Too hot
Sir — A survey by a popular food delivery app shows that as winter sets in — even though the mercury refuses to fall in Calcutta — takeaway orders for soups are on the rise. What is notable though is that the good old tomato soup is not on the menu anymore. Indians apparently prefer the manchow soup — a soup that is unlikely to be found anywhere in China, let alone in its Manchurian province — over all others. This is followed by sweet corn chicken soup, chicken clear soup and even that desi twist on soup, rasam. But why, one might wonder, has the classic tomato soup with buttery croutons gone out of fashion? One reason could be that tomatoes now cost over Rs 100 per kilogramme. So while tomato soup will warm the heart, having it will burn a hole in one’s pocket.
Samiksha Jain, Calcutta
Still suffering
Sir — The impact of the Bhopal gas tragedy 40 years ago was devastating (“Eternal night”, Dec 7). In addition to those who died in the accident itself, over 5.7 lakh people were severely affected by the leak, suffering from long-term respiratory, neurological and other life-threatening conditions. Yet the government continues to look the other way. The Bhopal gas tragedy is a stark reminder of the importance of corporate accountability.
S.S. Paul, Nadia
Sir — Research has revealed that Union Carbide Corporation was not making a profit and contemplating shutting down the plant in Bhopal permanently. As a result, safety concerns had been ignored. Bhopal, which has heritage sites, picturesque lakes, wildlife shelters, ancient buildings and cave paintings, is primarily remembered globally for the spine-chilling disaster. This is yet another tragedy.
Soumendra Choudhury, Calcutta
Sir — Survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy have been fighting legal battles for damages, environmental remediation of the site, and medical rehabilitation. But justice remains elusive. Long-term environmental contamination continues to compromise the health of the residents of Bhopal. Organisations advocating for the victims’ welfare have also demanded the removal of toxic waste from the company’s site but the issue is yet to be addressed.
Khokan Das, Calcutta
Sir —In 2009, the former prime minister, Manmohan Singh, had said that the Bhopal gas tragedy “still gnaws at our collective conscience”. Forty years after the accident, victims continue to fight for reasonable compensation and relief while the ones responsible for the tragedy have gone scot-free. Several probes had found that UCC had not taken adequate safety measures at the plant. This reveals how big corporations get away with great misdeeds.
Ramesh G. Jethwani, Bengaluru
Sir — After the Dow Chemical Company acquired UCC in 2001, the grievances of the survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy were brushed under the carpet. But not everyone forgot the victims. In 1994, the Sambhavna Trust Clinic and the Chingari Rehabilitation Centre were opened through fundraising. Many of those afflicted in the accident have benefited from the medical care and rehabilitation services provided by these institutions.
Vijay Singh Adhikari, Nainital
Risk factor
Sir — The attack on the former deputy chief minister of Punjab and Shiromani Akali Dal chief, Sukhbir Singh Badal, is concerning (“Golden temple bullet at Badal, ex-terrorist held”, Dec 5). Narayan Singh Chaura, who allegedly has ties to the Khalistani movement, opened fire on Badal before he was nabbed by undercover police personnel. The safety of devotees at the Golden Temple was at risk. This should have been avoided at all costs.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
Sir — The attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Golden Temple complex is a shocking breach of security and raises concerns about the safety of the gurdwara complex. It is fortunate that Badal was not harmed in the attack.
Kirti Wadhawan, Kanpur
Uncertain yield
Sir — The rise in temperatures in winter poses a grave risk to rabi crops, especially wheat, which is vital for India’s food security. With the India Meteorological Department expecting above-average temperatures this winter, how will the government ensure adequate production? Should it rethink tariffs on vital imports such as wheat and edible oils? Now is the time to take swift action.
Anshu Bharti, Begusarai, Bihar
Sir — High temperatures in October and November have led to concerns over the production of rabi crops. The hope here is from La Niña, which most global weather models are forecasting to develop by the end of this month, to persist through January-March. La Niña events usually bring copious rains and colder-than-normal winters to India. But given the uncertainties, the Union government must consider abolishing the 40% import duty on wheat and halving the tariff on crude palm, soybean and sunflower oil to ease retail inflation.
M. Jeyaram, Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
Righteous battle
Sir — Indians should be overjoyed with the fact that the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Award 2024 has been bestowed on the journalist, Ravish Kumar, for his significant contribution to the defence and the promotion of press freedom. Kumar’s achievement harks back to his comment that “Not all battles are fought for victory. Some are fought simply to tell the world that someone was there on the battlefield.”
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
