Well done RBI

With reference to ‘RBI’s customer-complaint processing goes digital’ (June 25), the central bank deserves appreciation for launching a Complaint Management System (CMS), which will now enable the public to lodge their complaints on its website against any of the regulated entities such as commercial banks, urban co-operative banks, and non-banking financial companies. More importantly, this system will be accessible on desktop as well as mobile devices.

While the central bank expects banks to make effective use of the relevant data (routed through the CMS) for proper and timely resolution of customer complaints along with strengthening of their own grievance redress mechanism, the fact remains that most of the PSBs seldom rise to the occasion when the need arises. Most of us must have confronted some unsavoury situation wherein the banks usually tend to take the escapist route by simply shrugging off their onerous responsibilities. However, with the 'digitalisation' of the complaints received at the offices of the Ombudsman and Consumer Education and Protection Cells of the RBI, things might possibly change for better.

New Delhi

This refers to ‘How the agrarian crisis can be eased’ (June 25). It’s true that demand-supply mismatch of agricultural produce creates price distortion of commodities, but wastage of farm produce is also a fact. Natural calamities, volatile monsoon and insufficient irrigation are other causes of farmers’ distress. The argument for rationalising farm subsidy based on size of landholding holds no ground as both types of farmers are affected by these distress factors. As per research estimates, 30-40 per cent vegetables get wasted due to non-availability of cold storage facilities in villages and the farmers have no option but to sell these produce at penny rates to middlemen who hoard them for gaining undue profit. To overcome the farm distress, massive investment in warehouses and cold storage is needed so that one third of the wastage can be converted into marketable commodities leading to increase in farmers’ income coupled with consumer surplus.

Hisar

Predictions much before the onset of the monsoon indicated wavering forecasts. The reality appears to be harsh with scanty rains, even in the western ghats region. This is a loud message to the authorities to take scientific decisions, instead of political, in preserving the environment and ecology. Issues like cloud seeding, Sharavathy river water for Bengaluru, and destruction of green cover in the name of mega drinking water projects like Yettinahole may need a re-look by experts.

Sakaleshpur, Karnataka

Chennai and its suburbs have been facing water shortage for the last several decades. The water managers simply show the pictures of dry lakes which store and supply water to the ever-increasing area and population of the city. We put the blame on the failure of monsoon. What lesson has been drawn from the data of water storage for the last 60 years or more to predict and plan. Visits to Andhra Pradesh are made asking for release of water and money is spent every year for carrying out repairs to the Krishna Canal that runs through the two States. One can always say that Veeranam lake is not getting adequate water from Cauvery . And then, we have a dispute with Kerala for getting water from the Mullayperiyar Dam. Meanwhile, the lake beds have been converted into house sites. The desalination plants are both a blessing (they provide drinking water) and a curse (there is opposition from certain quarters). One understands that only technical bids are floated for desalination plants. While residential and commercial buildings are putting up rain water harvesting structure, nobody knows whether street corners have RWH unit under storm water drainage system. Is there a 25-year plan for water management for irrigation, supply of safe drinking water, and exploitation of groundwater?

Chennai

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