Weed out corruption:

Democracy is commonly defined as a system of governance by the people, of the people and for the people. It is just a model of governance whose fruits can be enjoyed only with the efforts of the people working within the democratic set-up. Having democracy only in name is not enough. It must be practised in its true sense. The three fundamental characteristics of good governance which apply to democracy are transparency, accountability and participation. Involvement of people of all the classes, castes and creeds in the process of planning, implementing and monitoring of development activities is vital in any democracy. Corruption increases in the absence of accountability and transparency. Misuse of authority is the worst evil in a democracy. Unless government officials and political leaders shed vested interests for the sake of the people and the country, Nepal cannot progress towards being a true democratic state. Corruption in any form hinders development to a great extent and thus the development process can run smoothly and the people can enjoy the fruits of democracy only when corruption is weeded out.

Srijana Khadka, Kendriya Vidhyalaya

Cheating:

It seems that people in the capital have become increasingly money-minded and they care less about those in need. Last Sunday I went to one of the reputed banks in order to have a bank certificate of my account to send it to some universities abroad. Seven photocopies of the certificate had to be attested. But to my surprise, the manager declined to help me stating that the universities abroad do not accept such photocopies and instead he strongly recommended that I should have seven original ones by paying Rs. 1,500 for each copy.

However, I soon found out that he was lying, as that was not the case. The manager was clearly trying to make Rs. 10,000 from me. This is a clear case of an attempt to cheat. If people in such responsible posts start cheating people then what would the plight of the general public be?

Sumit Pokhrel, Shankhamul

Bad roads:

As a responsible citizen, I’d like to express my concerns regarding the deteriorating condition of the roads in Nepal. The roads are bumpy and neglected and transportation facilities in the hilly areas are becoming worse each day. The overloaded vehicles leave cracks and holes on the highways and other roads, which are never repaired in time, and this leads to further deterioration. The situation gets worse during the rainy season when the roads are damaged by landslides and floods. The department concerned should pay attention to the condition of the roads to prevent accidents and to ensure comfortable journeys for the public.

Monika Maheshwari, via e-mail

Keep it up:

I enjoy reading the Variety segment of THT. It provides a range of articles relating to education, health, positive living, glamour, etc., suitable for all age groups. You should keep up the good work and provide the readers with more interesting news and write-ups.

Karun Shrestha, via e-mail