US needs to focus on China

Refer to the article ‘Trump’s America must stand up to China’s aggression’; the Permanent Court of Arbitration at Hague, convened under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ruled in favour of the Philippines in the South China Sea case against China in 2016. China refused to participate in the arbitration and rejected the outcome. It will take more than military operations and harsh statements to counter Beijing. Washington’s refusal to ratify UNCLOS and dissipating the opportunity to support the Philippines in the enforcement of the award have undermined efforts to push back China. Rather than making this mistake again, the US should simultaneously focus on China, in addition to the ongoing wars in Ukraine and West Asia, to support its allies in the South China Sea.

Vaibhav Goyal, Chandigarh

Going overboard over diaspora

Refer to the news report ‘Trump banks on Tulsi of Hindu faith as Intel chief’; when someone who is even remotely connected to India makes it big in a foreign country, Indians start gloating and become overenthusiastic about the perceived benefits that would accrue to India. India has never received any special attention or favour from Indian expatriates occupying high positions. Their ancestors migrated from this country decades ago. Born and brought up abroad, they hardly have any attachment to India. In the case of Tulsi Gabbard, her only link with India is that she adopted the Hindu faith through her mother. Instead of going overboard, we must understand that for them, their adopted country comes first and all others become secondary.

Yoginder Singhal, Ladwa

Making a quick buck

Apropos of the news report ‘Swift darshan at Chintpurni shrine to now cost Rs 300’, it is not a good sign that one has to pay money for visiting temples, although it is known to everybody that it is a money-minting ploy of the cash-strapped HP government. It conveys wrong signals to other religious bodies. Instead of arranging free langar as well as board and lodging, temples are becoming money-making machines. Thousands of devotees throng the temple daily and people offer donations as per their paying capacity. This is not the right approach for any government to improve the state’s economy. Governments should desist from such practices.

Raj Kumar Kapoor, by mail

Centre’s decision may cause rift

Chandigarh, the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana, has always been a bone of contention for them. Now, the Centre has given the nod for the exchange of land with Chandigarh to construct a Haryana Assembly building. The allocation of the land was announced in 2022 too, but work was forbidden due to environmental concerns. The decision to reallocate land has not gone down well with Punjab’s politicians. Truly, it is going to create a wider rift not only between the two states, but also between the Centre and Punjab. The Central Government needs to tread cautiously and solve the matter amicably.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

Wake-up call for states

Apropos of the article ‘Public health at risk’; the CAG report regarding mismanagement in Haryana’s healthcare system is deeply alarming. Procuring medicines from blacklisted firms and distributing substandard drugs reveal a serious breach of ethical governance and public trust. A constant delay in drug supply highlights lapses in the supply chain management. How can a state purport to prioritise healthcare when essential medicines and resources are mismanaged? It is a wake-up call for state governments to restore public confidence in the state healthcare system.

Netra, Jammu

Air quality worsening in Punjab

The air quality in Punjab is getting worse with each passing day. A major contributor to this malaise is stubble burning. But it is not the only reason why Punjab’s air is getting polluted. Other reasons for the poor air quality include the increasing number of vehicles, industrial pollution and waste burning. People breathing toxic air are suffering from numerous diseases. Chronic patients of lung ailments like asthma and bronchial infection are the worst affected.

Angel Sharma, by mail

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