Crop diversification

The editorial ‘Look beyond relief’ (August 13) has rightly stressed on the need to revisit the issue of paddy cultivation in times of drought, which accentuates pressure on the limited financial and water resources. The deficient monsoon has multiplied the worries of the farming community, especially paddy growers in Punjab and NCR as well.

The depleting water table is also a matter of serious concern. The shortage of power has forced the farmers to spend more on diesel consumption. As the month of August ends, there is less hope of more rain, so the losses in paddy cultivation multiply. The direct credit of compensation money to farmers will definitely appease them to some extent. However the union ministers’ advice not to stick to paddy cultivation may not be easily acceptable to the rural belt. Punjab has been adding huge quantity of rice to the central pool for decades.

Crop diversification needs to be advertised in a well-managed manner before acceptance.

It won’t be out of place to mention here that exorbitant rise in prices of pulses and subsequent dependence on import quota will further make kitchen expenses dearer not only for Punjabis but for the countrymen as well. 65 years after independence, the Indian economy is still dependent on nature and corporate policy makers.

YUGAL KISHORE SHARMA, Jalandhar

II

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal plays very ‘good’ politics at the right time. The latest example that justifies it his demand of Rs 2380 crore from the Centre for drought relief. If it is paid by the Centre, it would be a great achievement for him; if not, SAD-BJP would blame the Congress for neglecting Punjab.

Badal should not forget the last time when the Centre gave Rs 800 crore to farmers, the government spent the money on other projects. The poor farmers managed to get only Rs 150 crore, that too after a strong protest.

The CM’s statement has mentioned “sacrifice” by farmers for a national cause (editorial “Drought Money”, August 4). He would do well to refrain from such melodrama and instead come with credible mathematics to build a solid case and not criticise the central government time and again.

SUBHASH C. TANEJA, Gurgaon

Licence to steal

The satirical editorial ‘Steal, Don’t Loot’ (Aug 13) is very apt in this age of unlimited and all-pervading corruption in India. What takes the cake is that the minister (a close relative of the Chief Minister of UP) has openly allowed employees to carry on with corrupt practices on a small scale. Being generous, he has limited it to be less than a ‘loot’.

The incident brings home the hard facts of corruption, quite well known earlier but now shamelessly propagated by a minister. The loud noises made by Anna Hazare or Baba Ramdev make no difference to the thick-skinned politicians and officials in our democracy.

You have rightly asked the people to keep a watch on the minister as he may be a subject for study by research workers in times to come for good performance alongwith some stealing. But will these ‘netas’ ever have morals to understand the lofty ideals of service for public and not self.