it back to the drawing board without delay. The transformation would require radical changes to transport, housing and sanitation, besides a reduction in the slum population.

SHABNUM KHAN, Nagpur

Unique project

The Tribune reported recently about the near-completion of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama project undertaken by the National Council of Science Museum (NCSM), Kolkata, the largest networking science museum in the world.

In this context, I would like to enlighten the readers that the NCSM, Kolkata, is also collaborating with the Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, to offer a MS Science Communication degree to transform emergent India into a science and technology superpower.

BITS, which has pioneered many educational innovations, is committed to cooperative education philosophy of work integrated learning for addressing the human resource development issues of the industry and society at large.

B.R. NATARAJAN, Pilani (Rajasthan)

Khurana’s suspension

Mr Madan Lal Khurana’s suspension from the Bharatiya Janata Party was expected in the wake of his raising a banner of revolt against his party boss, Mr L. K. Advani. Mr Khurana is a politician who has been tried and tested for many positions in the party and government. Having returned to Delhi, after a stint as the Rajasthan Governor, he has become jobless.

Mr Khurana is a politician surrendered his Delhi Assembly seat for a Lok Sabha seat, Lok Sabha seat for the Governor’s seat and Governor’s seat for a seat that did not exist anywhere for him.

V. KRISHNAKUMAR, New Delhi

Right to information

The Punjab Government has rightly decided to enforce the Right to Information Act by October. This is welcome. The citizens should be allowed to have access to information relating to various departments to ensure transparency in the working of the government. It will also help reduce corruption, particularly when the state will go in for elections in a year.

N.M. HANSI, Ludhiana

Ban banners

Thousands of banners, gates and welcome arches put up to receive political dignitaries seem to be in bad taste, if not a sheer wastage of resources, apart from being a violation of the municipal laws and bylaws.

Perhaps, the local government authorities can select vantage sites for the people for displaying their enthusiastic spirit. These can be auctioned under some conditions and specifications so that these add to the beauty of the area and ensure smooth flow of traffic. It may also save the city roads from avoidable damage.

MOHAN SINGH, Amritsar

Vanishing trees

Aditi Tandon’s article on the vanishing trees was informative. The death/decay of kikar trees in the semi arid region of Punjab and Rajasthan is alarming. One can see dry kikar along the roadside from Abohar to Ganga Nagar.

Equally astonishing is the fact that there is no harm to other adjacent green trees. As pointed out in the article, despite meetings on the subject, no solution has been found yet. It is feared that this decay of kikar trees may aggravate.

Scientists should come forward with some solution to retard the decay of kikar trees and maintain the ecological balance.

KARAMJIT SINGH, Sriganganagar (Rajasthan)

Not an empty House I humbly differ with Dr G.V.G. Krishnamurthy’s views in his article, “Elections in Bihar: Can an empty Assembly be dissolved?”. In Bihar, the dissolved State Assembly was not an empty House at all. All the members were duly elected and notified through the notification. In a democracy, the people are sovereign and their will is supreme. When the fractured mandate fails to materialise and provides a government, it is futile to summon the House. Under Article 124 of the Constitution, there is only one option — dissolve the House and go back to the people. And this is what the Bihar Governor has exactly done. In this regard, he was well under the pleasure of the President as enshrined in Article 146 of the Constitution. ANTAR SINGH KOHLI, Chandigarh