It is unfortunate that self-proclaimed water warriors have taken the law into their hands and brought Bengaluru to its knees. There is undoubtedly distress over the Supreme Court’s direction to release water to Tamil Nadu but violent protests are not the answer. . The violence takes the sheen off Brand Bengaluru.

NJ Ravi Chander

Bengaluru

It is most unfortunate that the Cauvery issue hastaken an ugly turn. Once the Supreme Court has given its decision, it must be followed. Speaking against it is dangerous for democracy. Just as Chandigarh is a the capital of both Punjab and Haryana, so too the Cauvery is common to both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and both are part and parcel of India.

Mahesh Kapasi

New Delhi

For whom the bottle clinks

The argument in ‘Why prohibition makes no sense’ by Rahul V Kumar (September 13) is flawed. Disproportionate drinking is not the same as eating too much beef. When an individual or collective habit affects the health or wealth of citizens adversely, state intervention is required. Excessive drinking leads to debt, disease and even death, more so in the case of the poor.It is a challenge for the Government to devise a policy that makes it convenient for the well-to-do to have their peg and limits the poor to enjoy it within their means. If the State is unable to curb illicit liquor on its own land, the endeavour will fail in spite of rigid laws imposed. Bihar will soon discover it.

YG Chouksey

Pune

Prohibition is a step forward but it should be implemented in phases and not at one go. People have to be provided alternative employment. Steps should be taken against bootleggers.

HP Murali

Bengaluru

Attractive offers

This refers to the editorial, ‘Put consumers first’ (September 13). The tussle between incumbent cellular operators and the RJio is really not over termination cost but the attractive offers with which RJio’s penetrating the market. When the call-drop issue popped up, TRAI tried its best to compensate users for the same. But COAI took the issue to court and got a favourable ruling. Mobile users should not have to suffer in any way. Cellular operators, through their cartel, COAI, reap the benefits to a large extent. TRAI must also check the practicality of RJio offers in the long term. In case of breach of code of conduct, COAI may approach the Competition Commission of India for redress.

S Lakshminarayanan

Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu

Inaccurate data

The RBI cannot frame its monetary policy based upon data given by some authorised organisations. For instance, it is learnt that industrial production came down by 2.4 per cent in July. But it has been reported that excise duty collections have gone up in the last couple of months. This is paradoxical. According to sources, the production of smartphones has not been included in GDP data. How can we frame monetary or fiscal policies based on inaccurate industrial statistics?

S Ramakrishnasayee

Ranipet, Tamil Nadu

Erratum

With reference to ‘Laurus Labs files draft papers for public issue’(August 30), the company has clarified that the promoters are not participating in the offer for sale in the proposed IPO (‘OFS’). The OFS is being made by Aptuit (Asia) Private Limited, Bluewater Investment Ltd, FIL Capital management (Mauritius) Limited and Fidelity India Principals (acting through its trustee FIL Capital Advisors) only. Further, the company currently has three manufacturing facilities in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and two R&D centres, in Hyderabad and Greater Boston. It is in the process of setting up two additional manufacturing facilities in Visakhapatnam, is expanding its R&D centre in Hyderabad, and is setting up another in Visakhapatnam. The restated profit of the company, on a consolidated basis, for the financial year 2016, was ₹1,326.51 million and for the financial year 2015, it was ₹683.69 million. The reporting errors are regretted.

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Published on September 13, 2016