Reality check
Sir — It is astounding to think how far human civilisation has advanced within the span of a few decades. The internet now reaches a large part of the world’s population through smartphones. On a sobering note, though, this advancement has created a dependence on basic technology like electricity. If a storm knocks out power, our lives go haywire. A 12-hour power cut would deplete even an inverter battery, turning our smartphones into useless slabs of plastic. When we have to resort to candlelight for illumination, we realise just how powerless technological advancement is against nature’s wrath.
Nikhil Tarafdar,Calcutta
Under the scanner
Sir — It is heartening that the Drugs Controller General of India has directed State-run laboratories to give top priority to samples of cough syrup that are scheduled for export in order to avoid delays (“Test before cough syrup export”, May 24). This order comes after a note from the directorate-general of foreign trade which said that cough syrup export will be allowed from June 1 onwards only after samples have been tested in a government facility. The government has rightly taken action after cough syrup exported from India resulted in numerous deaths in Uzbekistan and The Gambia.
Mithilesh Panwar,Ujjain
Sir — It has been more than six months since the World Health Organization issued an alert against four cough syrups produced by the Indian firm, Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited, which had allegedly led to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia. It is shocking that despite the horrific scale of this tragedy, it has taken the Centre so much time to order mandatory testing of all such cough syrups in State-run facilities. The delay has harmed India’s credibility in the world.
Jang Bahadur Singh,Jamshedpur
Sir — After the consumption of cough syrups produced by Indian companies resulted in the deaths of numerous children in Uzbekistan and The Gambia, the Union government has made it compulsory for all cough syrups to undergo rigorous tests in State-run laboratories. This step was necessary because the unfortunateincidents had seriously dented India’s standing as a reliable ‘global pharmaceutical hub’.
Bhagwan Thadani,Mumbai
Against all odds
Sir — It is good to see so many students from poor families doing well in the Madhyamik examinations (“Poverty fails as a hurdle”, May 25). This proves that success can be achieved through hard work and determination.
Babulal Das,North 24 Parganas
New innings
Sir — The former cricketer and president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Sourav Ganguly, has been appointed as the new brand ambassador for tourism in Tripura (“Sourav pads up for Tripura”, May 24). This is a positive step. The state has witnessed rapid growth in road and rail connectivity in recent years. It is thus unfortunate that in spite of having notable tourist spots like the Unakoti temple and the Neermahal palace, Tripura has not received the attention it deserves.
Jayanta Dutta,Hooghly
Seasonal drain
Sir — The arrangement of the Indian Premier League during the summer months every year comes at a high cost — a lot of coal is burnt to produce the electricity which runs coolers and air-conditioners in every stadium, while a large amount of water is used for the upkeep of the pitch. Organising the tournament during the morning in winter would be beneficial for the environment.
Subhayu Saha,Murshidabad
