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Reader's Mail

The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) fiasco along the 5.8-km stretch between Ambedkar Nagar and Moolchand in the Capital is a glaring example of blindly copying a foreign technology without considering its viability in Indian conditions.

A technology that works in a foreign land need not necessarily suit local conditions because of geographical and social differences. Therefore, one has to be very careful in the choice of technology transfer. Researchers and academicians cannot afford to be theoretical in their approach. Our planners and administrators should bear this in mind while finalising future projects toavoid wasteful expenditure of public money over reckless experimentation.

Ashwini Kumar Lal,

D-819, Mandir Marg, New Delhi - 110 001.

I lodged a complaint with the grievances redress cell in the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office on May 30 last year (Ref. No.517621) about encroachment of the pavement near my house by unauthorised tea stalls and an illegal water supplier.

The CMO woke up to my complaint only after I filed an application under the Right to Information Act on October 29. I received a letter from Deputy Commissioner (Central) on March 29 this year saying the encroachment had been removed.

But this was not true. The encroachment is still there. Even the Public Grievances Commission through its letter No. F.PGC/08/Central/MCD/894 has, on the basis of false information provided by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, said that the encroachment has been removed. Other local residents had also lodged a complaint about the encroachment with the MCD but nothing happened.

If this is the way the Government functions, Delhi can never become a world-class city. It will remain a city of false advertisements only.

I hope Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is reading this.

Ravi Kumar,

F-1124 (SF), Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi – 110 019.

I am a resident of Sector 17-A in Gurgaon (near IFFCO Chowk). There are thousands of families living in this sector and half a dozen parks maintained by Haryana Urban Development Authority. Children are not allowed to play ball games such as cricket, football, tennis in any of these parks. There is not even one playground in this sector although there are so many children living here. If children are found playing in any of these parks, they are shooed away by the security guards or members of the Residents’ Welfare Association. The only place where such games are allowed is the HUDA park which is too far away and across a very busy road. Therefore it is not a feasible option for children to play there regularly.

So where should they play? The children out here will have a lot to cheer about if at least one of the parks is converted into a playground.

Another problem here is the menace of street dogs. There have been many cases of people being bitten by dogs. Some pet dogs are also let loose causing panic all round. The stray dogs should be caught by the authorities and all pet dog owners should be strictly warned against letting loose their pets.

I hope the HUDA authorities will sit up and act now?

Shylu K. M.,

Resident of Sector 17-A, Gurgaon.

The hefty increase in the salaries of government employees recommended by the Sixth Central Pay Commission does not seem to have brought a smile on many faces. It has only benefited the already privileged class of our society as they are the Central Government’s prime concern.

Although there are a large number of employees in the public sector who are competent, sincere, hard-working and devoted, there is no system of performance-based appraisal for them. It is saddening how officials of almost every service and group have expressed their dissatisfaction over the recommendations of the Pay Commission.

It’s time we raised a voice against the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer in this country all the time!

Kaajal Tiwari,

Ekwana Math Road, East Champaran, Bihar – 845 401.

I have been holding a United India Insurance Company mediclaim policy since 2000 and have claimed no expenses so far. However, recent changes in the policy have affected people like me and I, therefore, demand an explanation for this from the company.

The rate of premium for 2008-09 has been raised to 4.22 per cent from last year’s 2.56 per cent -- a jump of almost 65 per cent. I wish to know if any more value has been added to the policy to justify this raise.

Secondly, the benefit of no claim bonus has been discontinued from this year. Why?

Finally the Pandav Nagar branch of the company has not carried forward to the current year my bonus amount of Rs.52,500 lying to my credit. Hope this is done now.

D. P. Goel,

B-5/2, Glaxo Apartments, Mayur Vihar Phase I, Delhi – 110 091.

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