“Merwan Baug imbroglio”

Your report "Merwan Baug imbroglio” (Events and Personalities, Parsiana, March 7, 2007) made sad reading for two reasons. Firstly, because a beautifully situated property will go out of the community’s hands and, secondly, because once again the Parsi Zoroastrian community is not able to sort out its own problems and will resort to courts and quasi judicial authorities.

As always there are two sides to the issue. The trustees possibly are not in a position to run the Merwan Baug Holiday Home due to paucity of funds. This has led to dilapidation of the property (which is visible in the photographs published) and the resultant reluctance of the beneficiaries to avail of the Home. The protesters would of course blame the trustees for the loss of the property to the community.

Merwan Baug Holiday Home: need to raise funds

Is it not possible for the trustees and the protestors to sit together and consider means of raising the necessary finance? A figure of Rs 70 lakh was mentioned in the report. Is it impossible to find 50 to 70 Parsis generous enough to donate a lakh or two to meet this figure? Perhaps some trusts could also help.

Having gone through the names of the trustees and the protestors mentioned in the report I am sure many of them will not be any poorer if they contribute one lakh each either in their personal capacity or through trusts with which they may be connected. If the trustees and the protestors come together and first put their hands in their own pockets, the community (including the undersigned) will come forward and contribute their mite.

E. P. BHARUCHA