This is with reference to “The administrative route to growth” by Pradeep S Mehta (October 27). Having served in a government department, I am aware of the problems. Candidates with a professional course under their belt being given senior administrative positions is welcome since knowledge of the subject is desirable. Otherwise the case may have to be referred to persons with the knowledge of that subject.

It is desirable that directly recruited candidates to administrative services such as the IAS are given training in the basics of various technical and medical subjects so that when the need arises they will be familiar with the topics. Lateral entry into senior positions from outside can cause heartburn among personnel and therefore their services as consultants can be availed of.

The administrative sphere is so vast and intricate that a study by an expert body on various aspects should be undertaken and introduced in actual working methods.

TR Anandan

Coimbatore

Fire those crackers

Apart from fire accidents and damage to property, many innocent children sustain eye injuries almost every year due to the usage of fire crackers. Moreover, in thickly packed residential areas, the fumes of the crackers cause breathing trouble to young and old alike. But still, the mass usage of fire crackers continues unabated. The usage of electronic substitutes for fire crackers can be tried.

The use of traditional fire crackers with hazardous and explosive chemicals, if stopped all of a sudden, will result in unemployment and loss of revenue to the Government. But considering the consequences, substitutes can be tried, and total banning of traditionally old fire crackers can be implemented in a phased manner.

M Premkumar Mallya

Hubli, Karnataka

Squaring the circle

The Delhi by-poll is a political enigma. After its quantum jump in Assembly seats in Haryana and Maharashtra, what holds the BJP back from opting for re-elections in Delhi?

Clearly the party is under opposing pulls within, over the issue. Else it would have scotched the plan for an infructuous exercise over three seats that were held by it even earlier and winning them back now would not have altered the present impasse over arithmetic.

Is the BJP now trying to square the proverbial circle on the strength of its mathematical prowess acquired in the national and regional hustings? The class mentor, LG-Delhi, seems to be more confident than his disciple!

R Narayanan

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Set a precedent

This refers to your edit, “Faulty exchange” (October 27). We should have a precedent in dealing with bad corporate governance and promoter frauds. What this government has chosen to do may be debatable. But how will the traders get their ₹5,300 crore back? This is the responsibility of the management of the exchange. The government of the day and the corporate affairs minister then allowed paired contracts, they used the nod they got from the then corporate affairs ministry as a shield when all the regulatory bodies wanted an investigation.

So we need to send a strong message to the promoters of any business and a debate should be initiated on attaching the fraudulent promoters’ assets to recover the money. The assets should include the equity stake if the promoter owns a listed company.

CR Arun

Email

Rash behaviour

This refers to “Real equality” by Jessica Valenti (October 27). The freedom to get drunk or act stupid will not bring about gender equality. What the writer indulged in even before she was 16 is disquieting. Making an impression should not be by means of conduct akin to cutting off the nose to spite the face. Be it a boy or a girl, it is unbecoming to behave indiscreetly and indecently. What is needed is circumspect and level-headed behaviour. As human beings are fallible, occasional slips and follies are bound to happen. That is an altogether different matter.

CG Kuriakose

Kothamangalam, Kerala

Swachha Bharati

The country needed such an action plan as we see heaps of garbage everywhere which creates a health hazard. With this programme, awareness has been created. However, in a country our size, it is better to have a mechanism to monitor the implementation and to take expeditious steps for speedy accomplishment of the task.

Local bodies can become nodal offices to monitor the programme so that positive results can be ensured. Local bodies are hesitant to take steps when private vacant sites are not kept clean. However, they are well within their powers to request the owners to ensure the cleanliness of areas under their jurisdiction.

GG Kamath

Mulki, Karnataka

Adopt villages

Narendra Modi’s call to MPs and MLAs to adopt one or two villages and improve them does not seem to have picked up momentum. Good calls are largely ignored. Any thing that benefits them like a hike in pay or permission to go abroad at the cost of the Government would get their attention.

Politicians should rise above politics in matters of national interest. In Karnataka, former Prime Minister Devegowda has emulated the example of Modi in participating in Swachha Abhiyan by wielding a broom. If he adopts one or two villages, others will follow suit. In every State, the seniors should take the .

KV Seetharamaiah

Hassan, Karnataka

Crime doesn’t pay

Almost every political party has given tickets to people with criminal backgrounds. No party is an exception to it and thus, the future of this country is again doomed. India’s Constitution has no provision to restrict or debar such candidates from contesting elections. Those who drafted the Constitution never imagined such a situation and now nobody wants to make an amendment to the Constitution. Tickets should not be given to candidates chargesheeted or being tried. In the public interest such candidates must be denied a ticket till they are actually free of charges.

M Kumar

New Delhi

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