Frankenstein’s monster
Sir — It might be hard to recall a world where our go-to companion, the mobile phone, was never invented, but April 3 marked the 50th anniversary of the invention of mobile phones. Only half a century old, the omniscient mobile phone has created several problems for people, ranging from isolation to obesity. Its inventor, Martin Cooper, has looked back at his ‘Frankenstein’s monster’ and remarked on the role that mobile phones have played in the deteriorating lives of its users. While cellphones made life easier in many ways, the smartphones of today suck people into the rabbit hole of the internet. It is thus not surprising that one of the most innovative creations that people have rapidly embraced now scares its very creator.
Piyali Manna,Calcutta
Robust growth
Sir — The goods and services tax revenues grew by 13% in March, recording the second-highest monthly collection of 1.6 lakh crore rupees from indirect taxes. This shows that the charges levelled against the Central government regarding the implementation of GST are baseless. The robust collection also indicates that the number of taxpayers has increased significantly. At least 16 states and one Union territory have reported higher domestic transactions than the national average in March. However, West Bengal remains a poor performer.
Jayanthi Subramaniam,Mumbai
Unsafe travel
Sir — Kerala Police have released a picture of the suspect who set nine of his co-passengers on fire in a Kannur-bound train. Three people died while trying to jump down on the tracks to escape the burning compartment. Of the nine in the compartment, three passengers have been critically injured. With an image of the alleged culprit now available, one can hope that he will be caught and punished soon.
Bhagwan Thadani,Mumbai
Sir — The shocking incident of a man setting a train compartment and its passengers ablaze raises doubts about railway security systems. Routine checks on trains, especially those that ply at night, by security personnel need to be mandated. Ticketless travelling should be sternly dealt with and CCTVs should be regularly repaired and checked.
M. Pradyu,Kannur
Dubious remedy
Sir — It is intriguing to find the ministry of ayush fumbling over advertisements regarding the efficacy of 53 ayurvedic products produced by Divya Pharmacy, which is owned by Patanjali Ayurved (“Govt glare on 53 ads of Patanjali”, April 2). Earlier, the ministry had retracted its order of stopping the production of five drugs manufactured by the Divya Pharmacy. A Kerala-based ophthalmologist, K.V. Babu, complained in 2022 that advertisements by the company violate the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectional Advertisements) Act, 1954. Meanwhile, the yoga evangelist, Ramdev, continues to defend Patanjali by stating that the medicines were produced after sufficient trials. The ministry of ayush must settle this controversy.
K. Nehru Patnaik,Visakhapatnam
Lives at risk
Sir — The search for a better life ended in death for eight illegal migrants, some of whom were Indians, while trying to enter the United States of America by boat across the St Lawrence river. The fate of migrants is often marred by such tragedies. Countries from which these refugees escape should crack down on traffickers and illegal agents who exploit unsuspecting people.
Ramesh G. Jethwani,Bengaluru
Greener times
Sir — A new study conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur has revealed that air quality in India improved in 2020 during the lockdown, compared to pre-lockdown levels, causing an uptick in surface greenness and photosynthetic activity. The increase in greenness, however, was noted more in croplands than forests, which have a considerably prolonged growing season.
C.K.R. Nathan,Ghaziabad
Business as usual
Sir — Plastic sheets have, once again, made a comeback at the hawkers’ stalls all over Calcutta, violating court and municipal orders. Civic authorities are failing to implement strict laws regarding the use of plastic to cover the stalls. Several municipal corporations around Calcutta have, however, managed to implement such laws successfully. Calcutta and Howrah municipal corporations must follow in their footsteps.
Abhijit Chakraborty,Calcutta
Melting pot
Sir — In India, rural schools are not just centres of children’s education. They also serve as venues for adult education, panchayat election camps, emergency relief and ration centres, and as shelters during natural calamities, among other things. These schools are also the unofficial village community centres for meetings held by both government and non-governmental social workers. Although rural schools providing services that do not pertain to the educational sector have been severely criticised, in a country as populous as India, where remote locations hardly have proper infrastructure, the broader responsibilities shouldered by these schools must be appreciated.
Saikat Kumar Basu,Calcutta
Tongue twister
Sir — English has indeed lost its former glory not just in India but in other countries as well (“English Vinglish”, April 4). We must now update the syllabi of schools and colleges to match contemporary trends in the language. Although purists might find the idea offensive, a language can only survive if it adapts to changing times.
Pampa Paul,Kharagpur
