Sickening habit

This refers to ‘The future lies in organic farming’ by Bedanga Bordoloi (October 10). It is common knowledge that natural manure makes the soil fertile but gives less yield; artificial manure gives more yield but does not make the soil fertile. However, organic consumables are safe while farming with chemicals is unsafe. Perhaps this is why people fall sick often and suffer from life-threatening ailments.

HP Murali

Bengaluru

Medical mess

It is worrying that medical graduates who have studied in some foreign countries are failing the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination conducted by Medical Council of India which would allow them to practice in India. Generally these are students who have not obtained a seat in India or who have not done well in school and whose parents can afford payment seats in countries such as Nepal and China.

Some of those who fail the MCI exam either practice illegally or join private hospitals. A point to note is that well-to-do families offer more dowry for grooms with these degrees. When we permit a compounder who has worked with a registered doctor for some years to practice even without a degree as a registered medical practitioner, what is wrong in allowing doctors with degrees from foreign universities to practice? The situation is very confusing and changes are called for.

TSN Rao

Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh

Too many breaches

The facile manner in which militants have been able to cock a snook at our security forces and strike at will is worrisome. The storming of a multi-storeyed government building at Pampore near the army base, eight months after a stand-off with casulaties at the same complex,once again exposes the chinks in our security armour. It is imperative security flaws are ironed out immediately.

NJ Ravi Chander

Bengaluru

Trump and the US

This is with reference to ‘Understanding Trump’s rise’ by A Srinivas (From the Viewsroom, October 10). Globalisation as a principle cannot be wound up because it was a necessity at one point in time. The extravagance of governments and the urge to create wealth through assets have hurt the economies of the West more than that of emerging economies. No doubt the US did not bother when China wasshaking the roots of the US economy. That issue has to be understood in the proper perspective. More regulation and oversight are needed to keep economies under control. The economic cycle has both booms and depression, but their impact can be reduced.

RK Arya

Faridabad, Haryana

Trump has inherited the reckless winner-takes-all spirit of the early settlers of America. The post-civil war era saw the seeding of modern day value systems there. A progressive faction with a democratic flavour and the entrepreneurship of latter-day immigrants saw the nation grow rich and powerful but its predatory conservative largely helped it to stay that way. As the stakes in an affluent US grew higher, the two streams of the nation’s existential philosophy produced leaders suited for the times. The viciousness of the ongoing presidential debates reflects the extent of the schism.

The likes of Trump should help us grasp this reality. As other nations gain political and economic strength, it can only be expected that the US gets to be increasingly conservative to the extent of perhaps opting for isolation.

R Narayanan

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Zero customer service

Although we are way up there as far as technological advantages go, the world is being fuelled by marketing strategies without services. For example, if you want to know about your mobile services through customer care units, you will never get a satisfactory answer. The lack of knowledge andof English add to the issues related to customer service. Service providers are not as interested in improving customer service as they are in selling their products.

P Senthil Saravana Durai

Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu

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