Strange motive
Sir — Motivations for success can be unusual. Take the instance of the Turkish shooter, Yusuf Dikec, who won a silver at the 10-metre air pistol event at the Paris Olympics. Dikec’s relaxed manner — he competed casually without any safety gear — has taken the internet by storm. But what is curious is his claim that his determination to prove his former wife wrong is what helped him win. In fact, on winning, he even asked her to return his dog from the podium. Given that he went to the length of winning an Olympic medal for it, either Dikec really loves his dog or he feels the typical male need to have the last word in a fight.
Sreya Biswas, Calcutta
In ruins
Sir — The landslides that hit Wayanad district in Kerala on Tuesday were devastating (“Wail of Wayanad”, July 31). A tragedy of such magnitude — more than 300 people have died in it — requires introspection. It should be asked what aggravated the impact of the landslides. Floods and landslides will be increasingly common owing to climate change. These are made worse because unbridled construction, quarrying and monocropping, along with unregulated tourism, have denuded the forest cover and destabilised the ecologically fragile Western Ghats. The lesson to learn here is that environmental concerns should take precedence over economic growth.
G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sir — India has experienced yet another natural disaster that is the result of human greed (“Skyfall”, Aug 1). Deadly landslides accompanied by heavy rainfall owing to a deep depression in the Arabian Sea severely affected four villages in Wayanad. The Union home ministry has claimed that it had issued a warning about the landslides to Kerala a week in advance but that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government did not take preventive measures. Hundreds of lives could have been saved if people had been evacuated beforehand.
Haran Chandra Mandal, Calcutta
Sir — The Wayanad disaster is a test for the Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, who spoke volumes about his love for the people of the constituency while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections (“Reminded of father’s death: Rahul”, Aug 2). Yet, after the election results were declared, he retained the seat from Rae Bareilly and gave up the one from Wayanad. His sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is supposed to make her electoral debut from there. This is the time for the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha to rise to the occasion and work for the people of the tragedy-struck region who sent him to Parliament twice. If he does so, it can generate rich dividends for the Congress.
A.P. Thiruvadi, Chennai
Sir — The picturesque hills of God’s Own Country have been ravaged by deadly landslides. Disaster struck the region early in the morning, catching villagers off-guard and increasing the number of casualties. The landslides underscore the importance of preparedness, prompt response, and community resilience in the face of natural disasters. As rescue operations continue, the combined efforts of the state and the Centre, cutting across party lines, would bring quick relief to those affected.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Crowded cities
Sir — The problem of homelessness in urban areas is the result of not only civic mismanagement but also the migration of the rural poor to cities in search of employment (“Under India’s bridges”, July 30). This causes urban overcrowding. There is thus an urgent need to control this large-scale migration by providing the rural population with suitable job opportunities and making them aware of the hazards of bringing their families to cities, which can often be beyond the means of their meagre incomes.
Fateh Najamuddin, Lucknow