This refers to Man-Eater in the City by Muhammad Yusuf published in We the Srinagarites column of City Page.  The author has justly highlighted the hazards and miseries faced by the people on the road of tragedy, the Bypass. The authorities are requested to kindly listen to us this time and protect our children from accidents who wait for their school buses on this dangerous road.
 The sleeping serpent (Bypass) will keep on killing people till the concerned agencies do not awaken and constrict a service road parallel to the highway.  
 On reading the title Man Eater in the City, I was frightened that if the man-eater has really attacked the City but after going through the write-up I could imagine that Bypass is really turning into a death trap. Amazingly on the one hand Yusuf tried to aware masses about protection of wildlife and on the other hand he expressed hardships faced by people here due to road terror.Surely both, the wild as well as the social animals are precious and need protection. Before taking up a project, the constructing agencies must see whether sufficient funds are available with them to execute the work. How ironic it is that ERA is unnecessarily digging the roads and then leave them open for longer periods creating difficulties to the people. We are not crying for the rain waters that have accumulated and submerged the entire southern City because we know our fault of opting to live in the low lying area so have to bear with it. But demolishing of the safe footpaths or service roads by the ERA is objectionable. They are exposing the pedestrians to high risks by making them to walk on main Bypass. They should not spread hands beyond their limits. It is not sensible to dig up the entire road and then leave it half done. Yusuf is right in saying that when a wild animal kills a human being, people raise hue and cry and curse the animal but when a human kills a human no other human being raises the issue against the defaulter agencies. It is now right time for NGOs to wake up and take up the matter with higher authorities.

Obaid Yousuf and Tabish Mahar
Residents of  Alnoor Colony, Hyderpora.
Email: ubaidyusuf@hotmail.com
(The ideas expressed are authors own)

BOX:
We are not crying for the rain waters that have submerged the entire southern City because we know our fault of opting to live in the low lying area so have to bear with it. But demolishing of the safe footpaths or service roads by the ERA is objectionable.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 2 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
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