Letters. Beating plastic pollution

It is to state the obvious that plastic waste is ubiquitous and poses a serious threat to the environment and human survival. We cannot help finding heaps of discarded plastic straws, stirrers, wrappings, bags and water and soft-drink bottles in every nook and corner of the landscape. Cattle rummaging around plastic alongside rag-pickers are a sorry, yet common sight in residential areas across the country. It is some relief that there is growing awareness about the need to take steps to abate plastic pollution. The battle for the preservation and protection of the environment has to include measures to combat the large-scale use of plastic.

The UN slogan “Beat plastic pollution” must be translated into action if we are to keep the planet a fit place for us and posterity to live. It is not sufficiently understood that plastic is pathogenic and that all non-biodegradable plastic trash is not collected resulting in clogging the land or reaching the oceans with disastrous consequences. This underlines the need to intensify the mass campaign to create greater awareness among the people about the ill-effects of avoidable, yet unchecked plastic use and persuade them to give up the habit of using plastic developed in the name of ‘convenience’.

At the level of individuals and families, we have to do whatever we can to drastically cut down the use of plastic. Carrying our own shopping bags and reclaiming glass or steel cups for tea and coffee — simple remedies — can make a difference. The Tamil Nadu government has done the right thing in banning single-use plastic products. A plastic-free planet is a goal worth pursuing for our and posterity’s sake.

The farm sector woes never seem to go away. Every government has tried to address this sector’s problems in fits and starts, for short term objectives. But much like the curate’s egg, they are good only in parts. There must be more focus on small-scale retail and retail, the largest self-employment sectors in the country. Agricultural growth must be measured in terms of the growth in real income of farm families.

There has to be avenues for non-farm income in villages to even out seasonal earnings, thus keeping the youth from migrating to cities. A national storage facilities plan with downstream processing industries would prevent distress sale besides reducing waste and maximise employment. For this sector we need to move from the existential to the aspirational.

Navi Mumbai

This is reference to "Only a united Opposition can stop the BJP", where a united opposition has served a fresh blow to the BJP by inflicting a third consecutive defeat in a Lok Sabha bypoll. Now it is crystal clear that BJP cannot take united opposition lightly anymore and will have to come out with a game-changing plan in in the next few months to boost its chances in 2019. By-polls are fought on local issues but people of Kairana and Noorpur have sent a message to the ruling party that neglect of farmers’ issues and polarisation will not work come what may.

The BJP must remember that though Prime Minister Modi remains its biggest trump card but that alone will not suffice in 2019 and ground realities will have to change.

Noida Apropos ‘Only a united Opposition can stop the BJP’ (June 6 ), the 2019 general election will, no doubt, between Narendra Modi vs all Opposition parties. The only aim of the Opposition is to remove Modi, no matter how diametrically opposing views some parties may have internally.

This only proves every political leader of the Opposition is scared of Modi because he is reportedly having clean image unlike other top leaders. In this united Opposition, one thing is crystal clear that the Congress has lost its leadership position and is forced to play a second fiddle like it did in the Karnataka, making JD(S) the big brother and letting go of the important portfolios to it. Let’s wait and watch till the 2019 election results are out, until then every statement of Opposition is a figment of imagination.

Mumbai