Letters to the Editor: Pathetic road condition

Though the present Government is taking a lot of pain to develop road connectivity everywhere in the State, during the monsoon season the condition of the major city roads of Assam still becomes pathetic for use. Lack of maintenance is one of the main causes of this poor condition. The condition of several roads of my hometown, Tezpur, is also quite pathetic. Big potholes have become the cause of headache for people. It is also risky for driving. And after a single shower, it is hard to find the surface of the road because of the overflow of water. In Guwahati, many areas of the city start floating underwater after heavy rainfall due to the lack of scientific drainage provisions.The road condition of NH-15 from Tezpur to Rowta is also in a very deplorable state. Therefore, I urge the authorities concerned to take immediate action in this regard to avoid road traffic accidents and save the lives of the people.

Aditya Ankur Nath,

Tezpur .

Traffic woes

Through your esteemed daily, I would like to draw attention of the Government about the havoc caused by irregular traffic rules and consequent traffic jams in Guwahati city. We are aware that it is an endemic problem for the residents, but at times it becomes hard to perform even our daily routine because of the traffic jams. Being stuck in a traffic snarl for more than two or three hours can be really exhausting and wastes our valuable time. The city buses and other public transport vehicles do not follow any of the rules and guidelines, which create a lot of problems and even pose a peril in crossing the road. Closing the roads when any VIP travels the city without thinking of the general public cannot be Constitutional and ethical. We, as students, often face a lot of problems as we need to reach the classes and hostels at a fixed time. As monsoon is arriving, the roads will be clogged by rain water and it will become more hazardous. As such, I urge the department concerned to look into the matter seriously.

Dipsikha Barman,

Gauhati University.

Delhi fire incident

The shocking fire accident in Delhi is heartbreaking with so many lives succumbing to the unexpected inferno. The timely intervention of the Fire Brigade has helped rescue many people who were in at that time in the building. The cause of the fire in the three-storey building is not known, but authorities state that one reason could be an electrical short circuit. Investigations are going on to find out the cause.

Every time an incident like this happens we make a big hue and cry, become extra aware, go in for all sorts of campaigns and compensations and talk about prevention methods. As days roll on, we are back to square one. We completely forget and wake up when another tragedy occurs. Lack of preparedness, readiness to tackle fire accidents - be it due to short circuits or any other reason - and lack of awareness makes us victims of infernos.

The so many people charred to death again pose a big question - when are we going to learn our lessons? Be it hospitals or hotels, office buildings, movie halls or malls, people may not have the slightest bit of idea about the escape routes, layouts and other possible ways of escape in case of an inferno. The staff of the establishments concerned should be prepared to rescue or at least guide the guests to safety. Buildings should have a common way to exit that anyone, irrespective of age and gender, should be able to identify and escape immediately. Big buildings should have proper fire and electricity safety devices and these must be checked occasionally. Staff, especially in sensitive places like hospitals, schools and hotels, should take part in mock drills and be ever ready in case of emergency. Schools and colleges should include fire disaster management lessons in their physical education curriculum so that we can groom citizens who can face such emergencies boldly, wisely and bravely, and even help the weak and those who are very young.

M Pradyu,

Kannur