Letters to THE EDITOR: Waterlogging

Waterlogging

Due to rainfall, waterlogging is considered to be a continuing problem in Guwahati. These create indescribable conditions in the city, especially in the monsoons. Anil Nagar and Naveen Nagar are the two regions of the city that have received the name ‘flood hotspot of the city’. There are many other major areas where this artificial flood has affected the city as well. The government alone is not responsible for the problem; citizens are equally to blame because of their careless behaviour. To solve the problem, the government, as well as the people living in the city and the people who come to Guwahati for various activities, should unite and come forward to contribute to the cause. Frequent cleaning of the drains plying in the city and constructing new drains in areas with no drainage system is an immediate step to be taken by the government. Also, blockage of the drains is one of the primary reasons for the water logging in the city; every person who hails from the city and comes to the city throws garbage bags into the drain, which causes drain blockages. Efforts should be made to curb the usage of single-use plastic bags as much as possible, and proper plastic disposal facilities should be made available in every area of the city. If the municipal corporation is successful in taking all the necessary actions and the general public is enlightened with all the consequences of their actions, then the artificial flood in Guwahati can be reduced to a great extent.

Ankit Saikia,

Cotton University

Strange remedies

The extreme heat wave prevailing over the entire state must have disturbed the mental equilibrium of a few, including VIPs. To prove my point, I beg to cite the following instances. They are as follows: Recently, in a media interaction, a senior officer of APDCL opined that power consumers are happy with the new smart meter. They have also gladly accepted the hike in power tariffs because of the hike in diesel prices. In another instance, Speaker Biswajit Daimary appealed to the people to switch off the fans to conserve power and sit under trees and relax. But where are the trees? They have already been cut down to beautify and build flyovers and highways. It is time that our ever-popular CM take note of their statements. Otherwise, the writings are there on the walls.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati

Requirement of attendants in hospitals

I would like to bring to the attention of all hospital authorities this very important aspect. All of us, at some point in our lives, have to visit the hospital or attend to a relative who is admitted there. When a person is admitted to a hospital, an attendant is invariably required to do all the needful. Guwahati has a manpower crisis. At times in our city, it is often difficult for families to cater to the duties of an attendant 24x7. Guwahati is primarily home to nuclear families, where both the husband and wife work. People from rural areas do not face this as they have relatives who can come and do shifts to attend to the patient.

As noticed, in other states, the attendants are provided by the hospital itself, who are trained and available in the hospital, and the relatives can do the other stuff without getting too perturbed about the patient. Here, in Guwahati, if we need to hire the services of an attendant from an NGO, the charges that need to be shelled out are very high, and they simply provide inexperienced people who are often brought from remote areas. The helpless relatives often have to face a dilemma when hiring this extra hand and giving instructions to them every now and then, which also doubles the anxiety factor. Moreover, the hired attendants fail to deliver as mobile tends to occupy their time, and hospital duty becomes a time pass for them, failing to comprehend the gravity of the duty assigned to them. This is an untapped sector where perhaps hospitals can take charge. They can train people, and whoever wants to avail themselves of the services of these professional attendants from the hospital can hire them. The relatives will also be relieved to leave their patients in the hands of a professional who can fill their role in their absence.

This kind of arrangement was present way back in 1983 in Ram Krishna Sewa Pratisthan, Kolkata, where my father-in-law was treated. He had suffered a heart attack, and even though they were far away from home, they didn’t face any issues as the majority of the hospital duties were done by the attendants of the hospital on a shift basis, who were round the clock. They had to be paid at a fixed rate as per the norms of the Pratisthan, which was affordable for people from all the strata of our society.

Purabi Pathak Barua,

Guwahati

Waterborne diseases

India receives a significant amount of rainfall each year, particularly during the monsoon season. Due to the lack of any proper drainage system, large pools of stagnant water are seen in the aftermath of the rains, spreading waterborne diseases such as dengue and malaria. These diseases can be fatal, especially for young children and the elderly. The municipal authorities need to implement better drainage systems and ensure that there are no potholes on the roads where water can pool.

Jubel D’Cruz,

jubeldcruz@yahoo.com