Letters to the editor dated May 28, 2021

Apropos your Editorial ‘Virulent research’ (May 28), the issue of Covid origins should not be lost either in the diplomatic blame game or due to the non-cooperation of the Wuhan lab in providing data. Medical research on modified organisms have to be transparent globally regardless of countries’ prevalent political systems.

Human lives are precious and the world statesmen, and economic interests who control and fund such scientific research need to show better responsibility for human life. Countries with scant economic resources coupled with massive populations are hard hit. WHO and other UN bodies should rebuild their credibility. The economic compulsions of bigger nations cannot be an excuse to defend their trade partners when human lives are at risk. We must dare to speak the truth.

Ludhiana

With reference to ‘Demand for cash surged in 2020-21 due to Covid-19 pandemic: RBI Annual Report’ (May 28), it was interesting to learn that the year witnessed a higher than average increase in value of ₹500 denomination bank notes (as against a steep decline in ₹2000 notes) in circulation owing to precautionary holding of cash induced by the pandemic. Also the central bank withdrew ₹57,757 crore worth notes of ₹2,000 in FY21 and not a single note was printed during this period. This obviously implies that the government could be having some other plan up its sleeve.

However, the introduction of ₹2000 notes since demonetisation has remained shrouded inmystery. Since the RBI has reportedly stopped printing of ₹2000 notes, let it be ‘demonetised’ in November 2021 and ₹1000 notes be re-introduced in a new avatar .

New Delhi

This refers to the news report, ‘Stop beating around the bush, comply with the laws: MeitY to Twitter’, (May 27). The new regulations have set off a debate on individual privacy, freedom of speech and governmental control. WhatsApp and Twitter have challenged them, and a legal scrutiny is under way.

WhatsApp says the rule on the first originator is against the principles of open internet access because it would require it to break the end-to-end encryption of messages.

But the Centre claims the rules empower the common citizen against online abuse and weed out objectionable content.

However, the face-off between the Centre and WhatsApp needs to be resolved with both sides moderating their stances. Freedom of speech is important as is privacy, but social media platforms do need to be regulated since messaging services with such large numbers of users can potentially cause disruptions.

It is also essential to find a way to allow users to express their views without their privacy being impinged. In the end, system can’t have security trumping privacy and vice versa.

Bengaluru

Apropos “Conditions building-up for onset of Monsoon over Kerala” (May 28) though welcome, farmers have many reasons to be anxious on the actual number of wet days and even distribution of rainy days which is key to a good harvest. Estimating IMD’s forecast based on its similar prediction since 2018, nothing seems impossible and the anxiety has obviously strengthened due to the recent havoc that Cyclone Tauktae and Yaas inflicted. With pandemic hitting rural areas, labour force migrating, vaccination process yet to reach the rural masses any aberration in the forecast for a favourable monsoon could be devastating to the agrarian sector and needs due attention by the authorities.

Halekere Village (Karnataka)

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