Promote agri start-ups
This is with reference to ‘Agriculture education needs to be repurposed’ (September 7). The need of the hour is to re-examine the suitability of the present curriculum in varied agricultural disciplines.
Agricultural technology involves environmentally sound and sustainable farming methods in order to attain profitability and efficiency. This calls for rigorous investments and continuous promotion of agri-tech start-ups in India.
P Sundara Pandian
Virudhunagar, TN
Vulnerable cities
Torrential rainfall that lashed Bengaluru the past few days literally brought the city in to its knees, with several of its arterial roads flooded and people living in the tech parks located on the banks of Yemalur and Bellandur lakes bearing the maximum brunt. The unprecedented rainfall and the resultant havoc on the physical infrastructure in Bengaluru, which is considered the Silicon Valley of India, has once again exposed the callousness of the State authorities over the decades in effectively preventing the blatant encroachment of hundreds of lakes by vested interests.
Given the growing vulnerability of Indian cities to adverse weather events triggered by climate change, it is incumbent upon the State authorities to turn their focus towards building climate- resilient infrastructure. Adoption of a policy of zero-tolerance towards the encroachment of water bodies and fixing the existing lacunae in storm water drain management will go a long way in mitigating climate change-induced disasters.
M Jeyaram
Sholavandan, TN
Cautious optimism
This refers to ‘Defying the headwinds’ (September 7). When international organisations and celebrity economists have started acknowledging, though reluctantly, the possibility of India moving ahead of its competitors in terms of economic and scientific progress, the views within the country are also turning positive.
The earlier we understand the futility of the fault-finding brand of politics, the better for the nation.
MG Warrier
Mumbai
Tough road ahead for Truss
This has reference to ‘Against the odds’ (September 7). UK Prime Minister Liz Truss finds herself between a rock and a hard place because she will have to revive the economy, reduce inflation and cut down taxes at the same time. It is going to be anything but easy.
On the political front she will have to regain people’s trust in her Conservative party. The damage done by her predecessor is too deep, but if Truss is able to send a signal that she means business when it comes to economic revival then she would have won half the battle.
Bal Govind
Noida
Ban on firecrackers
This refers to ‘Delhi bans firecrackers till January 1, 2023’ (September 7). It is highly appreciable that the Delhi government has announced a complete ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1.
Notably, the said ban also extends to online sale of firecrackers. However, one genuinely wishes that the government really means business and the proposed ban does not remain on paper. It may be recalled that there were several instances of blatant defiance of the ban on the bursting of fire crackers.
SK Gupta
New Delhi
Scale up schools
Politics is perennial and parties need to choose the right plank to jump into the election fray. The corruption plank that came in handy in 2014 is still a choice after all these years, but the raids are only increasing. Clearly, the remedies thereto are proving inadequate as corruption is agnostic and non-specific to a political regime.
The AAP found success in riding the education and health platforms, which the BJP today is not shy to imitate.
For a couple of years now, it has been announcing plans on Teachers Day to open thousands of new schools even as existing ones are woefully short of teachers. A decade after the implementation of the Right to Education Act in several States, 15 per cent of the schools are single teacher institutions.
R Narayanan
Navi Mumbai