Rich history

Sir — The article, “Calcutta University’s Senate Hall — a lost heritage of the city’s glorious past” (Oct 25), by Somen Sengupta brought back memories of the time I studied at the College Street campus. The classrooms in the Ashutosh building were one of a kind and the legacy of the Hardinge building loomed large in our imagination as we rushed from one classroom to another. The iconic canteens where the students can be found immersed in adda over cups of tea and snacks also deserve to be highlighted. There are many other facets that are unique to the Calcutta University College Street campus.

Abhjiit Ghosh Dastidar, Nadia

Out of step

Sir — It is astounding to see the transformation in the behaviour of certain public figures after they are appointed as governors. A prime example of this is the governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammad Khan. Recently, he demanded the resignation of nine vice-chancellors at universities in Kerala, alleging that their appointments were contrary to the norms laid out by the University Grants Commission. The chief minister of the state, Pinarayi Vijayan, has accused Khan of acting like a representative of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The West Bengal government removed the governor as the chancellor of state universities earlier this year. The Kerala government should consider introducing a bill in the legislative assembly to do the same.

Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur

Another disaster

Sir — At least 35 people have died after Cyclone Sitrang struck the coastal areas of Bangladesh (“Sitrang kills 35 in Bangladesh”, Oct 26). Chittagong was the worst affected — eight people went missing when a sand extraction dredger sank because of strong winds. Over a million people have been displaced. Cyclones are regular occurences in the region and climate change has worsened the situation. The government of Bangladesh must find an effective solution to prevent the loss of lives.

Jayanta Datta, Hooghly

Warning bells

Sir — It is heartbreaking to see the havoc that is being wreaked upon the planet by climate change. Some worrying developments in recent months have been the heat waves in England, where the pitch on roads started to melt, and the devastating floods in Pakistan that caused immense losses to life and property. A recent report by The Lancet has reiterated that climate change threatens the well-being of people across the globe. It is high time we take action and address the devastating effects of climate change.

Saprativ Das, Barrackpore

Bleak future

Sir — India is expected to surpass China to become the most populous country in the world in 2023. The global population will touch eight billion on November 15, 2022. In India, wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few while millions do not have access to basic amenities. Poverty and overpopulation are interlinked and can lead to other socio-economic problems, such as unemployment, low literacy levels and increasing crime rate. Mahatma Gandhi had once said that poverty is the worst form of violence. The government must take immediate steps to reduce poverty in the country.

T.S. Karthik, Chennai

Bengal’s chilling

Sir — For the past few days, West Bengal has experienced a dip in the temperature, especially at night and early in the morning. Some people have started wearing light shawls and jackets during their morning walks. Soon Bengalis will be seen donning their favourite headgear — the monkeycap — in an effort to stave off the cold.

Sourish Misra, Calcutta