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Manage waste

I know a person who manages waste in an amazing manner. He keeps a small polythene bag to put items other than recyclables. He puts out the organic remains of vegetables to dry and then mixes them in the soil for fertilisation. Pulses and boiled vegetables are also put out to dry on the roof in an open container. When they become odourless and smaller in size, he puts them in the soil for recycling. After a few days, it becomes manure for use of plants. He collects the tea remains in a pot and mixes them in soil. It is then used as an organic manure for the plants. The leaves of trees are thrown in a pit and covered with soil to be turned into a manure for organic gardening.

If we all also practice this method, we can achieve a lot in environment conservation.

BS Panesar, via email

Cut diesel price

In the last few weeks, some oil prices have declined. The losses of the companies stand wiped out following the continuous rise in diesel prices in the last two years. The petrol price has been reduced. The delay in the reduction of diesel price is not understood. PM Modi had promised transparency in the working of the government. Will he or the minister in charge let the public know why the diesel price is not being reduced?

Er SS Bhathal, Ludhiana

Costly arms licence

Apropos the news report "Arms licence fee Rs 10,000 in Punjab" (October 7), under the SAD-BP government, a simple one-page application for an arms licence costs ~10,000. The deputy commissioner of Bathinda district had passed the order to the Suvidha Centre to charge the exorbitant fee. The justification was that it would curtail the increase in applications for arms licence. It is the right of every citizen to apply for the licence for his protection. The unwarranted financial burden cannot be imposed on people without a logical justification. The Punjab and Haryana High Court must take a suo motu notice in this regard. The forms must be made available online at a reasonable price. The Suvidha Centres are created by the Sukhmani Society. Who is sharing the profits of the society? A committee must be formed to audit the working of these centres.

Capt Amar Jeet Kumar, Mohali

Too many holidays

This October is full of holidays. This is a manmade calamity of the worst nature where people suffer at the hands of the government system. Holidays must be provided with justification. No one in the political circles and administration has devised any plan to ameliorate the sufferings of the common man because of these holidays. The government machinery holds the public to ransom and enjoys paid holidays at the cost of the exchequer. May good sense prevail.

Er Avtar Singh, Mullanpur

Dump yards galore

It’s been more than six decades since we achieved Independence, but proper waste disposal systems are still a dream. Unoccupied land/plots become dumpyards in every street in the country. Incidentally, this activity by AAP patrons was regarded as a publicity stunt.

Deepjot S Thukral, Ambala Cantt

Clean India

The initiative taken by the government for a clean India is admirable. This mission should not turn in to a mere political stunt. Its success depends more on us. We should pledge to keep our surroundings clean and encourage others to do that. The government has just shown the way for it.

Tajinder Grewal, Kurukshetra

Broom and nudge

Apropos the editorial “A broom and a nudge” (October 2), no doubt that educating, motivating and sensitising people about cleanness is important in making India filth free. But individual or community efforts will prove to be minuscule as compared to the strong government efforts by which sweepers are made work for eight hours. In addition, people responsible for spreading filth must be punished. Instead of spending crores of rupees on just a public relations exercise, Modi should strengthen governance where those responsible for cleanliness and developing infrastructure and civic system promoting cleanliness are taken to task. If a sweeper works honestly for eight hours, our cities will definitely look different.

Dr Vitull K. Gupta, Bathinda

Moral cleanliness

It is for the first time that a Prime Minister has expressed serious concern about all-pervasive dirtiness and rubbish in the country's cities, towns and villages, and impressed upon us all the need to address it (“System & sweeping social changes” by BG Verghese, October 7).

The government and social and cultural organisations should make concerted efforts to spread awareness about cleanliness, sanitation and public defecation. For greater efficiency, the drive should be brought within the purview of law. Not only physical, cleanliness has moral and spiritual connotations also. A clean body, clean mind, clean environment and clean society will not only solve a number of social, civic, religious and political issues but also help make Mother India clean and healthy to live in. The Prime Minister would also do well to take an initiative against rapidly increasing population and and help rid the country of multiple problems associated with it.

D S Kang, Bahadurpur, Hoshiarpur

Clean politicians, too

This is with reference to BG Verghese's article "System & Sweeping Social Changes" (October 7). It is not for the first time that cleanliness is being talked about. Jai Ram Ramesh, cabinet minister in the previous government, had also taken the initiative of cleanliness when he made controversial statement regarding the importance of toilets over temples. Without a "clean Parliament", "clean politics" and "clean drinking water", the slogan of "clean India" will not give fruitful results. No MP with criminal and corruption-related record fulfils the real meaning of "clean Parliament'. The Prime Minister must also clean the dirty MPs by removing them, if any.

Charanjit Nohra, Nohra, Patiala