With reference to the editorial, ‘Digital dreams’ (June 2), the fundamental attitude of the TRAI and the Centre itself should be to reach the last mile on time-bound implementation. Telecom policy-planners must realise that the ‘wireless channel’ is not infinite. The existing OFC ducts of BSNL must be inserted with cables to accommodate growing traffic. Their signal towers should also be ‘leased’ concurrently to pass the signals of private operators to support users in remote areas and that will increase income to the financially ailing BSNL. The approval for building plans and road maps should hinge on the compulsory provision of signal-receptive structures and conduits for cables.

In the era of Unified Communication, Internet of Things, Long-Term Evolution, etc, India cannot afford to lag behind. We want to compete with China but we must know that it is already 30 years ahead of us in all areas including telecommunication. Only this awareness will translate our digital dreams into virtual realities.

B Rajasekaran

Bengaluru

The aspirations of the 21st century generation are increasing and now people are demanding the right to broadband. The Delhi government has already promised wifi for all. The proposed E-Kranti project of the Modi government will be feasible only when all institutions, offices, panchayats, hospitals and colleges are connected through broadband. In the age of social media activism and e-commerce, India must bring all the left-out rural population into the mainstream through broadband.

Badal Jain

Jalgaon, Maharastra

The Maggi row

Now that the sample tests have revealed monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limits in Maggi products, legal action has to be initiated against Nestle-India, the leading brand of instant noodles along with advertisers, promoters and endorsers. Madhuri Dixit, Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta, who endorsed the products and misled customers should are party to the violation of food safety standards and breach of consumer trust. They cannot claim immunity from prosecution. They ought to have been as much concerned about consumer safety as about remuneration.

Ordinary customers take the quality of brand-name products for granted once they are endorsed by celebrities whom they have no reason to distrust. There is a growing tendency among companies to adulterate food to make huge profits. The use of excessive pesticides and preservatives in vegetables and fruits is another grave issue. The time has come to check the manufacture and sale of food products containing unacceptable levels of toxic substances.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Food for thought

The decision of the Madhya Pradesh chief minister not to provide eggs as part of meals in anganwadis is absurd. Egg is rich in protein. The logic that the human body is meant to consume only vegetarian food has no basis. In the eagerness to stick to some ideologies the poor should not be deprived of what is essential for their health; the choice of food should be left to the people concerned.

M Raghuraman

Mumbai

On expected lines

The rate cut by 25 basis points is on anticipated lines. The surprising thing now is that the RBI governor has not surprised the market, as is usually the case. By trimming the rate, the RBI is certainly trying to create an environment to spur growth and investment. It also gives the impression that rate cuts in the recent past have not really translated into contributing the required level of growth momentum and hence banks would need to act on them fast by cutting lending rates. Inflation has moderated and growth projections appear to be reasonable and meaningful, in the present context.

Overall, it’s a careful assessment taking into account both the external and internal factors with an eye on taking the country to a higher level of sustained growth.

Srinivasan Umashankar

Nagpur

We need a safety clause

This refers to ‘The risky rush for bank bonds’ by Lokeshwarri SK (June 2). The article has analysed well the risk factors for retail investors. In India, banks are generally not allowed to fail and whenever there is a problem the bank in trouble will be merged with some other bank. So far bank depositors have not lost money. But the position of bond holders is different; there is no coverage of deposit insurance for them. If a bank fails in its bond obligation, the repercussions will be severe because this will be followed by run on the bank and ultimately the bank will fail. When many banks are attempting to raise funds through bonds, the results will be severe. Hence the regulator must advocate some safety clause for bond-holders, such as government guarantee or some insurance scheme similar to deposit insurance.

S Kalyanasundaram

Email

Indifferent government

This refers to ‘Heat wave is not the killer’ by PG Dhar Chakrabarti (June 2). The rulers and politicians who are in power are living in a bubble of their own; they never put themselves in the place of ordinary people so as to understand the hardships faced by them on a daily basis. This is the primary reason for the loss of lives to the heat wave which was and is easily preventable with proactive government involvement. Unless the people in power know the meaning of the word ‘empathy’, ordinary people will continue to suffer. It is surprising to see this attitude of inaction in Telangana.

CR Arun

Email

In a soup

An actor must first be satisfied with the product before endorsing it. A product can have a harmful effect. In such circumstances, it must never be endorsed. Also actors must genuinely believe the product is good for the public before accepting such endorsement. Legally they may not be required to do so but morally they must be satisfied as to its quality. And in order to save themselves later on if the product is found not up to the mark especially on health grounds, they must get a clearance certificate from the concerned government departments or insist on it from the company for which they are endorsing the product.

Mahesh Kapasi

New Delhi

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