Bitter reality
Sir — Cooking is a precise art. Ingredients are measured out in grammes or by the spoonfuls, and even a minute’s delay can mean the difference between over or undercooking a dish. But humans are not the only ones to have meticulous recipes for success. Nature needs to be similarly precise when producing its bounty. Summer fruits like mangoes generally gain their sweetness as a result of the humid weather that prevails in the aftermath of thunderstorms. However, Bengal has been scorched by dry, loo-like conditions for a few weeks now and it seems that the himsagar mangoes in the market are not sweet enough due to that slight difference in temperature and humidity. Has climate change altered the recipe for a perfect mango?
Torsa Chattopadhyay,Malda
Flying coffin
Sir — The death of three civilians in an aircraft crash during a routine training sortie in Rajasthan begs the question: how many more lives will be lost before the Indian Air Force grounds the MiG-21 for good (“IAF jet falls on home, kills 3”, May 9)? A major reason for using the MiG-21 jets long beyond their shelf life is the slow progress made in the Light Combat Aircraft programme. The Centre should expedite the production of the LCA Tejas jets immediately.
Khokan Das,Calcutta
Sir — Repeated incidents of fatalities involving MiG-21 aircraft, like the recent onein Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh, have highlighted the need to phase it out from the IAF. These jets have been in active service for over five decades, and their outdated technology poses significant risks to the lives of both pilots and civilians. Replacing MiG-21s with modern jets like Rafale and Tejas will ensure that the IAF remains technologically advanced and capable of defending the country.
Subhranshu Roy,Patna
Sir — It is disheartening that three civilians were killed after a MiG-21 fighter jet crashed into some houses in Rajasthan. The MiG-21 has long been a frontline aircraft, but it has an unenviable record of accidents with approximately 200 pilots having been killed owing to these jets. Each accident costs the country millions, but the loss of lives — whether military or civilian — can never be compensated for.
Shameek Bose,Calcutta
Risky business
Sir — The capsizing of a boat in Malappuram, Kerala, was heartbreaking. More than 20 people died because safety norms were flouted with impunity. Apart from using a modified fishingboat as a tourist vessel, the boat operator is alleged to have piled on passengerswell beyond the permitted limit. Coming a few months after the bridge collapse in Morbi, Gujarat, this tragedy, once again, underlines how the loss of lives can be avoided if regulatory standards take precedence over profit-making.
Ranganathan Sivakumar,Chennai
Sir — Although Kerala is known for its idyllic backwaters, the recent boating tragedy in the Poorapuzha estuary shines an unflattering light on the unregulated inland cruise industry in the state and the concomitant risks it poses to human lives. The state government has arrested the boat’s owner. But questions should also be asked of the government officials who are responsible for conducting timely checks on such boats.
M. Jeyaram,Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
Political ploy
Sir — The founder and president of the Nationalist Congress Party, Sharad Pawar, has shown, once again, how politically savvy he is (“Firm grip”, May 9). It is an open secret that his nephew, Ajit Pawar, harbours the ambition of occupying the top post in the NCP. But perhaps the older Pawar hopes to see his daughter, Supriya Sule, succeed him.
Bal Govind, Noida
Sir — The hullabaloo around the resignation and the subsequent return to party presidency of Sharad Pawar has died down momentarily after the committee appointed to pick his successor rejected his resignation unanimously. While it is unclear whether his step was a ploy to expose factionalism within the party or an attempt to push his daughter towards the top post, there is no denying the fact that Pawar remains a powerful figure in Indian politics.
Chanchal Nandy,West Burdwan
Falsehood rejected
Sir — The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a plea by the jailed YouTuber, Manish Kashyap, seeking to club all the first information reports registered against him for allegedly circulating fake videos claiming that migrant workers are being attacked in Tamil Nadu. This is a setback for right-wing groups that regularly make false claims to stoke ethnic tension (“SC blow to ‘fake news’: You can’t harm a stable state”, May 9).
S.S. Paul,Nadia
Literary legend
Sir — It is devastating that the acclaimed Bengali writer, Samares Mazumdar, has passed away (“Samares Mazumdar passes away”, May 9). He will be remembered for his political trilogy — Uttaradhikar, Kalbela and Kalpurush — featuring the character, Animesh Mitra, and set against the backdrop of the Naxalite movement in West Bengal. His death is an irreparable loss for Bengali literature.
D. Bhattacharyya,South 24 Parganas
Sir — The news of Samares Mazumdar’s death is heartbreaking. He won numerous awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award for Kalbela. His writings about northern Bengal, based on personal experiences, endeared him to readers.
Pratima Manimala,Howrah
