Letters to the editor dated May 17, 2021

This refers to the editorial ‘Ring-fencing Bharat’ (May 17). While the test positivity rate of Covid-19 is declining across the country on account of the partial lockdowns and other stringent measures imposed by the Centre and States, yet the TPR needs to improve substantially. For this, the people must strictly comply with the protocols.

More intensive action is needed in providing hospital beds, oxygen and vaccination. The health crisis is drastically affecting economic activities. The government has undertaken various stimulus measures to ensure sufficient funds flow to sustain economic activities and protect the marginalised sections of society.

The efforts by the government to revive the economy are becoming futile due to the fast spread of the second wave of the pandemic. The foremost requirement at this juncture is full-hearted cooperation from the public to strengthen the government’s actions.

Changanacherry, Kerala

The government should consider re-routing vaccine supplies to rural areas ahead of the monsoon season. Mandis and other such facilities can be re-purposed for operating mobile fever camps and vaccination centres. Telecom infrastructure can also be strengthened in such areas to enable tele-medicine consultations.

Chennai

Apropos ‘Ratio of vaccine availability to people is 1: 230: Sharma’ (May 17), many States are complaining about the short-supply of Covid vaccines. The Centre, however, is claiming that by around July half of the adult population will be vaccinated with the first dose even though no steps are being taken to augment supplies. Further, the gap for second dose of Covishield vaccine has already been enhanced to 12-16 weeks. The Centre should balance all the vaccine requirements simultaneously.

There are crores of adults/senior citizens who are still waiting for their first jab. The government must give priority to this set of vaccination seekers.

Hyderabad

With reference to ‘Air India sell-off still stuck at the runway’ (May 17), it was intriguing to learn that it took 10 years for the government to finally realise that a firesale of Air India was the only option left.

Notably, despite various tall claims repeatedly made by the Civil Aviation Ministry, the ‘open ended’ sale of this excessively debt-ridden airline (once the proud Maharaja of the Indian sky) continues to elude success. Probably, operating Air India based on the ‘public-private model’ may make it come out of the red.

Bengaluru

This refers to ‘Finding ways to keep our waterways plastic-free’ (May 17). Successive governments have taken a series of steps in cleansing the Ganga, which still remains a big challenge. Corrective measures and countermeasures taken in arresting the flow of plastic waste from garbage bins to ditches, canals, waterways, rivers and to the sea are getting undone by the callous approach of the people.

It is saddening to read the list of plastic wastes landing in waterways. Rules and norms on source segregation of waste should be made mandatory in all cities and towns.

In parallel, the municipal wings of respective tehsils should ensure that such plastic wastes collected from the public are disposed of as per the laid down norms, and thereby make the huge budgetary support being rendered on cleansing projects a meaningful one.

Chennai

The menace of dumping trash, especially plastic, in waterbodies is the fallout of pronounced negligence by the public.

Although no law can change the mindset of intentional polluters, legislation to mitigate the widespread use of plastics is needed. Also, penal measures against the offenders can help arrest this practice.

Halekere Village, Karnataka

Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.

COMMENT NOW