On prescription

: •This refers to the report ‘To guard public health in emergency, Centre plans to change the law’. The proposed bill of the health ministry to place public health in times of emergency on the Concurrent List is a welcome step. However, such a plan should involve proper coordination among various authorities with a clear and demarcated role for each of them. Further, different “political establishments” should not hamper its effectiveness, since parties with different political ideologies may be ruling at the Centre and the states in question at any given time. After all, health concerns us all.

— S.K. Gupta

Delhi

Red threat

•The recent attack by the Naxalites on Government security forces is frightening. The Naxalites have been growing in strength, and have spread to all corners of the country. The government tries to project such attacks as stray cases, and pretends to be in control of the situation.

An important reason for the increase in Naxalitie activities is the failure of the government machinery to reach out to the poor rural masses due to its corrupt officials.

— N. Ananth

Mumbai

For, against

•This refers to the report ‘SP deals Kalam trump card’. A.P. J. Abdul Kalam telling us that the nuclear deal is in the best interests of the nation made interesting reading. In all fairness, the SP should also approach other scientists, particularly those who lobbied against the deal. Kalam had the same opinion earlier when the SP was dead against the nuclear deal.

— Kedarnath R. Aiyar

Mumbai

•A Great hue and cry has been raised by the Left and the BJP in the last three years over the nuclear deal. They should contemplate it in a calm state of mind. After all, the nuclear deal is about energy for India’s development needs, ending our isolation from the nuclear community and being accepted on our terms.

— Dilbag Rai

Chandigarh

No equal death

•The government’s abject neglect of and apathy towards our soldiers is obvious. Vast tract of lands are earmarked to construct memorials for politicians but soldiers’ sacrifices go unnoticed. Field Marshall S.H.F.M.J. Manekshaw, under whom India won the 1971 war against Pakistan, was disregarded even in his death.

... contd.