•Any ambitious undertaking invariably has accompanying risks. The Delhi Metro is a big project, carrying its inherent risks. But there’s also a clear risk-reward ratio. The loss of lives in the recent accident is sad; but as a society we can’t reverse our developmental choices. We should endorse the work culture that Sreedharan has brought to India and the confidence in execution he embodies. However, we do lack a system of incisive and impartial analyses of mishaps and of accountability.

— Ajay Tyagi

Mumbai

Moral education

•Social prejudices may or may not have external causes (‘What class are you in?’, IE, July 23). The practice of sati or the obstacles created towards widow remarriage could be tackled by the enactment and enforcement of law. However, today, when there are familial objections to a marriage because one of the partners is “low caste”, more often than not caste is not stated as the reason. But there is little law enforcement operating here. It is only through educating the people that one can fight such battles. Allowing children of different castes and socio-economic background to mingle freely is parental duty and may prove to be an effective means of removing prejudices. The right to education bill is a good starting point.

— Bidyut Kumar Basu

Kolkata

Too many cooks

•There are too many entities within the spectrum of government institutions that are in conflict with each other (‘DMO delays’, IE, July 23). While the setting up of an independent DMO is a step in the right direction it is indicative of the fact that the government needs to exit from business ventures that it takes part in. The most obvious conflict of interest is that of the government as the employer as well as the vote seeker from those very employees. Perhaps this is the reason behind an obvious lack of an effective chain of command in government organisations.

... contd.