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Indo-Pak ties: Media in overdrive

To the editorial “Batting for peace: PM’s cricket diplomacy changes Indo-Pak climate” (Mar 28), I want to add that the media is giving excessive coverage to India-Pakistan semi-final to be played at Mohali on March 30. High expectations from the Indian team are natural, but too much emphasis may affect players’ preparation.

High voltage words like war, mother of all battles, etc may make the players tense and put unnecessary pressure on them. Politicians, the media, enthusiastic fans and corporates, should not do anything which may divert the attention and affect the preparation of the players. Anyone indulging in black marketing and betting should be severely dealt with. Team India should give its best performance and reach Mumbai to capture the Cricket World Cup in the final match.

However, Dr Manmohan Singh’s cricket for peace initiative to improve political environment deserves appreciation and should be vigorously followed up by politicians and diplomats to obtain purposeful results.

SC VAID, Greater Noida

I am astonished to see the headline “IAF war-ready as India take on Pak in semifinal” (Mar 28). Can’t we use headlines which promote a feeling of happiness and hope? If a game of cricket can lead to a war like situation, then we should not promote such sports in our country and moreover not provide any coverage to such events.

As a citizen, I have a strong opinion that such events do not serve any fruitful purpose for the nation. Rather these are consuming lot of resources and opening avenues for further corruption. In a country where we cannot provide adequate electric power for domestic use, such mega events are given permissions.

Sale of tickets in black market is one good example of corruption promoted through such events. The media should help create a situation so that only school children are allowed on the students’ tickets. Also, students need to be from the same school to which a particular block of tickets was provided.

Flt-Lt ASHWANI K NOTEY (retd), Panchkula

Traffic rules

The editorial “Lawlessness on roads” (Mar 25) rightly pointed out the problem of traffic chaos in India and the consequences the common man suffers due to it. Most of the problems in India are due to the chalta hai attitude. Even a 13-year-old child can be seen riding a motorcycle at break-neck speed. We must abide by traffic rules.

Stringent action should be taken against youngsters who are found doing driving stunts on roads. Proper driving test should be taken before issuing a licence to anyone. Heavy vehicles should be barred from entering busy roads. Special complaint boxes should be provided so that the common man can file a complaint against the traffic policeman if the traffic policeman asks for bribe. Nothing can change if the chalta hai attitude of Indians does not change.

JASLEEN KAUR, Amritsar

Health mission a failure
The editorial “Hardly a mission” (Mar 28) presented a realistic and dismal picture of the National Rural Health Mission, which has been rightly dubbed as a fiasco and a joke by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament. The parliamentary report substantiates the health activists’ observations that NRHM is a flop and has not at all improved the rural health care but has become a lucrative programme for siphoning off millions of rupees.
The NRHM has failed to improve the primary healthcare. Those who are working in rural areas are aware of the ground realities of rural healthcare and will definitely endorse the PACs findings. Today’s Indian rural health situation “makes us both sad and angry”.
Meagre public spending, profit-oriented and unregulated private healthcare, unregulated and ineffective drug policy and malpractices mar India’s health scenario, both urban and rural. Unless there is a radical change in the healthcare policy, India would soon face a health disaster.
Dr VITULL K GUPTA, Bathinda