Letters to The EDITOR: The Power of the Ballot: Why every vote counts

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The Power of the Ballot: Why every vote counts

Through your esteemed daily, I wish to share my thoughts on why voting is absolutely crucial, especially in today's climate. As a citizen deeply invested in our democratic process, I believe it's vital for everyone to understand the power and responsibility that come with casting a vote.

In our democracy, each vote represents a voice, a choice, and a chance to shape the future. It's not just about selecting leaders; it's about standing up for what we believe in and advocating for the kind of society we want to live in. When we abstain from voting, we essentially silence ourselves and give away our power to those who may not have our best interests at heart. I view voting as both a right and a privilege—one that countless individuals have fought for and even died for throughout history. It’s our way of honouring their sacrifices and ensuring that their efforts do not go in vain. By participating in the electoral process, we honour the legacy of those who came before us and pave the way for future generations to continue the fight for equality and justice. In today's complex and polarized world, it's more important than ever to be informed and engaged citizens. Voting is not just a civic duty; it's a way to hold our elected officials accountable and make our voices heard on issues that matter to us. Whether it's healthcare, education, climate change, or social justice, our votes have the power to bring about real change and create a better future for all.

Ankita Dutta

Dibrugarh University

Masonry: a good occupation

Masonry is a good occupation where a sizable number of workers are required for the structural construction of roads and buildings. Experienced masons are skilled workers whose demand is on the rise. Under the pressing demand of a changing scenario, more skilled masons are needed. Their demand has created a new section of masons in the state from migrated people of foreign origin. Lots of opportunities for self-employment are there with the masonry. Roads and buildings are being constructed all around, both in rural and urban areas, so the demand for masons is increasing. Unfortunately, our indigenous youths in the state seem to be uninterested in this profitable occupation. They are not coming forward to take up the occupation as a profession. Instead, it has been seen that migrant workers from Bangladesh are dominating in this profession. Starting out as labourers, many of them build up their skills as masons in the rural areas of the state and earn handsomely. Our local youths are indifferent to the employability of this profession and hanker after the beneficiary schemes of the government. Some of our youths are busy organizing seasonal festivals; some are going outside the state for jobs, while others are organizing election rallies. Masonry is yet to attract our youth, who still want easy money for doing nothing.

Kulendra Nath Deka,

Dighirpar, Mangaldai

 Civil Services Day

The Westminster system has dominated India's civil service, like in many other countries in the world. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) are the backbones of the country's civil service. These demand an impartial and non-partisan administration. However, all qualities prescribed in the model can be put into practice only if the civil service is allowed to do its work without fear or favour. The officers are expected to formulate and implement the policies of the government in consultation with the in-charge minister. However, the words "as dictated" by the minister have unofficially replaced "in consultation" with the minister. The very fact that upright officers may have to live in humiliation and helplessness, unable to realize their dreams of directly connecting with the people, is, in short, the predicament of India's civil service.

Some officers go about their tasks unfazed by ministerial interference. Only a few, whose integrity is beyond reproach, can survive the tough conditions. This is not to say that all officers are holy. The NDA government has been instrumental in introducing the “lateral entry" concept, which has worked well according to insiders but may not be the only solution to the ills plaguing the bureaucracy. On April 21, 1947, the country's first home minister, SardarVallabhbhai Patel, addressed the country's civil service probationers for the first time and called them the “steel of India." National Civil Services Day is observed on April 21 to commemorate the occasion.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)

 Problems in private hospitals

Though a lot of private hospitals have come up in the city of Guwahati, the quality of healthcare delivered and the infrastructure are not at all up to par. The infrastructure put in place is not adequate to cope with the increasing rush of patients. Of special mention in this regard is the seating arrangement for patients in the Outpatients Department (OPD) waiting to see the doctor. The space is very cramped, and the area is always overcrowded.

Another shortcoming is the shortage of radiologists for ultrasonography (USG) during peak hours. As patients wait impatiently with a full bladder to undergo the USG, the single doctor available is most often found unable to handle the pressure. Many a time, patients, especially senior citizens, are compelled to empty their bladders due to an inability to control the urge. To add to the woes of patients, many radiologists do not arrive on time, especially during the morning peak hours of 8 to 10 when patients visit hospitals to conduct various investigations on blood, USG, X-rays, or health checkups. These hospitals have no dedicated registration counters for senior citizens. They also don't get preference for other services or concessions in fees.

The hospitals have different health check-up packages where free consultations with doctors from Medicine, ENT, dentistry, and ophthalmology are arranged in-house. In most cases, many of these doctors are not available on the same day as the health checkup, forcing the patients to visit the hospital again. Another issue with this free consultation process is that the physician assigned is a relatively junior doctor who simply refers the patient to another doctor if an investigation reveals a specific problem. Another flaw in this health checkup package is the quality and quantity of the free breakfast.  Similarly, the food served to inpatients is also very poor and certainly does not match the fees charged. The dieticians in these hospitals are inexperienced, and most of their suggestions are devoid of any meaning. Their advice, at best, is just routine and impractical. It is high time that the state government engages with the management of these hospitals with a view to improving the services and augmenting the infrastructure in these private hospitals. The commercial considerations of the promoters of these private hospitals should not override patient care.

Rajib Sarma

Guwahati

 Elections are the key to our vibrant democracy

Your April 18 editorial 'High-stake first phase' underscores the role of the people of India in choosing their representatives for shaping our destinies through the next five years. Like other previous elections, this time too, the parties and candidates were campaigning by holding gatherings with accompanying festivities and bombarding the curious masses with various promises. Elections bring opportunities for the voters to choose their leaders. At the same time, they are loaded with a huge responsibility to make a wise and sensible choice. You have rightly said that a high turnout in the first phase will increase the enthusiasm of voters in the subsequent phases. The young voters of the state must come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise because this election is going to etch itself as a watershed moment in history, and that will determine the highly diverse population of Assamese society in terms of the existence of different tribes, ethnicities, castes, religions, and languages within the state, causing the social fabric of the state to be tested continuously. As nature gives humankind a fair ground to pick up the right choice, let us elect thinking politicians who have the knowledge, understanding, will, and strength to go beyond the narrow political capital and work for preserving our identity and our democracy.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati