Bitter aftertaste

Sir — Employees are not the only ones complaining about having to return to office; the planet is too. People who work remotely all the time produce less than half the greenhouse gas emissions of office workers, according to a study. The end of work-from-home provisions has thus caused a spike in carbon footprints across the world. But this is nothing compared to the carbon footprint of Brian Niccol, the newly appointed CEO of Starbucks. Niccol has decided that he will be commuting from his home in California to his office in Seattle three times a week using the company’s jet. With a round trip distance of 3,200 kilometre, Niccol’s commute could result in emissions of up to 8,000 kilogramme of CO2 per day. That is enough to make the already bad Starbucks coffee taste even more bitter.

Deepika Bhattacharya, Calcutta

Ugly truth

Sir — The Hema Com­mit­tee report that has been released by the Kerala government has brought to light the widespread prevalence of sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry. It was startling to learn that actresses have to accede to demands for sexual favours to be cast in films. This is demeaning and dehumanising. The social stigma attached to being abused seems to have prevented victims from exposing their abusers. Sexual predation and caste discrimination plague Malayalam cinema in a state famed for its progressivism and political consciousness. Mollywood must be freed from the stranglehold of male producers, directors and actors. Naming and shaming the perpetrators of sexual violence without revealing the identities of the victims might put a stop to such exploitation.

G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Sir — The Hema Com­mittee’s findings are deeply troubling. Fear of retaliation in the workplace clearly silence women in the Malayalam film industry. This situation presents a significant challenge for both Mollywood and the Kerala government. Stringent regulations and reforms within the industry to enhance safety and accountability and the establishment of support systems for victims as well as rigorous legal actions against perpetrators could be the first steps. If handled seriously, this could lead to a more transparent and safer working environment for women in the Malayalam film industry.

K.A. Solaman, Alappuzha, Kerala

The C word

Sir — Politicians in Kar­nataka seem to be competing with one another on how corrupt a person in power can be. The deputy chief minister of Karnataka, D.K. Shivakumar, has said that he will expose shady property deals of the Janata Dal (Secular) leader, H.D. Kumaraswamy, if the latter keeps going after the chief minister, Siddaramaiah, regarding a land scam. It must be mentioned that Shivakumar faces several charges of corruption. Issues related to corruption are discussed openly and without shame among politicians, cocking a snook at the police and the justice system.

S. Kamat, Mysuru

Sir — The chief minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, has said that he will not quit his post in spite of the allegations levelled against him by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the JD(S). Which chief minister has ever owned up to his or her mistake? Do such charges of reveal the ineptitude of investigative agencies?

N. Mahadevan, Chennai

Political event

Sir — The release of a commemorative 100-rupee coin to honour the late Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam lea­der and former chief mi­nis­ter of Tamil Nadu, M. Ka­runanidhi, is a fitting tribute to this giant of Indian politics. A master orator, Karunanidhi would habitually send the crowd into raptures with his witticisms during political rallies. He was a perfect example of how a regional leader can become indispensable to the national political discourse.

Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai

Sir — The presence of the Union defence minis­ter, Raj­nath Singh, at a commemora­tive event on the birth anniversary of M. Karunanidhi has sparked speculation ab­out the Bharatiya Janata Party’s motives. It is Singh who always reaches out to members of the Opposition on matters of importance, such as the Lok Sabha Spea­ker’s election. By sending Singh to Tamil Nadu is the Bharatiya Janata Party government trying to woo the DMK?

Gopalaswamy J., Chennai

Poorly trained

Sir — A civic volunteer of West Bengal Police has been arrested for stealing the ATM card of a retired sessions court judge and withdrawing Rs 40,000 from the latter’s account. Another civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, stands accused of the rape and murder of a young doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. These incidents show that civic volunteers are poorly trained and ill-equipped to maintain law
and order.

Birkha Khadka Duvarseli, Siliguri

Hands off

Sir — It cannot be denied that parents’ over-interference in school matters has become commonplace. Many parents feel they are entitled to interfere in academic affairs because they pay a high fee to send their children to school. The overprotective atti­tude of parents impacts a child’s mental health and self-esteem.

Kiran Agarwal, Calcutta

Take guard

Sir — The glacial lake outburst flood in Sikkim’s South Lhonak Lake last year and the recent one in the Thame village in Nepal are matters of grave concern. An estimated 15 million people globally are vulnerable to GLOFs. Early warning systems, vulnerability mapping and awareness campaigns are needed to prepare people for this menace.

Prasun Kumar Dutta, Kharagpur