M A I L B A G

Triumph of the Mumbai spirit

During the incessant rain recently, the government machinery had totally broken down. Though the irresponsible authorities have brought shame and disgrace to everyone, Mumbaikars proved that they are very decent and have enormous tolerance in the time of crisis. It was triumph of the Mumbai spirit.

This crisis could have been avoided if there was no faulty planning and the land around the Mithi river should not have been claimed. This river’s beds became narrower and its capacity to hold water and effluents, which are ultimately discharged into the sea, is drastically reduced which led to flooding.

S.P. SHARMA, Mumbai

II

If the citizens follow the rules of the land while constructing houses and all other types of structures and the Corporation enforces the rules ruthlessly without fear or favour and if the politicians do not interfere for selfish reasons, this inundation would not have happened in Mumbai. And why should development be metro-centric? Why not ensure uniform development all over the country?

Institutionalised corruption, complete lack of accountability on the part of the government and total disregard of the rain water harvesting techniques are the root causes of this deluge. Nature cannot be blamed at all. We, the humans, should wake up before nature decides to teach us much more painful lessons.

R.P. RAMMOHAN, Hyderabad

Game of trilateral hypocrisy This has reference to M.L. Kak’s report “APHC keen on talks despite threat” (July 23). The internally displaced Pandits are an abysmally divided house, lacking united leadership. Talks with any one or a few of these will have no legitimacy whatsoever. The participating Pandits should have anticipated the consequences of their misadventure. This was precisely what some of the Pandit leaders had stated in advance. Moreover, it was a game of trilateral hypocrisy. The APHC is as much hypocritical in dealing with the Pandits as the Pandits are in dealing with them. The Hurriyat’s claim to popularity in the valley stands falsified by the threats of insurgents handed over to the Pandits. This is only the beginning of the long march. The PDP government has, with shrewdness, scored a point in exposing the APHC not directly but through the Pandit factor. In the process, it has also exposed the divided Pandits as well, thus conveying a silent message to New Delhi that the Pandit lot is not worthy of attention. K.N. PANDITA, Jammu

India as N-power

I endorse H.K.Dua’s views in his front-page editorial “Parliament must support the PM” (July 29). Undoubtedly, the US has no option but to accept India as a nuclear power. In any case, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh successfully convinced the US to lift the sanctions.

Compared with the BJP and its allies, the Left parties are better as they protest against the government’s policies by making it aware of the pros and cons of its decisions than threatening to withdraw support.

MINI SAPRA, Amritsar

II

The BJP’s charge that the Indo-US nuclear deal will jeopardise national security is far-fetched and unconvincing. The Left parties feel that India is tilting towards the US instead of the Communist block. They must know that the UPA government is keeping a balance between the imperialists and Communists and the Nehruvian ideology.

Thus, no party should criticise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who has done the best in a short span of one year.

SHER SINGH, Ludhiana

Bhakra’s success

The report “Bhakra has failed to deliver” (July 18) is incorrect. The dam was constructed as a multipurpose river valley project embodying a multiple stream of benefits. It has ushered in green revolution in the region. Power generation has brought industrial revolution.

The Bhakra Dam is a modern temple of resurgent India. It produced about 13,000 highly trained engineers and skilled workers who subsequently executed the Beas Project, the Thein Dam and other hydro projects successfully. It continues to be in the service of humankind. Thus, the report in question is misleading.

NARINDER SHARMA, Chief Engineer (retd), Panchkula

II

The Bhakra project has contributed to the economic development of the region. It made huge strides in agricultural production, increased energy availability and its canal power houses led to large-scale development of tubewell irrigation by exploitation of ground water resources.

It is, therefore, wrong to say that the Bhakra Dam has failed to deliver.

HARDEEP SINGH, Kharar

III

The Bhakra project is a huge success. There was an acute shortage of drinking water. The people of Haryana had to take contaminated water which resulted in the epidemic diseases. It is a big boon to the people. It has played a vital role in the green revolution which made the country self-dependent on food.

NACHHATTAR SINGH, Odhan (Sirsa)

Ban on smoking

What could be easier than raising hand to pass the Bill to ban smoking scenes in the films and thus convince the people that their legislators are really concerned about their health? How very difficult, on the contrary to take positive steps to ensure the supply of safe drinking water, unadulterated food like urea milk, pesticide-free vegetables and reasonable healthcare!

So say ‘Aye’ and move on to the canteen to have a bite of the subsidised food in air-conditioned comfort.

Dr L.R. SHARMA, Solan