Appropriate emphasis

What I like most about Dr. Anita Dhungel’s write-up (THT, July 27),among others, is her

emphasis on the need for a right leader who can “bring change, and consequently satisfaction and happiness in everybody’s face” and her complaint that “we do not have the right leader”. She has cited the instance of Russia’s Putin who has put his country back prominently on the world map once again because of his charismatic and effective

leadership. One’s past

background does not matter so much as his present status with leadership qualities. Putin, as we all know, was a KGB official but he was groomed and picked up by former president Yeltsin as his successor and he transformed Russia into a country which stands up today to its erstwhile rival the US again. Recently, when American President Barack Obama visited Russia he made it a point to call on Putin and

admire him for his contribution to modernizing Russia, despite the latter’s current status as prime minister only. It is a pity that there is no one in this

country we can look up to

for guidance, leadership

and credibility.

Mohan Lohani, via e-mail

Donations

Most students who study science in their 10+2 with biology aim to get scholarships and study MBBS. So they study hard and

after getting through 10+2 they again work hard by attending

different coaching institutes and spend their parents hard earned money. After that they appear in the different entrance exams in the hope that they will be entitled to scholarships to becoming

doctors one day to serve the sick people. I am sure the majority of the students are from middle class families and they are not

capable of paying huge amount of donations as fees.

Shiv Shankar, Gwarko, Lalitpur

Emergency

The miserable situation of diarrhea and cholera victims of the epidemic wreaked districts of mid-western Nepal is getting anything but better. Due to various reasons, the epidemic has spilled over to nearby districts claiming even more lives. So what is the government, who should bear the prime

responsibility of containing this disaster, been doing till now?

Despite its bureaucracy’s claims, the results are far from

impressive. I was surprised by the PM’s blunt refusal to declare the area a ‘Health Emergency Area’ as demanded by many groups and parties. The apparent cause behind it seems to be the government’s refusal to accept the situation being out of its

control, thus revealing its

inefficiency. What the PM forgot is that declaring emergency opens door to foreign help in much larger scale thus helping to control the havoc swiftly. It may be a matter of prestige for the PM but it is a matter of life and death for poor Nepalese suffering the wretched misery. It’s time the government either bring the situation under its control or wisely declare emergency quickly.

Bishwa Man Angdembe,

via e-mail

Appreciation

The concerned authorities deserve appreciation for raiding godowns of some of the renowned business tycoons “Godowns hoarding food sealed” (THT, July 26) in connection with curbing the current skyrocketing commodity prices. It is

hoped that these ill-minded businessmen who were and

are taking gross advantages of transient period would not go unpunished. People deserve to know as to what kind of

punishment they will be slapped with. Let us hope that there are no political games going on behind to save these culprits.

Rai Biren Bangdel, via e-mail

Inhumane act

I was stunned to read the news of Gyani Pd. Upadhyay’s death from cholera, unattended as he had been suffering of leprosy for the past five years “Leper dies of cholera”, (THT, July 26 ). It raises questions- why was he not

getting treatment for leprosy if he had already been diagnosed, was cholera confirmed after

investigation, how is it possible for a nearby health post to deny him treatment? It is a serious matter not to treat leprosy as it is curable with regular multi-drug treatment. It is the height of

discrimination against a leprosy patient by his own near and

dear ones and also being denied treatment for the recent illness by the health post. Unimaginable as it is in modern days, it is an unpardonable offence which should be investigated.

Dr. Badri Raj Pande, via e-mail