Beastly behaviour
Sir — Harassing animals, especially ones that are in captivity, is sadistic. Recently, as many as 12 people have been issued lifetime bans by a Chinese centre that breeds giant pandas for allegedly displaying bad behaviour around the animals. These tourists were caught either throwing things at or spitting into the outdoor play area of the pandas. With the rise in cases of dogs mauling people in several Indian cities, one hopes for stringent measures to be taken against those who harass stray animals. Irking animals and then blaming them for attacking is hardly a fair charge to make.
Rishi Das,
Hooghly
Sip of death
Sir — The death of around 53 people at Kallakurichi in Tamil Nadu due to the consumption of spurious liquor is horrifying. The government as well as the police must put a stop to the manufacture and the sale of illicit liquor. The state government seems to have not learnt a lesson from a similar tragedy in Villupuram. Activities like these go unmonitored due to the involvement of powerful local politicians. It is shameful that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government is yet to act on a war footing to put an end to such illegal activities.
M.C. Vijay Shankar,
Chennai
Sir — The Tamil Nadu government has failed to stamp out illicit liquor trade. The easy availability of local moonshine along with the exorbitant cost of safe liquor leads people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to opt for the cheaper alternative. The state government has taken action against district officials and formed a committee to inquire into the tragedy besides announcing compensation for the families of the victims. However, much needs to be done to crack down on the illicit liquor industry. The diversion of industrial methanol to illegal breweries must be prevented. A sustained public awareness campaign with a thrust on the dangers of consuming hooch is the need of the hour.
M. Jeyaram,
Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
Sir — It is unfortunate that politicians like E. Palaniswami and the Bharatiya Janata Party state president, K. Annamalai, are trying to score points following the hooch deaths. While the BJP has remained silent on hooch tragedies in other states, Annamalai has written to the Union home minister, Amit Shah, asking for a Central probe. Palaniswami has demanded the resignation of the chief minister, M.K. Stalin. Ironically, Palaniswami should not forget that when he was questioned regarding the death of 13 protestors in Thoothukudi during his stint as the chief minister, he had shrugged off liability. It is time political parties buried the hatchet and united to solve this menace.
Tharcius S. Fernando,
Chennai
Sir — The deadly hooch incident has taken many lives. Due to the allegations of a DMK leader being involved in this scandal, it would be wiser for the state government to hand the investigation over to a Central agency. Several people die every year due to the consumption of cheap liquor and the Centre must take steps to control the situation.
N. Mahadevan,
Chennai
Sir — The trade in illicit alcohol cannot thrive without the knowledge of local police and politicians and, thus, the onus to stop it is on the government. The deaths are only the tip of the iceberg and indicate a broader public safety issue.
D.V.G. Sankara Rao,
Andhra Pradesh
Sir — The hooch tragedy highlights the ineptitude of the local authorities and the nexus between the bootleggers and the police. The M.K. Stalin-led government should prioritise the safety of the economically backward people who purchase cheap, toxic alcohol.
Jayanta Datta,
Hooghly
