Apropos of your editorial “Show the way” (THT, July 6, Page 8), it is time we introduce caning and 500% fines on those who bring shame to projects more important than national pride ones with their excuses right at the dead end.

Public servants and the execution companies that have now come up with soil and slope nonsense should be treated properly for not taking this into account before embarking on destroying what was a manageable road. Didn’t they figure this out in their DPR or during their field survey? What’s the point in telling now?

They cannot and will not do the work on the premise that landslips will disrupt the road again and again. This is clearly a ploy to get out as the kitchen is getting too hot for them or are suggesting an alternative for more money or they are clearly unfit for the job. They need to be commanded to finish off the job by the deadline and to desist from suggesting alternatives or coming up with any further nonsense. And why is the government not maintaining the historical and iconic Tribhuvan Highway?

I remember travelling on this road by Tata buses as a teenager. Don’t we need an alternative? Which road will we use if Mungling-Narayangadh Highway totally collapses? Will we, then, search for Alladin’s lamp and ask genie to suggest an alternative? What happens if we are visited by another devastating quake in Kathmandu? How will the migrants leave the valley en masse – on foot? This government must answer.

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu

Depression

This is in response to Sujit De’s letter titled “Depression” (THT, July 6, Page 8). There exists a school of thought that does not view depression in a serious light. They are of the opinion that depression is nothing but a “luxury” for the affected individuals, as if they “enjoy”  remaining depressed! Actually this “positive” and “optimist” brigade pathetically lack any antidote to depression. So they try to pooh-pooh the severity of such a serious mental setback and make light of the problem by suggesting that sighting of natural forces like floating of clouds or flowing of streams will eradicate the disease named depression! But this is furthest from hard reality. No sane person desires to get or remain depressed. There exist innumerable causes of depression. He might be affected by an incurable disease. He might be failing to afford educational and medical needs of children. She might not be getting adequate moral support, love and compassion from her husband, children and near and dear ones. The different units of society like office management, colleagues or neighbours might be torturing him/her and s/he is not receiving justice from any quarter. In such an eventuality, the sufferer is bound to get depressed. Just as blood oozes out from body if the concerned part gets hurt or assaulted, similarly invisible rivers of blood get licked from heart and mind if s/he gets insulted, deprived or not rendered justice.

Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata