Question

You are Nandan Banerjee, a concerned citizen. Write a letter to the Editor of a local daily raising concern over the open burning of hospital and domestic waste in your city. Draw attention to its serious health implications, the need for scientific waste disposal practices and public awareness.

Hint:

Use formal letter format for an Editor. Cover the issue, health effects, scientific disposal, awareness and an appeal.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
This is a formal letter to the Editor of a local daily. The writer is Nandan Banerjee, a concerned citizen. He must raise the problem of open burning of hospital and domestic waste, show its serious health effects, state the need for scientific waste disposal and ask for public awareness. The letter carries 5 marks. No word limit is printed, so a body of about 120 words is a safe length.

Step 2: Content points from the marking scheme:
The marking scheme lists these groups of points.
1. Issue and context: hospital waste such as used syringes and bandages and domestic garbage are burnt in public spaces, on roadsides, in open plots and near homes. The practice is widespread and largely unchecked.
2. Health implications: toxic gases, soil and groundwater contamination, asthma, bronchitis and chronic lung damage, spread of infectious diseases, and special harm to children, the elderly and pregnant women.
3. Scientific waste disposal: strict biomedical waste protocols in hospitals and clinics, colour-coded bins for segregation, and regular municipal collection of domestic waste.
4. Public awareness: campaigns in hospitals, schools and colonies, RWAs helping in local monitoring, and media campaigns.
5. Appeal: ask the newspaper to highlight the issue, urge the Municipal Corporation and Pollution Control Board to act, and ask citizens to report violations.

Step 3: Format of a formal letter to the Editor:
Write the sender's address and date at the top. Then write the Editor's designation and the name of the newspaper. Add a subject line, the salutation, the body, the closing and the name. Format carries 1 mark, content 2 marks, organisation 1 mark and accuracy 1 mark.

Step 4: Plan the paragraphs:
Paragraph 1 states why you are writing. Paragraph 2 describes the burning and its health effects. Paragraph 3 suggests scientific disposal and awareness. Paragraph 4 appeals to the authorities and the citizens.

Step 5: Write the model letter:

25 Park Street
Kolkata
10 January 2027

The Editor
The Daily Chronicle
Kolkata

Subject: Open burning of hospital and domestic waste in the city

Sir/Madam,

Through your newspaper, I wish to raise a serious concern about the open burning of hospital and domestic waste in our city.

Used syringes, bandages and household garbage are burnt daily on roadsides and near homes. The smoke releases toxic gases, and the ash pollutes soil and groundwater. It causes asthma, bronchitis and lung damage, and unprocessed biomedical waste spreads infections. Children, the elderly and pregnant women suffer most.

Hospitals must follow strict disposal rules and use colour-coded bins for segregation. The municipal body should collect domestic waste on time, so that no one burns it. Awareness drives by schools, RWAs and the media are equally important.

I urge the authorities to act swiftly, and citizens to report violations.

Yours faithfully
Nandan Banerjee

Step 6: Check the letter:
The body has about 119 words. The tone is serious but polite. Every content group of the marking scheme is covered, and the paragraphs follow a clear order from problem to solution to appeal.

Final Answer:
A formal letter to the Editor, in correct format, that describes the open burning of waste, its health effects, the need for scientific disposal and public awareness, and ends with an appeal to the authorities and citizens.