Letters to the editor dated June 18, 2021

This refers to ‘Taper home stretch’ (June 18). Having successfully brought the Covid pandemic under control and with the US economy on recovery mode, it is not surprising that the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) is talking in terms of tapering bond purchases.

Looking at domestic developments, though food and commodity prices have contributed to the WPI reaching a record high, the hands of the government are tied in initiating any reduction in fuel price hike due to the government facing redemption pressure of ₹1.30 lakh crore of erstwhile era oil bonds issued to public sector oil marketing companies in lieu of subsidy.

Further foreign exchange reserves, though at record high, will face revaluation loss due to rupee depreciation. In spite of the dual pressure of high inflation and fuel price hike, the RBI is forced to keep long term government securities/bond rates low in view of the record borrowing programme set by the government. Now with advanced economies like the US looking at rate hikes, the RBI will be facing increased pressure to shelve the accommodative monetary policy which it has been pursuing for more than a year now.

Chennai

Ever since the pandemic broke out last year, the emphasis has been for the common man to stay at home and get all needs delivered at his place. This applies to things bought under e-commerce — food items, vegetables, medicines and many more.

This way of doing business is a win-win for both sellers and buyers as the former gets business at less overheads against cash and the latter gets every thing at their doorstep.

This model has become successful thanks to the important link — delivery boys. They travel vast distances for pick up and delivery and their services have not been fully recognised. The lockdowns would not have succeeded without home delivery and the government should provide free insurance cover for them on humanitarian grounds till Covid abates fully. Preference in vaccination is also necessary for them.

Mumbai

This refers to ‘Data in the time of Covid’ (June 18). In these pandemic times, data analysis and interpretation have become crucial as the results derived may affect the morale of the people. Two cases in point are the controversy about the appropriate time-gap between the two doses of Covishield and the use of new-born calf serum in Covaxin. Such opinion-conflicts should be avoided in public domain at a time when vaccine hesitancy has become a hurdle in the drive for nationwide vaccination.

Pune

Apropos ‘Pollution test: Rejection slips to be introduced soon’ (June 18), it was heartening to learn that India will soon have a common pollution under control (PUC) format. It will link the PUC database with the national register for vehicles, in addition to the introduction of a concept of common rejection slip for the first time.

Significantly, new norms, to be applicable in three months, will enable an enforcement officer to direct the person at the wheel, suspectedly driving any highly polluting vehicle, to retake the PUC test. Any failure to do so may not only result in imposition of penalty but even suspension of the errant vehicle’s registration. Such a move will go a long way in curbing the presence of polluting vehicles.

Panchkula, Haryana

The whole system of naming High Courts is confusing. While some High Courts are named after the cities where they are situated, others take the name of the States. Though cities such as Bombay, Madras and Allahabad were renamed long back as Mumbai, Chennai and Prayag, respectively, the High Courts in these cities still go by their old names.

The names of High Courts should automatically change when the names of the cities change.

Delhi

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