Letters are one of the most important and popular means of communication. Most of the important official and commercial correspondence is still done through letters. There are two types of letters:
1. Formal Letters: to officials, business heads etc.
2. Informal Letters: to relatives, friends etc.
Note: As per the latest CBSE Syllabus, students have to study only the Letters to the Editor. Hence, we shall deal only with this type which is under the category of Formal Letters.
Formal Letters: Formal lettes demand a formal or matter of fact treatment. They are mostly written in impersonal style. Formal letters that students can expect in the examination will be of three kinds:
1. Letters to the editor 2. Business Letters 3. Emails (Formal correspondence)
Letter Writing
Question. You are Radha/Raghu, C-15, Mayur Vihar, Delhi. Write a letter in 100-120 words to the editor of a newspaper on the consequences of climatic changes due to various man-made reasons. Take ideas from the notes given below:
Notes:
• Deforestation
• Pollution
• Unlimited needs and limited means
• Encroachments
• Unplanned urbanisation & industrialisation
Answer: C-15, Mayur Vihar
New Delhi
20th March, 20××
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
New Delhi
Sub: Consequences of Climatic Changes
Sir
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I want to express my deep concern and anxiety on the climatic changes due to various manmade reasons. Man is responsible for all the degradation of the environment. It started with the indiscriminate felling of trees. The deforestation has led to innumerable harms to the environment and ecology. Trees provide oxygen and absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. The clearing of forests led to droughts and dryspells. This has resulted in global warming and sudden climatic changes.
Pollution of air, water and land is making our living quite miserable. Our seas, rivers and lakes are also polluted. They have become dumping grounds for human and industrial wastes. Glaciers are melting. So are the ice volumes of the Poles.
Man’s unlimited needs and limited natural resources are further aggravating the problem. Unplanned urbanisation and industrialisation has adversely affected the landscape and climate. Let us check degradation of the environment and make this planet a pleasant place for human habitation.
Yours faithfully
Radha/Raghav
Question. Taking help from the information given below, write a letter to the editor of a national daily showing your concern at the outdated education system which has not helped in creating more jobs in India. Also suggest some measures to make it more meaningful and job-oriented.
Information:
• Colonial influence
• More academic than practical
• Not job oriented
• Vocational training compulsory
• Job-oriented
Answer: 12, Albany Cottage
Nanital
20th March, 20××
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
New Delhi
Sub: Job-oriented Education
Sir
Through the columns of your prestigious newspaper, I want to highlight that education system in India needs a new definition and direction.
Our present education system is merely a continuation of the Macaulian system of the colonial era. It is highly loaded in favour of academics. The old practices and traditions continue. The school education provides little or no vocational and technical training. The results are quite unproductive. Our educated young men and women don’t get meaningful employment. Their frustration finds outlets in crimes and violence. It doesn’t augur well for the nation and its youths.
The Government and the concerned educationists must take stock of the education system from new and meaningful angles. First of all, vocational and technical education and training should be made an essential part of high-school education. Every student must be asked to choose or select his trade or vocation. Adequate coaching and vocational training must be provided at the school level itself.
I hope the government and the educationists will rise up to the occasion and give a new definition and direction to our outdated education system.
Yours faithfully
Mohan/Mohini
Question. Using the information given below and inventing your own details, write a letter to the editor of a national daily showing your concern at the mushrooming of illegal colonies and slums in all the metros. Also suggest some remedial measures to stop them.
Information:
• Mushrooming of illegal settlements and colonies.
• Slums—no provision for pure water, drains and electricity.
• Waterlogged; breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
• Authorities must ensure cities and towns without slums.
Answer: 20, East Park Road
Jabalpur
12th February, 20××
The Editor
Nai Dunia
Bhopal
Sub: Mushrooming of slums and illegal colonies
Sir
Through the columns of your prestigious national daily, I express my dismay at the mushrooming of illegal colonies and slums in the big cities of India.
The haphazard urbanisation is the root cause of all such evils. This led to the proliferation of many illegal colonies and clusters of slums in every big city. The unmanageable population of the cities makes a mockery of all development plans. Thousands of people are living a miserable life in these stinking slums. They don’t have even basic civic amenities. Pure drinking water is not available to them. There is no provision for the sewerage or drainage system. Water-logging is a major problem specially during the rainy season. Life in a slum and life in hell are not much different. The government must act before our cities get chocked with the stink of slums. It can slow down the migration to cities by opening agro-based cottage industries in the region. The negligent and corrupt officials who let such illegal settlements to flourish, must be sacked or severely punished. Only a concerted drive on the part of the vigilant authorities can save our cities being choked from the stink of slums.
Yours faithfully
Ram Lakhan
Question. You are disturbed at seeing many unfortunate homeless orphans spending their night in the open on chilly wintry nights. Using the information given below write a letter to the editor of a national daily urging the state administration to provide free night shelters to the needy and homeless poor.
Information:
• Thousands of poor people are homeless
• Many suffer; some deaths reported
• Spend chilly nights on pavements and in the open
• Need for ‘night shelters’ or ‘Rayan Baseras’ for the homeless
Answer: 12, Nai Wala Gali
Karol Bagh
New Delhi
20th March, 20××
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
New Delhi
Sub: Night shelters for Homeless Poor
Sir
Through the columns of your prestigious national daily, I want to highlight the urgent need for providing night shelter for the homelss.
I am a resident of 12, Nai Wala Gali, Karol Bagh, New Delhi. India excels in contrasts. One of the major economies of the world has the maximum number of homeless poor people in the world. Millions of people in India spend their nights under the starry or cloudy skies. Many unfortunate persons fight for a little space on the pavements. Long winters become unbearable for these homeless orphans. They try to find out some shelters under the bridges, at railway stations or in public buildings. But they are hounded out from there by the police. Last month five people lost their lives due to extreme cold conditions.
The administration must show its human face. The state government must open adequate night shelters and provide free lodging for such persons. It will save hundreds of unfortunate homeless people dying from cold or chilly nights.
Yours faithfully
Ram Lal
Question. You are Manish/Maya, a resident of Gumla, Jharkhand. Your area faces frequent breakdown of electricity. Even the voltage is so low that it causes an extensive damage to the electronic devices and appliances. You are a student and face a lot of inconvenience due to this frequent breakdown. Using all these hints together with your own ideas on the issue, write a letter to the editor of a national daily showing your anxiety and deep concern at the erratic supply of electricity. Also suggest some ways and means to ease this critical situation.
Answer: 12, Civil Lines
Gumla
Jharkhand
20th February, 20××
The Editor
The Times of India
Jharkhand
Sub: Low Voltage and Frequent Breakdown of Electricity.
Sir
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I want to highlight the problem of low voltage and frequent breakdown of electricity in Civil Lines, Gumla.
I am a resident of Civil Lines, Gumla. I want to express my resentment and deep concern at the frequent breakdown of electricity in our area. This part of Gumla gives the impression that we have not yet come out of the ‘dark’ ages. The residents of the area face a lot of inconvenience due to this erratic supply of electric power. The situation in the summer months becomes quite unbearable. The residents have to spend sleepless nights without fans, coolers and air conditioners. Even the voltage remains very low. The fluctuations of voltage plays havoc with the electronic devices
and appliances.
Students are the worst sufferers. Long power cuts affect their studies. During the examination the situation becomes really pathetic.
The Electricity Board must install new and powerful transformers in the area. The supply of power must be streamlined. All steps should be taken earnestly and promptly to give relief to the residents of the area.
Yours faithfully
Manish/Maya
