While the fringe elements have had a field day, the CMs of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu talking about the safety of linguistic minorities in each other’s State shows how much they care for the people.

R Prabhu Raj

Bengaluru

The present dispute has been aggravated by the tribunal award, 2007, that instructed Karnataka to release 192 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water to Tamil Nadu in a normal year. But it did not spell out clearly what should be the quantum of release during lean years. The farmers of both States mainly produce high water-intensive crops. This should be replaced by low water-intensive crops such as oilseeds, pulses, millets. Drip or sprinkler irrigation should be introduced, irrigation water be recharged on volumetric basis and transmission losses minimised. The linking of the peninsular rivers starting from Mahanadi in Odisha down to the Vaigai in southern Tamil Nadu should be done . Both leaders must shrug of past egotism and take positive initiatives.

Buddhadev Nandi

Bankura, West Bengal

Every political party wants to take advantage of this burning issue. It is unfortunate that the apex court has not taken this issue seriously and is coming out with short-term measures. It is high time all the Centre and two State governments come to a permanent amicable solution.

K Ashok Kumar

Kolkata

The dispute over sharing water has taken a back seat; now it’s all about teaching the other side a lesson on regional superiority. Bengaluru has a lot of face-saving to do. Events like these vitiate growth and investment. Those on the streets destroying public property are not daily wage-earners, they are politically motivated fringe elements. The State administration could have easily anticipated the possible repercussions of the SC judgement. Their utter helplessness and failure of the State administration in preventing the destruction of public property is appalling.

Gaurav Singhal

Rewari, Haryana

Space must dwarf human ego

The recent and third consecutive success and the first operational flight by the GSLV with an indigenous cryogenic engine has established ISRO’s ability to seek an end of India’s dependence on other countries for the launch of heavy satellites.

Outer space is too vast for mankind to fritter away its composite knowledge in mutual envy or national ego. The success or failure of missions by one is that of the entire global scientific collective. Excessive hold-back of cutting edge technologies in space exploration may be of transient help in spurring self-sufficiency but the human collective loses precious time reinventing the wheel.

R Narayanan

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

On a bright note

The launching of new polymer notes in Britain should induce India to introduce the same as we already face immense problems in controlling counterfeit notes. With the latest security features and quality, polymer the notes will last many more years and printing expenditure will be reduced. This idea was mooted long back by eminent economists and the reasons for not implementing it is known only to policymakers. It is time we should found a way to curb the spread of counterfeit notes. Countries such as Australia, Brazil,Canada and Romania have already been successfully using them. Although the Government wants to introduce cashless transactions, it may not be feasible in India where many are poor and illiterate. Polymer bank notes are a good idea.

TSN Rao

Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh

Erratum

In the report ‘RJio Endorsement: PAC raps Prime Minister’s Office’ (September 13), the observations of KV Thomas, in a letter, were made as an MP, and not in his capacity as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, as published inadvertently. The PAC has not deliberated on this issue. The error is regretted.

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Published on September 14, 2016