Letters to the EDITOR: Another melodious star falls silent

Another melodious star falls silent

We mourn the death of ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas, who passed away on February 26 after a prolonged illness.

With a glass of hot drink and chakhna in hand, or at a Mughlai food restaurant, his ghazals provided comfort and solace.

From ‘Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein’ to ‘Chitthi Aayee Hai’ to ‘Deewaron Se Milkar Rona’, his voice was distilled melancholy.

He launched his career with the ghazal album ‘Aahat’ (1980) and followed it up with three other critically acclaimed albums, ‘Mukarar,’ ‘Tarrannum,’ and ‘Mehfil.’ But it was his hit song ‘Chitthi Aayee Hai’ from the movie Naam (1986) that made him a household name. The song was picked as one of the top 100 songs of the millennium by BBC Radio worldwide. May his soul rest in peace.

Jubel D’Cruz

jubeldcruz@yahoo.com

Rare diseases

Autoimmune disorders, inherited cancers, and congenital conditions are not uncommon. Across the globe, there are some three fifty million people who live with about seven thousand of what are called “rare diseases.” A disease is said to be “rare” when it affects fewer than one in two thousand people. More than seventy percent of these diseases begin in childhood. Insufficient knowledge on the part of the doctor and a lack of awareness among the patients render these rare diseases challenging. The fact that more than 75 percent of rare diseases are of genetic origin and 50 percent are present from birth further complicates things.

Besides misdiagnosis leading to inadequate treatment, crippling pain and discomfort are unpleasant companions for patients with rare diseases.  The ‘rare diseases day’ on February 29 aims at achieving “true equity” for those afflicted by the rare condition. Equity in health access, treatment, and social opportunities is crucial for patients with rare diseases. In India, one in twenty suffers from rare diseases. All said, the biggest difficulty that arises in the management of rare diseases is their treatment, which takes a heavy financial toll on the patients as well as their relatives. Moreover, treatment is long and tiring, so patience and equanimity among all stakeholders can go a long way.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

gbhat13@gmail.com

PM’s visit to various places

encourages domestic tourism

It is good to see the PM himself taking on the role of a promoter and an encourager when it comes to domestic tourism—pilgrim, spiritual, and leisure. After his visit to Lakshadweep promoting the islands as a primary global tourism destination, his visit to Guruvayur, Srirangam, and Rameswaram and his role in promoting Ayodhya as a world-class pilgrim spot have attracted people around the globe to make a beeline to these already popular places. His recent scuba diving off the coast of Dwaraka and paying obeisance under sea in the submerged ancient city of Dwaraka has put the holy city of Lord Krishna on the world map. His encouraging words after making the visit are sure to boost tourism, both adventure and spiritual. After Modi’s visit, Dwarka became the most searched word on Google, as people interested in adventure, religion, and culture were curious to know about this place. Following the PMs visit, the hotel and tourism industry in Dwarka is well set to experience a boom. Ayodhya has already turned into a numero uno destination at present after the consecration of the Ram Lalla temple. Such visits definitely help in influencing people to take a trip, and this helps in boosting the tourism and hospitality sectors in a big way.

M PRADYU 

pradyumukund22@gmail.com

APSC CCE 2022

We would like to draw the attention of the Chief Minister of Assam through your popular newspaper that the APSC CCE 2022, aimed at filling up 913 posts across various civil services, has left many vacancies unfilled as more than 70 successful candidates have yet to take up their respective positions.

This has caused a lot of disappointment and frustration among the candidates who missed the cutoff by a whisker.

Therefore, we humbly request the Chief Minister to consider the possibility of incorporating the candidates who could not find their names in the final result sheet of APSC CCE 2022 due to bare minimum marks in the vacant posts. This will not only provide a fair opportunity to the deserving candidates but also save time, expenses, and a valuable year for many needy candidates.

There is a precedent for such a provision in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which maintains a waiting list of candidates for the civil services examination and offers them the posts where the selected candidates have not joined. Similarly, the first-ever Assam Direct Recruitment Examination also had the same provision, and more than 1,000 candidates could get the appointment letters later in the posts where they had not joined.

Rangman Das

rangman.das@gmail.com

Agriculture Policy

The disparities in agricultural costs and MSPs across states highlight the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of agricultural policy. While Punjab and Haryana enjoy higher MSPs due to lower production costs, states like Maharashtra and Himachal face disproportionate burdens. Implementing differential MSPs based on regional cost variations can ensure equitable returns for farmers nationwide. Such a shift would address the challenges posed by diverse agricultural landscapes and promote fairer outcomes, ultimately fostering sustainable agricultural development.

Nawaz Ashraf

Guwahati