Nostalgic sip

Sir — In the film, Photograph, Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s character moves heaven and earth to find a bottle of Campa Cola for the heroine. The company which made this iconic beverage — it was the go-to drink for Indians in the 1970s — went out of business after foreign brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola entered the Indian market. As moving as Siddiqui’s portrayal of a lover’s quest was, Campa Cola lovers may no longer have to frantically search for their favourite drink. The Indian business tycoon, Mukesh Ambani, is relaunching Campa Cola in India. Given the way his telecom company edged out other well-entrenched service providers, surely Campa Cola, too, will regain its lost glory and soon become the beverage of choice for New India.

Rishi Das, Calcutta

Economic woes

Sir — The views of the British economist, Meghnad Desai, regarding the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan launched by the Indian prime minister in 2020, seem controversial (“Atmanirbhar campaign nonsense: Economist”, Mar 20). Desai also rued India’s low per capita income and the fact that its manufacturing sector lags far behind its digital service sector.

However, Desai’s concern is understandable as most developed economies have graduated from being dependent on agriculture to relying on manufacturing and technology. It can only be hoped that India, too, will progress by leaps and bounds in these sectors.

Ashok Kumar Ghosh, Calcutta

Counternarrative

Sir — The pledge by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Thalassery, Joseph Pamplany, to support the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 parliamentary elections has united the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala in criticism. The Congress and the CPI(M) have previously misguided Christians regarding the BJP. The bishop’s gesture will now give them a reason to ponder their choices.

K.A. Solaman, Alappuzha, Kerala

Dangerous mimicry

Sir — Gurugram Police have arrested a Delhi-based YouTuber and his associate for enacting an inappropriate scene from the web series, Farzi, and engaging in rash driving. This cannot be treated as an isolated incident. It lays bare a deeper malaise: instead of treating films and television series as entertainment, impressionable people perform dangerous acts popularised by such shows. Strict action must be taken against people who endanger their own lives and those of others by committing such nuisances.

Rohit Pandey, New Delhi

Shifting sands

Sir — The National Green Tribunal must direct state governments to take remedial action against illegal sand mining. Sand extraction from beaches, inland dunes as well as ocean and river beds can disturb the lay of the land, destroy marine life, disrupt food chains and alter river beds. The loss of the natural sand barrier allows saline water to seep into tillable soil, making it unsuitable for agriculture. A more immediate crisis is that of land subsidence, especially in coastal areas, which can cause buildings and other edifices to collapse.

Vijaykumar H.K., Raichur, Karnataka

Creatures at risk

Sir — The editorial, “Green films” (Mar 19), rightly pointed out the effect of films and documentaries on the psyche of the audience. It is thus a shame that The Elephant Whisperers will reach few people other than those who subscribe to the OTT platform streaming it.

In this context, it must be mentioned that Bollywood films like Kala Parvat, Haathi Mere Saathi, Safed Haathi, Junglee and so on have previously made a mark among the masses and left many favourably disposed to the fate of these pachyderms.

Vinay Asawa, Howrah

Sir — There are nearly 250 recognised owl species worldwide, of which 36 are found in India. Of these 36, 16 species are in peril and found commonly in illegal bird markets across the country. Unfounded claims — for instance, an owl’s hoot heard from the top of a house is said to signify the death of an occupant — are passed on as lore to portray owls as bearers of bad news. This makes the birds even more vulnerable.

Saikat Kumar Basu, Calcutta

Sir — World Sparrow Day is celebrated on March 20. Even a decade ago, house sparrows were a common sight in Calcutta. The Calcutta Municipal Corporation and other municipalities in the state should undertake conservation efforts to reintroduce these birds to the cities and build adequate nesting spots for them.

Sourish Misra, Calcutta

Modern perils

Sir — Modernity may have made life easier but it has also brought various challenges to living a healthy life. Lifespans have increased at the cost of the quality of life. We consume food that contains chemicals and can affect our hormonal balance and bodily functions. There are, of course, newer treatments and preventive procedures to help us deal with these problems. But these are often too expensive for the majority of the population. We must carefully consider the ills of modernity and make changes to our lifestyles.

H.N. Ramakrishna, Bengaluru

Healing beauty

Sir — The annual Tulip Festival will be held in Srinagar from April 3 to April 20 this year. Every year, the festival draws droves of tourists. Hundreds of flower bulbs are planted for this festival. The London-based World Book of Records had included the garden in its pages for planting 1.2 million bulbs in 2018. The incredible sight is perhaps nature’s salve for the strife-torn Valley.

Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai