The present Board of Directors of Canara Bank have decided to change the present motto and emblem of the bank from November 19, 2007. They have decided to spend Rs 700 crores towards this direction. This is absolutely a wasteful expenditure, as changing the service motto and emblem is not going to change the image of Canara Bank. Late A S Pai, the founder of the bank is still respected as the guiding spirit of the Bank. Changing the service motto formulated by the founder is like insulting him, tradition and culture of the bank. If this is allowed, a day may come when Mr Pai will be totally forgotten, or his name will be erased from Canara Bank.
When Canara Bank celebrated 100 years, it gave one sovereign of gold coin to each and every employee. But it refused to give the same to the retired / VRS employees. The Bank also refuses to extend many other benefits to the retired staff claiming shortage of funds. The question is, when the bank has no money, why this huge expenditure to change the service motto and emblem?
There was a time in Canara Bank, when much deliberations and discussions were made before spending Rs 100. Those days have gone. If the bank has such big amount to spend, let the same be spent to improve the infrastructure of rural areas, improve National Highways which are in bad shape, provide dwellings for the people below poverty line who are living in slum areas in many parts of the country.
Let the money be spent for the benefit of the common man than a few contractors. The bank customers, staff, share holders and general public should organise a protest over this decision and Government of India should not allow Canara Bank to go ahead with the plan which is totally unnecessary.
 
Sukumar Talpady
Kottara, Mangalore
 
Pay & park system, a good move
The pay and park system is a right step in the direction of solving the parking problems in the City. It is one of the best decisions taken by the MCC in recent years, and everyone will welcome it.
These days when there is total chaos on our streets, and even helmets are stolen from parked two wheelers, paid parking will take care of proper parking and safe custody of the vehicles. It will not only create a sense of order on the narrow streets of Mangalore, but also create employment opportunities to our youngsters and get additional revenue to the Corporation which can be used to improve the condition of these roads.
Having got the green signal from the State Government, we hope the parking bays alongwith the commercial space will soon be built in our old service bus stand which will immensely ease the traffic congestion on the streets in Hampankatta. Let us be positive on these proposals and congratulate the administrators for these decisions.

BNR Rao, Kulai,
Mangalore


Need parking spaces
There is a severe shortage of parking space in Mangalore. Except for the new age malls most other housing and residential complexes have zero parking places and have put up huge boards outside saying ‘no parking for outsiders’. Hence, paid parking must be introduced by the civic bodies in Mangalore. It will prevent unauthorised and haphazard parking too. Also the vehicles will be safe. Paid parking has worked well in other cities and abroad and it also generates revenue to the civic bodies. But the ultimate solution is that the MCC must identify vacant plots and construct a huge paid parking complex.

Ruchir Agarwal,
Mangalore


Pay and park: Is it worthwhile?
So far we were parking our vehicles on the available road-side stretch, in a haphazard manner thereby causing inconvenience to others. The MCC has decided to start pay and park facility in busy and high traffic areas, in order to solve this problem. Though it is a good move, it will solve the problems only to 25 or 30 per cent as there isn’t much walking space on our roads.
The MCC has identified certain places to introduce this facility. But where is space on M G Road and K S Rao Road to provide parking space? Two wheelers are now parked on footpaths which are otherwise occupied by street vendors.
Proper parking spaces should be provided near Central market and fish market. Now, for the time being, until proper facilities are made, the old bus stand and Kankanady maidan may be allotted for parking. The most important thing is that the people should have enough civic sense not to park the vehicles irresponsibly.

J F D’Souza, Attavar, Mangalore.



LPG for social  institutions
Mangalorean homes will definitely welcome the news that LPG will henceforth be provided in a few days after booking, thanks to the DC and officials concerned. While the procedure for domestic LPG supply is on a set reasonable system, the procedure for reasonable supply to certain non-commercial institutions, social service organisations, student and youth hostels, institutions for the challenged, elders’ homes and so on is absolutely absent and unknown even to the suppliers.

I J S Shet, Bolar,
Mangalore

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