EC must respond to concerns

Refer to ‘The silent panic behind SIR’; the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has triggered distrust in the Opposition-ruled states. The Election Commission must address the issue to the satisfaction of all political parties. Whether the EC can decide on voter’s citizenship needs to be established. There is hope after the government agreed to the Opposition’s demand for a debate on SIR in Parliament. The updating of electoral rolls is an important function of the poll body, which must be responsive to any concerns raised by voters and the Opposition. The SC’s intervention will help address alleged mass disenfranchisement.

PL Singh, by mail

IndiGo caught unprepared

Apropos of ‘Indigo ops crumble, over 550 flights scrapped; flyers fume’; the prolonged disruption of IndiGo flights over the past week highlights a worrying vulnerability in India’s aviation ecosystem. For three consecutive days, lakhs of passengers were left stranded, many waiting over 10 hours without information or assistance. This is a result of IndiGo’s failure to prepare for the new pilot rostering norms that became mandatory from November 1 onwards. These rules, aimed at reducing fatigue and enhancing flight safety, increase rest periods and limited duty hours. The impact of these rules was known, yet IndiGo appears to have underestimated the need for careful planning or additional hiring.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Flyers’ safety at risk

Amid 500 IndiGo flight cancellations in a day and all of its domestic flights out of Delhi cancelled for a day, aviation regulator DGCA had to intervene to resolve the private airlines’ operational crisis. The regulator rolling back the previous order and allowing IndiGo to follow the old roster for a few more days has given it some respite. Though this decision has eased travellers’ agony for now, but in the process, the regulator has put their life at risk with fatigued and overworked pilots flying them. The FDTL (flight duty time limitations) norms had been announced in advance, but the airline did not bother to implement them.

Bal Govind, Noida

Swift meaningful justice

Apropos of ‘Acid attacks’; the Supreme Court’s anguished remarks on the delayed trials in acid attack cases as a ‘national shame’ has come as an eye-opener for the legal fraternity. The SC’s direction to all high courts to submit details of pending cases within four weeks must lead to time-bound action rather than another administrative formality. Essential steps include fast-tracking of all acid attack cases with a strict one-year deadline, digital case-tracking systems, mandatory interim compensation within 30 days of the FIR, inclusion of survivors under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, strict enforcement of regulations on acid sales and a needonomics-based rehabilitation approach.

MM Goel, Kurukshetra

Punjab’s tragic reality

Refer to ‘A twin crisis’; the double whammy of severely depleted groundwater levels and toxic mineral contamination is Punjab’s tragic reality, demanding immediate attention. Over-extraction, coupled with rampant contamination by heavy metals, has turned the state’s groundwater into a lethal public health hazard. Millions of people are unknowingly consuming a toxic cocktail, leading to a devastating surge in preventable diseases. The documented risks of kidney failure, reproductive damage and widespread carcinogenic exposure are not remote threats, but an unfolding emergency jeopardising lives. We must enforce stringent measures: immediate curtailment of chemical-heavy agriculture and the rapid deployment of effective water quality testing and filtration systems.

Balbir Singh Kakkar, Jalandhar

A responsible citizenry

Apropos of ‘The queue conundrum’; the write-up beautifully captures how a simple mundane act of standing in a queue reflects patience, respect and civic sense. Waiting in a queue tests our character in small yet significant ways. It underlines the need for self-discipline and mindful conduct in public places — values that will strengthen our social fabric. The middle encourages an important conversation on the important values of a responsible citizenry.

Sunita Sikri, Yamunanagar