Lost brilliance
Sir — Social media was flooded with complaints about the moon not being visible on Karva Chauth. Pollution and high-rise buildings made it virtually impossible for people to spot the moon. So much so that people had to come out onto the flyovers to perform their rituals. Hunger pangs may have forced them to do it, but now that people have finally managed to find the time to glance at the night sky, one hopes that they will realise the terrible loss that has befallen us. Even on the clearest of days, nary a star is visible to the naked eye. The moon, the last vestige of celestial shine, too, is often hidden behind buildings.
Kiran Agarwal, Calcutta
Fatal tremors
Sir — It is distressing to hear that more than 157 people have lost their lives in an earthquake of 6.4 magnitude in Nepal (“Quake shatters Nepal again, 157 dead”, Nov 5). While this earthquake was not as severe as the one in 2015 that killed more than 9,000 people, it is a reminder of the fragile geology of the region. To make matters worse, poor weather has made rescue operations harder. The international community should extend all possible support to Nepal. The country must also invest in the latest technology to predict earthquakes and in infrastructure that can withstand such calamities.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
Sir — Nepal is especially vulnerable to earthquakes because it is situated at the edge of two restive tectonic plates. It is time for the country to seek international help, from nations like Japan, for instance, to build earthquake-resistant infrastructure.
M.N. Gupta, Hooghly
Sir — Two recent articles by Gopalkrishna Gandhi, “Seismic traumas” (April 23) and “Spot the tremors” (Oct 22), warned us of the situation that Nepal is currently faced with. North India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and other countries that are spread across the Himalayan region are at risk from frequent earthquakes. The countries must put aside their differences and come together to share their knowledge and expertise to save lives.
H. Krishnan, Chennai
Tough test
Sir — The upcoming assembly elections in five states will be a tough challenge for INDIA. The Bharatiya Janata Party will try to wrest Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the Congress as well as retain Madhya Pradesh. In Telangana, the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi is sitting pretty. Seat-sharing agreements within the INDIA bloc will be crucial to its success in these states. Both the Congress and the regional parties must be ready to make compromises. INDIA’s performance in these polls will hint at how it is likely to fair in the general elections slated for next year.
Public perception plays a huge role in electoral politics. People are fed up with Opposition parties failing to stay united after being voted to power. A show of strength and unity in the five poll-bound states thus has the potential to pay handsome dividends next year.
Gundu K. Maniam, Mumbai
Stellar show
Sir — India’s performance against Sri Lanka at the ongoing cricket World Cup was nothing short of extraordinary. Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer played textbook cricket, putting crucial runs on the board for India. Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj were excellent with the ball, taking five and three wickets, respectively, to bundle Sri Lanka out for a mere 55 runs. India have been galloping ahead in the tournament undefeated so far. One hopes this streak continues and the Men in Blue clinch the World Cup.
Karan Singh, Chennai
Sir — The India-Sri Lanka match was a joy to behold. While it is unfortunate that Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer all missed their centuries, their efforts helped India post a mammoth total. Sri Lanka’s lacklustre innings was compensated for by the brilliant performance of Mohammed Shami. He has been consistently good in the tournament so far. One hopes Hardik Pandya recovers from his injury and is back in action soon.
Pramod Das, Calcutta
Lacking depth
Sir — The article, “Pronounced guilty” (Nov 4), by Ramachandra Guha was superficial. Guha seemed to imply that a visit by the prime minister would have been enough to bring the Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas to the negotiation table. Surely, he does not believe that the chief minister of the state, the Union home minister and the prime minister are enough to solve the crisis which has its roots far back in history.
Guha also said nothing about the issue of reservation which began the Manipur conflict. It is this system of reservation that has led to feuds across the country and must be reconsidered. Simply criticising the government is not enough. Guha, as an intellectual, should have offered concrete suggestions instead of placing the blame for the Manipur conflict squarely on the shoulders of the ruling dispensation.
Ganesh Sanyal, Nadia
