Premium
This is an archive article published on February 16, 2011
Premium

Opinion Doon’s waiting

In ‘A murkier shade of green’ Prodipto Ghosh says,“Local communities... need transparent,fair interaction.”

The Indian Express

February 16, 2011 11:55 PM IST First published on: Feb 16, 2011 at 11:55 PM IST

Doon’s waiting

In ‘A murkier shade of green’ (IE,February 12),Prodipto Ghosh says,“Local communities… need transparent,fair interaction.” To ensure this,the Supreme Court appointed the secretary,MoEF,as chairperson of its monitoring committee overseeing all environmental matters in Mussoorie and the Doon Valley. In more than six-and-a-half years,neither Ghosh nor his two successors have ensured or joined any inspection by this “high powered committee”. The result of their culpable neglect is clear to every visitor to our endangered town.

Clearly,the gentleman protests too much.

— Hugh & Colleen Gantzer

Mussoorie

Link by link

Advertisement

Your editorial ‘Edge within’ (IE,February 15) has correctly focused on the need to have good infrastructure at our northeastern frontier,where China is registering success and progress every day. Its Stilwell Road project,Kumming-Singapore,Beijing-Lhasa Road link,and now the rail link near the Chumbi valley have given Beijing great rail and road connectivity with its neighbours. India hasn’t really woken up to geostrategic threats. Sikkim,Arunachal Pradesh,Bhutan,Nepal,Bangladesh and Myanmar are places which must be connected by rail and road lines to add to our national security.

— John Alexander Nagpur

Careless with paper

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna would have dealt with his latest faux pas with some grace had he admitted his lack of alertness in reading out his Portuguese counterpart’s speech at the UNSC. He,instead,insisted “there was nothing wrong in it” (‘Security Council faux pas is not such a big deal: Krishna’,IE,February 14). During his tenure as foreign minister,Krishna has hardly covered himself in glory. Perhaps it is time he tried some other portfolio.

— M. Ratan New Delhi

Money bags

There was bound to be pressure on the Indian government from Pakistan as also from Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s hosts and admirers in India to set him free (‘Pak asks India to free Rahat,probe widens’,IE,February 15). Let us hope he will be treated with respect while he is handled in accordance with the law. Many Pakistani artists are invited to India. While travelling,they carry with them the money earned from their performance. Awareness should be created about rules to avoid embarrassment of this nature to artists.

— R.J. Khurana Bhopal

Vox populi

Advertisement

History proves dictators face an unceremonious exit. But in Egypt,credit must go to the people and particularly the youth,who have shown how dictators can be removed through a bloodless coup with their unflinching stand. The armed forces deserve praise for their conduct. Supporters of democracy in Egypt hope other nations don’t meddle in its affairs. But there is a dark cloud over governance. Hence it’s time for the Egyptian youth to be the catalysts of change for functional democracy.

— Bidyut K. Chatterjee

Faridabad