This refers to the editorial, “Grey matter”(October 30). The discussion is educative and objective. Now that the issue of huge amounts of money stashed in foreign countries has been proved and an authority of the status of the highest judicial department has taken over, there are other related matters calling for attention. Foremost is how people transfer huge amounts to foreign banks. The departments which relate to this should be revamped to ensure that nothing leaves the country illegally. Next is to build relationships with other countries to establish a banking connection that would automatically communicate with the Indian authorities on monetary dealings by Indians, either surreptitious or legal. The public should be taken into confidence about such problems.

TR Anandan

Coimbatore

The intervention of the apex court has not been too soon. It has managed to take away the political overtones dominating the issue and to restore focus on containing the problem. Hopefully we may see the modest beginnings of a comprehensive approach by government(s).

R Narayanan

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Incomparable

This refers to “Eggsactly what we need?” by Pradipti Jayaram (October 30). Helping female employees freeze their eggs and have offspring at a time of their choice is unethical and somewhat inhuman. Those becoming parents later in life are unlikely to see their grandchildren if their children too follow suit. If egg freezing is widely practised, grandparents may become an ‘endangered species’.

Professionalism and materialism are not the only things that count in life. One of the most soulful experiences is to enjoy filial love. Money and status are poor substitutes. The controversial perk ridicules motherhood.

CG Kuriakose

Kothamangalam, Kerala

Disappearing cargo

A power project at Chhattisgarh is suffering as 16 packages of a consignment of over 500 packages forming part of project imports registered with Visakhapatnam customs and port has been untraced for over six months. When asked for issuance of certificate of non-traceability and delivery of these packages, the port has been dragging its feet. Some of its executives even claim they are not responsible for their security.

Owing to non-issuance of the certificate the importer is unable to lodge a claim with the insurance company, rectify the customs project import record and organise replenishment from overseas suppliers. Meanwhile, a much-needed power project of national importance is held up.

Venkata Rao Vedula

Visakhapatnam

Strategy is key

This refers to C Mahalingam’s article, “How to measure HR’s contribution” (October 29). There is no doubt HR professionals have to change their measurement techniques based on input and output to business outcome in order to gain acceptance from top management about their role in achieving the desired business results. They have to get rid of the mindset that HR work is intangible, and learn to employ quantitative metrics which translate performance into business outcome in financial terms. Good knowledge and application of HR accounting and return on investment concepts is a prerequisite now.

Secondly, all HR activities (like job analysis, talent acquisition, compensation performance appraisal and training) should be woven into an integrated HR strategy which is derived from the business strategy of the organisation.

YG Chouksey

Pune

Erratum

In the last para in “Cycle brand agarbatti worried about new entrants” (October 30), NR Group partner Arjun Ranga’s quote was wrongly edited. It should read: “My company does not have the marketing and distribution reach as vast as a cigarette manufacturer, who prefers to sell soaps and agarbattis along with cigarettes at its stores. I am in the business of selling agarbattis, not the best quality soap or notebook. There is a fundamental difference why my business will grow and continue to sell.”

Hartal hurdle

The Kerala High Court held that it cannot ban political parties calling for hartals but it stated that the rights of the common people would cease to exist if such hartals turned violent or disorderly. Since this is a question of fundamental rights, the Court said it is for the Government to frame rules to ban and/or regulate hartals.

While every political party has the right to protest over any issue, they should ensure that it does not in any way impede the ‘rights’ of others. The organisers make sure that every establishment in the area shuts down and day-to-day life is brought to a standstill and no public transport is available. Refusal to toe the line results in clashes and damage to the private/public properties. What do such protests cause to the State and industries? Huge man days and revenue. For daily-wage earners, starvation stalks.

Compared to other States, not many industrialists are interested in setting up shop in Kerala because of labour problems and hartals. Thus, despite enjoying nature’s bounty, Kerala is unable to keep pace with other States in terms of industrialisation.

Let organisers protest only at a place which earmarked by the government. Protesters should allow all activities to take place and public transport allowed to function as normal. The Kerala government must come out with a legislation to ban hartals or protests that jeopardise the daily activities or halt industrial activity or preclude public transport from normal functioning.

VS Jayaraman

Chennai

The Kerala High Court deserves kudos for not banning hartals. Hartals are the staple food of political parties and some caste organisations. We should not blindly condemn bandhs and hartals. They perform a social service. Hartals reduce global warming by reducing fuel consuption on the day. They help save much electricity in offices. The toiling masses get a day’s rest which is more beneficial than many of the so-called welfare measures of the government. There is less air pollution and sound polution. Family members get a day of togetherness. Bandhs and hartals should be considered a blessing in disguise.

S Raghunatha Prabhu

Alappuzha, Kerala

In black and white

With reference to the editorial, “Grey matter” (October 30), let’s look at real estate values. With our poor infrastructure and drainage facilities, how come we are forced to pay these crazy prices? This is because of black money. Without black money our real estate prices will be down at least 50 per cent.

We have all sorts of businesses creating black money in this country and it is predominantly invested in real estate. This is the reason for sky high prices in real estate even in remote villages. Black money stashed aboard has to be unearthed, without a doubt. But no one is talking about the black money within, which is killing the middle class dream by making them slaves to the debts they owe to banks.

CR Arun

Email

Wise decision

The Congress in Kerala launching a political war against Governor P Sathasivam, over his intervention in issues relating to universities in the State is unwarranted. Congress vice-president MM Hassan saying that the governor’s act is against the law is surprising. Does it mean that Hassan knows the law and Sathasivam doesn’t?

Sathasivam’s intervention it is a well-thought decision to save the universities. There should be some measures for the smooth functioning of institutions and uninterrupted conduct of examinations.

KA Solaman

Alappuzha, Kerala

Great improvement

The Supreme Court’s missive to the Government has paid off with the latter submitting a list with 627 names to the former. This is a whopping improvement over the list of eight names released initially. Disclosures reveal that almost half of the account-holders are resident Indians who could be prosecuted under income tax laws and the rest are NRIs. The list also includes account-holders who have already admitted to having accounts and having paid taxes. Now that the ball is in the Supreme Court it should expeditiously go about its task of submitting the status report.

NJ Ravi Chander

Bangalore

Scientific Pope

Pope Francis’ endorsement of the theories of Big Bang and evolution represents a refreshing shift from the familiar orthodoxy of the church. It will finally go to persuade the faithful “to see light” and think of science in positive terms and instil a sense of science in them. His comment that “God is not a magician with a magic wand” is an acknowledgement of the need for a new understanding of the Biblical story. It is amazing that our predecessors could write the Book of Genesis with the Earth at the centre of all things and the stars in the firmament of heaven as lamps placed up there for the benefit of man.

The Pope’s new theological insight that the Big Bang and evolution proclaim God’s intervention in cosmological and terrestrial events goes beyond the literal interpretation of Genesis. Implicit in it is the repudiation of old certainties of religion like creationism and ‘intelligent design’ without wanting to miss ‘the finger prints of God’ amid the chaos of the cosmos.

The Big Bang and Darwinian revolution are not hypotheses; they are facts sanctified by science. Darwinian ideas are supported by direct observation, fossil records and genetics. The religiously-inclined can, if they want, perceive and term scientific theories as ‘God's revelations in the present times’ and by extension, venerate scientists as God’s men or prophets. Human knowledge and nature are still worthy of much improvement.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

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