Ensure drains are not clogged

With reference to the editorial ‘The sinking feeling’; heavy rains have exposed the lack of preparedness on the part of the civic bodies concerned. Roads have caved in, residential and commercial areas have been inundated, and many localities have been reeling under power outages. The local civic officials’ failure to blunt the impact of rainfall has caused grave inconvenience to residents and commuters. It is time for the authorities concerned to conduct an audit to ensure that storm water drains and tanks are not clogged up with debris and garbage or blocked by encroachments. This could help prevent flooding and recharge groundwater and surface storage. In order to minimise the accumulation of water, we must improve the way city roads are constructed and repaired.

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Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Kolkata’s shame

With reference to ‘Kolkata horror’; doctors across the country are on strike to lodge their protest against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee medic at a state-run hospital in Kolkata. The ghastly incident throws the spotlight on the risks — from physical assault at the hands of patients to sexual abuse — that medical professionals face every day. While the prompt response of the state government is welcome, there is a need to ensure that the perpetrator is brought to justice. A moot question is: will the Kolkata horror pave the way for much-needed reforms to protect women from sexual violence?

Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai

Patients bear brunt of strike

Refer to the editorial ‘Kolkata horror’; attacks on healthcare workers have become increasingly common. From physical assault to rape, doctors are often at the receiving end of abuse and violence. The chilling murder of an on-duty doctor at a government medical facility in Kolkata has jolted the whole nation. It has become abundantly clear that stringent laws to deal with such heinous crimes are often not enough to ensure justice. Such cases drag on in court for years, much to the dismay of the kin of the victims. And the perpetrator is often let off despite the presence of incriminating evidence against him. The need of the hour is to make sure that such sensitive cases are disposed of within a fixed time frame. Besides, the government authorities must pay heed to the concerns being raised by the protesting doctors so that they call off the strike, which is only adding to the patients’ plight.

Subhash Vaid, New Delhi

No let-up in crimes against women

The horrendous rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata bring back memories of the 2012 Nirbhaya case. But the most shocking part of the episode is not the gruesome nature of the offence but that the act was committed on the premises of a government medical facility brimming with people at all times. It is supposed to be a safe place for medical professionals, patients and other visitors. What is the point of having stringent laws in place if there is no let-up in such heinous crimes? It seems like criminals don’t even fear the law. Did things get any better after the spine-chilling sexual assault on a young nurse, Aruna Shanbaug, at Mumbai’s KEM Hospital decades ago? The answer is sadly an emphatic ‘no’. But hopefully, the Kolkata horror will spur a positive change.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

Adapt to changing times & climate

Refer to ‘Climate-resilient crops’; such crops, designed to withstand these challenges, can be the way forward. After all, the changing monsoon patterns and intensifying heatwaves are not distant threats. These are urgent crises that need to be addressed on priority. The launch of several high-yielding, climate-resilient crop varieties is welcome. However, the success of such endeavours hinges heavily on a number of factors, ranging from an effective outreach to small-scale farmers to scientific inputs. A collective effort, rooted in science, is essential to ensuring food security in the face of climate change.

Gaganpreet Singh, by mail

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