The Hindu : New Delhi News : Readers' Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 21, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Readers' Mail

Testing time

Sir, -- There have been a lot of disturbing reports recently about cases of suicide by young students due to examination stress and other school-related problems. This should not happen.

It has been observed that most schools complete their syllabus by mid-November, thereby giving ample time to the students to raise and solve their doubts. The schools are also following the policy of pre-Board examinations and mock tests and chapter-wise tests so that no stone is left unturned. A whole lot of coaching centres are also playing the role of second fiddle effectively and making the students feel comfortable with the subjects.

Thus there is practically no reason for stress after such a thorough practice. If the children put in hard work, results will definitely come. In the end, marks alone are not the criterion for measuring anyone's intelligence.

The students should realise that those who commit suicide are running away from a problem like a coward. Moreover, after that desperate act life becomes hell not only for their parents but for their teachers as well. It might well be that the teacher has produced excellent results all his life but one suicidal note by a student can ruin the teacher's entire career.

The moral of the story for all the school children, therefore, is: No suicide, please.

Pankaj Bhanwani,
PGT Economics, N. K. Bagrodia School,
Rohini, New Delhi.

Why homework?

Sir, -- During school vacations every year the students of most of the public schools in Delhi and Noida are given holiday homework including preparation of charts, models, projects, etc. This is not fair. It is only during the six weeks' vacation period that the children can leave town and visit their close relatives living in other parts of the country or go out for a holiday in the hills. They find it very hard to do the homework during this period. Moreover, most of the homework can actually be done only by the children's parents or elders. In the process, both the parents and the children end up spending precious time collecting all sorts of study material and searching for information on the Internet.

Of course, there is no doubt that the homework is meant to enhance the children's knowledge and intelligence. But at the same time they should not get bored during the vacation. I understand from a few of my friends that in many schools, the teachers do not even go through the holiday homework done by the children!

I suggest, therefore, that the homework, projects, etc, be assigned to the children after the schools reopen. This will enable the children and the parents to enjoy the holidays to their fullest satisfaction. It is not only my view but, I am sure, the general view of most parents. Will the school authorities in the Capital consider our humble request?

Janaki Viswanathan,
17/601, East End Apartments,

Mayur Vihar Phase-I Extn,
Delhi - 110 096.

Some questions

Sir, -- Mr. George Fernandes said on television this past Saturday that the denial of a U.S. visa to Narendra Damodardas Modi was a "zulm". How would this old master of double-speak describe Mr. Modi's treatment of Muslims in Gujarat, in particular on and after February 28, 2002, echoes of which continue to this day? As "rehem-dili", perhaps, or, in the words of the poet-statesman Atal Bihari Vajpayee, "raj-dharma"?

The stand of the Congress party on the visa denial issue also raises a question. If it is based on Mr. Modi's being a constitutionally elected figure in a supposedly sovereign nation, what was all that noise that the Congress leadership made about his having defiled the Constitution?

Mukul Dube,
D-504 Purvasha,
Mayur Vihar 1,

Delhi - 110 091.

25-year wait

Sir, -- I feel greatly anguished to report gross mismanagement, disorder and high-handedness in the Delhi Development Authority's office in the matter of allotment of a flat booked by me more than 25 years ago in 1979.

I deposited Rs.1,500 on 27-09-1979 for the LIG flat under Registration No. 41942. Every time I have enquired about my allotment, the DDA reply has been misleading. They state that my priority No. is 49882 and that the priority covered so far is 42256. This reply has been coming to me for more than an year now vide their letters dated June 2, July 6 and August 12, 2004. I disbelieve them all because a few of my friends who booked flats with me have got theirs long ago.

I look forward to an allotment to me now.

Sanjeev Jindal,
561, G. T. Road,
Delhi - 110 032.

MCD's ways

Sir, -- Of late we have been hearing from various authorities in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, including the Municipal Commissioner, that the property tax collections this year so far have been below expectations. Various causes have been attributed to this poor performance. But the real reason for this is sheer lethargy on the part of the municipal tax administration.

As a senior citizen owning a flat in Vasundhara Enclave and not keeping good health, I filled up the Self-Assessment Return Form in respect of my flat, enclosed a cheque for Rs.2,417, and sent it to the property tax office at Lajpat Nagar in New Delhi under registered post on September 16, 2004. I have the postal acknowledgment to show that it was delivered at their office on September 20, 2004. Since I did not get any official receipt for the payment, I wrote to the Municipal Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, on October 10 and followed it up with a reminder on October 30, to which there has been no response. I then sent a registered letter to the Assessor and Collector on December 9, to which also there has been no reply. Finally I wrote to the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, on December 9, followed by a reminder on January 9, 2005. The Chief Minister's Office promptly forwarded these letters to the Additional Municipal Commissioner for necessary action but I have yet to hear from them.

On February 6, 2005, I sent a registered letter to the Assessor and Collector drawing his attention to the above facts and telling him that the cheque sent by me would become time-barred if not encashed by the MCD immediately and for which I would in no way be responsible. All this shows that the property tax department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is most lethargic and apathetic in its working and dealing with the public. It is a wonder how it expects to reach its collection targets!

A. Vira Raghavan,
C-II/005, Mangal Apartments,
Vasundhara Enclave,

Delhi - 110 096.

Parity, please

Sir, -- Apropos "Manmohan urged to amend Hindu Succession Act" (The Hindu, February 27), it is imperative that all agricultural property be brought at par with other property in the Hindu Succession Act.

The menace of prenatal determination of sex and female foeticide is rampant in our urban areas. And now, with increasing awareness of the "facility" and lesser means of control under the Determination of Sex Act, the malady is fast spreading to the rural areas as well. It is no secret that, in anticipation of a male heir, rural parents go on trying for one again and again lest the land pass on to collateral male relatives. We must act quickly and sincerely to improve the state of affairs.

Kiran Narain,
18 C, F-Block, Saket,
New Delhi - 110 017.

* * *

(Letter for this column may be sent by e-mail to wsins@thehindu.co.in. They must carry the full postal address of the writer and should be marked "Readers' Mail".)

PGT Economics, N. K. Bagrodia School,

Rohini, New Delhi.

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