Lie low

Sir — To be caught in a lie is bad enough but it is much worse to be caught in a lie inside an aeroplane. An Australian woman recently called in sick at work to go on a quick trip. However, she had not expected to run into her boss among her co-passengers on boarding her flight. She recounted the ordeal in a TikTok video, saying that she donned a face-mask and sunglasses in order to hide from her employer for the remainder of the flight. It was a narrow escape as the boss did not seem to recognise her. But perhaps she should have thought twice before posting this video on TikTok — now that her post has gone viral on the internet, her boss is sure to find out. This is a classic case of inviting trouble when there is none.

Shalini Mitra, Calcutta

Stronger ties

Sir — While speaking to the Indian diaspora in Kuwait, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, pointed out that it has been 43 years since such a diplomatic visit. It would be instructive to remember that for at least 10 of those 43 years, he has been the prime minister and his party has been in power. Why did they wait so long to make such a visit?

Hemachandra Basappa, Bengaluru

Sir — Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Kuwait will boost bilateral ties between the two countries. The two have traditionally enjoyed friendly relations dating back to Kuwait’s pre-oil era when maritime trade with India formed the backbone of its economy. Until 1961, the Indian rupee was legal tender in Kuwait. The prime minister’s visit has heralded a new era of friendship which will solidify trade, cooperation and peace.

Ramesh G. Jethwani, Bengaluru

Mixed bag

Sir — The decision by the Union finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, to postpone the removal of the goods and services tax on medical insurance premiums has disappointed senior citizens in the country. The GST Council’s decisions were disappointing.

N. Mahadevan, Chennai

Sir — The GST Council has revised taxes on popcorn but failed to take a decision on insurance products. The cash-strapped government is trying to scramble for funds.

Dimple Wadhawan, Kanpur

Sir — India grew at 5.4% in the quarter that ended in September. The government’s decision to keep the GST stable for most things is thus encouraging. It should incentivise investment in food processing to escape seasonal price surges in vegetables that hold interest rates hostage.

Shovanlal Chakraborty, Calcutta

Sir — The recent increase in tax collection in India is the result of the government’s visionary policies and digitisation. Reforms such as e-filing, online payments, and GST have made the tax system more transparent and effective, leading to an increase in collection. Digitisation has helped curb tax evasion and made the authorities more accountable as well. This has led to increased investment in education, health, and infrastructure. However, the challenge of bringing the informal sector into the formal framework shall require additional effort from the government.

R.K. Jain, Barwani, Madhya Pradesh

Fire tragedy

Sir — A chemical tanker met with a devastating accident in Jaipur resulting in the loss of lives (“Survivors recall Jaipur crash horror”, Dec 22). The affected area also faces long-term health and environmental risks. Incidents like this remind us of the growing dangers on our roads and the urgent need to address them. Such tragedies are often a result of negligence, non-compliance with safety regulations and a lack of proper supervision. The authorities concerned must take immediate action.

Nadeem Ahmed, Akola, Maharashtra

Sir — It is tragic that at least 14 people were charred to death after an LPG tanker collided with multiple vehicles, including a chemical truck, on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway. Preliminary investigation indicates that the fire was caused by the damaged nozzle of the LPG truck leading to a gas leak.

Jayanta Datta, Hooghly

Unfair rates

Sir — Networks of Indian doctors have intensified their campaign for the government to regulate charges for medical services in private hospitals and implement a legislation that was passed over 14 years ago (“Demand for affordable healthcare”, Dec 21) In the absence of effective regulation, people are at risk of exploitation owing to excessive profiteering by private hospitals. Private hospitals have been overcharging for their services, making medical treatment increasingly unaffordable for common people. Improving the facilities in and the infrastructure of government hospitals is essential to reduce dependency on private hospitals. Awareness campaigns should also be initiated to ensure that citizens are medically insured.

Kiran Agarwal, Calcutta

Sir — The Jan Swasthya Abhiyan and the Forum for Equity and Health have been urging the government to enforce regulations to rein in private hospitals’ excessive profiteering. Private hospitals violate the Clinical Establishment Act, 2010, which provides for the regulation of fees and charges at private hospitals. But the Association of Healthcare Providers of India and the Indian Medical Association have petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the government’s proposal to regulate private hospital charges. This goes against the interests of the public. Doctors should think about the heavy out-of-pocket expenditure that patients have to bear to get medical help in this country.

Jahar Saha, Calcutta