Sir — Fame should be accompanied by a sense of responsibility. Most public icons in India seem unaware of this. Dutee Chand is a notable exception. The ace sprinter decided to make public her sexual orientation. This, in a conservative country like India, is no mean feat. In spite of the Supreme Court’s decriminalization of homosexuality, the LGBTQ community remains on the margins of public consciousness and policy. One hopes that Chand’s courageous decision would inspire other members of the community to speak up against their oppressors.

Ananda Mohan Dutt,

Calcutta

Dry land

Sir — The recent spate of drinking water crisis across India is alarming. The newly elected government along with international agencies should tackle the situation before things take a turn for the worse.

The threat posed by climate change was overlooked while dealing with water scarcity. There is an urgent need for timely analysis of the changes in the weather pattern. A warning should have been sounded before the onset of summer and steps taken to conserve drinking water.

Preserving lakes and waterbodies, rain water harvesting, campaigns to raise awareness about climate change, policy changes at the global level along with the adoption of eco-friendly measures are required to address the problem. Global weather agencies should work in tandem with the government to mitigate the crisis.

Varun Dambal,

Bangalore

Keep talking

Sir — It was heartening to learn that a camp to raise awareness about and detect thalassaemia had been organized at a school in this city for children of that neighbourhood. It has been estimated that 12,000 patients are diagnosed with thalassaemia every year in India. Even though the government provides some facilities, like free blood transfusion, the financial burden is considerable. The government, in fact, should take measures to ensure that health insurance schemes cover this condition.

But the cost of prevention is lower than the cost of treatment. Hence, awareness programmes should be undertaken on a large scale, using diverse media platforms. People should be taught about not only thalassaemia but also the importance of premarital screening to detect carriers. Marriage between carriers is discouraged to reduce the risk to babies. Moreover, thalassaemia patients are discriminated against when it comes to finding employment. Sometimes, they are forced to hide their medical condition to get the job even though the law makes it clear that there can be no discrimination against people with blood disorders in employment and education. But interventions are rare.

Kiran Agarwal,

Calcutta

Brutal times

Sir — I was sitting next to a group of ‘daily passengers’ on a train recently. Suddenly one of them started sharing his experience with the rest. He described how two men had severely beaten up a civic police attendant who had attempted to stop their bike as the riders were travelling without helmets. After the man had described the incident in gory detail, everyone in the group asserted — their relish was evident — that the policeman would never dare to touch another helmet-less biker. Shockingly, none pointed out the fact that the official was merely doing his duty and that his assaulters should be punished.

I have witnessed several such incidents. We have turned into a society that celebrates the perpetration of violence over the weak. Violence is thus glorified as a marker of strength while civility and kindness, it is believed, are the hallmarks of the weak.

Kajal Chatterjee,

Calcutta

Sounds fishy

Sir — Fish, as we all know, is a staple in traditional Assamese cuisine. There is no ethnic group in Assam that does not consume fish as part of its meals.

Today, the prices of fish have risen to the extent that fish consumption has become a luxury.

The local fish that we purchase are prohibitively expensive. Is this due to the inadequacy of cold storage facilities in the region? Or is this because of the absence of fisheries? I am not sure what the real reason is.

But what I am certain of is that local fish varieties cost a lot more than those that are imported from other states. Do exporting states such as Andhra Pradesh have better cold storage facilities?

In Assam, we have also witnessed a gradual decline in the availability of local varieties of fish that once formed an integral part of our diet. Among them are Koi, Channa (Goroi), Singi and Puthi.

There is something else — the fluctuation in prices. Carp, which is heavily consumed in Assam, is priced at around Rs 450 per kilogramme at the Junali point in R.G. Baruah Road. But less than a kilometre away, at the Zoo Road Tiniali, it sells at Rs 250 per kg. For some consumers, the difference in price is not insignificant.

Is fish really getting expensive or are consumers being fleeced? There must be a uniform rate for fish throughout the state to ensure that fish does not disappear from the common man’s plate.

Rifa Deka,

Guwahati