Time’s up
Sir — Humans are not the only ones with a biological clock. Research now shows that the earth has a biological lock too, based on which the planet chooses what kind of biodiversity exists in any given period. Each cycle lasts for about 36 million years. Humans have existed only for a few million years so far but the havoc they have wreaked on the planet is unprecedented. We should thus be rightfully frightened. It is unlikely that the earth will choose to host humans for another cycle. People might keep choosing the wrong political leaders but surely the planet will not repeat its mistake.
Khooshbu Mehra,Patna
Grim reality
Sir — Besides the atrocities committed against two women in Manipur, other incidents highlight the plight of women in India. The self-styled godman, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted of rape and murder, was granted parole of 30 days and the Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentarian, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexually assaulting women wrestlers, has managed to secure bail. The prime minister’s slogan of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ is a mere ruse. The ground reality for women in India is pitiful.
Hassan Khan,Mumbai
Help at hand
Sir — Sudipta Bhattacharjee’s column, “Safe haven” (July 21), demonstrates the true spirit of journalism by identifying humanitarian acts amidst violence, misgovernance and unrest in Manipur. The chief minister of Mizoram, Zoramthanga, and several associations based in the state have extended a helping hand towards refugees not only from Manipur but also from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar. Zoramthanga’s philanthropic spirit, despite his state’s lack of adequate funds, is praiseworthy. It is disturbing that the Centre seems unperturbed by the violence and is yet to address Zoramthanga’s repeated requests for fund allocation. One hopes that the Supreme Court’s warning will finally motivate the saffron party to act quickly.
P.K. Sharma,Barnala, Punjab
Close ally
Sir — Sri Lanka is one of our closest neighbours and New Delhi should help Colombo through its ongoing economic crisis (“Friend in deed”, July 21). China is eager to form a strategic relationship with the island nation in order to establish its dominance in the Indo-Pacific. India must thus secure its own interests and extend a friendly hand towards Sri Lanka to prevent it from becoming China’s ally.
Aranya Sanyal,Siliguri
Take heed
Sir — The Supreme Court has rightly expressed concern over the deaths of eight cheetahs at the Kuno National Park and urged the Centre to take action. The court also stated that instead of making it a “prestige issue”, the authorities should consider relocating the remaining cheetahs to an environment better suited to them. A total of 20 cheetahs were introduced in Kuno and the demise of eight of them points to the failure of this expensive programme.
Bhagwan Thadani,Mumbai
Precious grains
Sir — It is heartening that the Centre has banned the export of non-basmati white rice to boost domestic supply (“Centre bans exports of non-basmati variety”, July 21). Non-basmati white rice constitutes around 25% of the total rice exported from India. However, there is no change in the export policy of par-boiled rice and basmati rice which form the bulk of rice exports. This will ensure that farmers continue to get the benefit of remunerative prices in the international market while the nation does not run out of rice either.
Khokan Das,Calcutta
