Delhi’s EV push
Apropos ‘Capital experiment’ (July 13), though the Delhi Metro had really helped reduce pollution levels, the city remains the most polluted in the country due to the large number of passenger cars and taxis. So, asking aggregators to shift to EVs is a good idea.
But to make the scheme a success, robust charging infrastructure has to be created with the help of private players, and in that regard Delhi can learn from the Nagpur experiment. The e-commerce delivery segment is one of the biggest users of vehicles, and making them migrate to EVs can help fetch the desired results.
Bal Govind
Noida
Create enabling ecosystem
The proposed aggregator scheme of the Delhi government is a good initiative. To be more effective, those who have to mandatorily switchover to EVs should be given some incentives. These include reduction in power tariff for charging, space for setting up charging stations, and facilitating more charging vaults at apartment complexes, malls, commercial centres, airports and railway stations.
Also, bio-degradable peptide-crystal battery technologies should replace lithium-ion and lithium-acid batteries, for safety, enhanced shell life and maintaining ecological balance. If effectively implemented, the underlying long-term benefits from the scheme may outweigh the teething problems and capital investment involved.
Sitaram Popuri
Bengaluru
Assistance to Sri Lanka
This has reference to ‘India should pull out all stops to help Lanka’ (July 13). Already India has provided substantial humanitarian assistance ($3 billion) to Sri Lanka and there is also the likelihood of some immediate help to protect the food security of that country.
The helping hand of India is likely to extend longer, which can be appreciated given the historical relationship between both the countries. However, as the recent Sri Lankan leadership has not been loyal to India, we should make use of the present nebulous political situation to find lasting solutions to the concerns arising out of the increasing presence of China in Sri Lanka. The government should also try to get back Kachchatheevu as a quid pro quo for all the help that is being given now.
M Raghuraman
Mumbai
Striking work
Last week, employees of an airline company went on mass sick leave demanding higher wages. The management should initiate disciplinary proceedings for misusing the sick leave facility which is given to employees to take rest during their ill-health and not for any other purposes.
Employees of any industry will have genuine reasons to go on protests, but such acts should not hamper customer service. It is time unions expressed their dissent by means other than striking work. Countries like Japan should be role models to all of us.
BN Bharath
Bengaluru
GST on hospital beds
This government is trying to maximise tax on anything and everything. The GST on hospital beds is going to strain the finances of even the upper middle-class. The poor public health infrastructure often forces individuals to prefer treatment at private hospitals where charges are already high. The salaried class, after honestly paying all kinds of taxes during service, is literally left to fend for themselves. To make matters worse, medical insurance attracts 18 per cent GST.
A major illness in the family is likely to wipe out all savings and further force families into debt. In such a situation, the decision to charge the new GST rate is cruel.
Anthony Henriques
Mumbai
Crop insurance
This refers to ‘AP decides to rejoin Fasal Bima Yojana in current kharif season after tweaks’ (July 13). Though belated, it is a timely move. The AP government’s plan to bear the burden of farmers’ premium is better than enticing them with the prospect of a loan waiver, which drives even hard-working farmers away from the core activity.
Importantly, States must desist from treating Centrally sponsored pro-farmer schemes like PMFBY as a political issue.
Rajiv Magal
Halekere Village, Karnataka