Dear Sir,
This is to highlight the plight of thousands of residents who live in Ezdan Villages near the Teyseer roundabout in Al Wakrah. Around three months ago, the roundabout was suddenly closed by placing concrete blocks. People were happy that maybe a signal was being planned but until today there has been no sign of such a plan. A signal could easily have been developed in the last three months as schools were closed and most people were on vacation outside Qatar. But nothing was done and now after schools have started it takes for residents of Ezdan Villages 45 minutes to reach the Al Wakrah main street.
Since there is no other road to go towards the Wakra Hospital and beyond, people who live in Ezdan Villages 8,9,10 and 11 have to go to the next roundabout and take a u-turn. This is an extra distance of four to five kilometres. If the roundabout has been closed to ease congestion, the purpose seems to have failed as there is congestion on the next roundabout now.
We appeal to the authorities concerned to reopen the roundabout. During peak hours, traffic police may be posted at the roundabout to regulate traffic as is done at other congested roundabouts.
Mohamed Shadaan
Ezdan Village
Al Wakrah
A lesson for parents
Dear Sir,
A recent survey in India has shown an interesting trend in the changing jobs market in India.
According to the survey findings, as reported in the Indian media, “the starting income of an electrician, who is unskilled and perhaps has just cleared Class XII, is Rs11,300 per month while a desktop engineer, who is an engineering graduate, earns only around Rs3,500 more. What’s more, the desktop engineer’s salary rises by about the same margin as the electrician’s over a period of time - to about Rs19,000 in five years, and around Rs30,000 in eight years. So in about eight years, the electrician too would be comfortably earning over Rs26,000 per month”.
It says that the “narrowing this salary gap is the severe shortage of workers like fitters, welders, electricians and plumbers on the one hand, and the growing number of engineers trying to get into the IT sector”.
This should come as a point of reflection for the countless parents, especially the non-resident ones, who are determined to push their children to join an engineering college after their 12th standard, often by paying huge capitation fees.
If children are interested in pursuing an engineering career, do support them by all means. But there is no need to force them to do so, especially in light of the new findings.
MK
(Full name and e-mail address supplied)