Telecom mess

Reference to ‘Telecom reforms’; these are not reforms but an effort to bail out private telecom companies at any cost and continue to kill both BSNL/MTNL. The Supreme Court thrice rejected an SLP filed by all private operators against the telecom policy decision to pay licence fees and inter-usage charges on Aggregate Gross Revenues, and not on revenues from operations alone, as contended by private operators. This is unambiguously mentioned in the telecom policy to which private operators are legally bound. BSNL in contrast paid on AGR. Now, the government is changing the definition of AGR to bail out private operators. This crisis is a consequence of illegitimate predatory pricing that RJio was allowed to indulge in since 2015, impacting the revenues of private operators. All private operators (not BSNL/ MTNL) were given 4G spectrum and freedom to borrow from financial institutions, despite having incredible debts from public sector banks.

Arvind Pal Dahiya, Rohtak

Practical solution

There is a lot of discussion on the menace caused by the burning of paddy stubble. A number of measures are being suggested, including persuasive as well as regulatory. No amount of persuasion, incentives or threat can stop this unless the solution offered is financially attractive and viable. No doubt, the cost of burning the stubble is much more than treating it. However, most of this cost is invisible — in the form of loss of nutrients, or in the form of loss to the environment, health issues and depletion of the water table. Attractive MSP causes these losses to become obscure. The solution is replacing paddy with other crops like pulses and oil seeds. The main argument against this suggestion is high cost. It is forgotten that it will save cost of MSP on paddy, and invisible and indirect costs. It will also save the import costs on pulses and oil seeds. Further the loss of grain due to faulty and inadequate storage facilities too will be checked. In the meanwhile, there is a need to find uses of paddy straw. It can be used as fuel in boilers, brick-kilns and the dyeing industry; as feed of non-milch animals and making fuel pellets.

RAVINDER MITTAL, LUDHIANA

Strategic alignment

Apropos of ‘The AUKUS deal’; the US is consolidating its power in the Indo-Pacific region and leaving the strategic space in Asia to its allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia. The EU countries that have been burdening the US for securing their borders against Russia would need to step up and protect their interests. The new alliances like Quad and AUKUS have been tailored to suit the sensitivities of various interested parties. Being shy of military alliances, New Zealand is part of the intelligence-sharing alliance called ‘Five Eyes’. Similarly, India having the stated policy of not joining any military alliances is part of Quad and the countries who don’t share land borders with China have become part of AUKUS. The US strategy has sprung a big surprise on Beijing, leaving it fuming. Effective containment of the Dragon will be a respite for the neighbouring countries of the Indo-Pacific, including India.

Pankaj, Kalka

Property tax illegal

Refer to ‘29 govt depts owe Rs 150 cr to KMC’; the claim of property tax on government-owned properties by the MC is illegal, as per the various decisions of the apex court since these institutions or departments are not the owner of any personal properties, but are working in the overall interests of the public, on the lands owned by the state. Can the Delhi Municipal Corporation claim property taxes on lands on which the Supreme Court or Parliament or Tihar Jail are working? This whole episode only shows the legal illiteracy of the incompetent bureaucracy known for messing up public issues.

VIRENDER SINGH LATHER, Karnal

Earmark protest site

Over the past many days, Jalandhar has been witnessing a blockade of roads and railway lines by one community and union or the other. This is discomforting to the public and citizens of different areas. Patients are not able to visit hospitals, students are not able to take exams, office-goers are not able to attend office in time, and so many other problems people are facing. The government should provide open spaces for such agitations. Like Hyde Park in London, here also similar grounds should be allocated for the protests in different cities to save the public from any inconvenience.

JS Wadhwa, Kapurthala

Fanning hatred

Refer to ‘Polarisation at work in UP’; CM Yogi Adityanath is catering to the majority community through the cow card, religious intolerance and bigotry. The minority communities, especially Muslims, have been hit hard by the loss of livelihoods. The ‘abba jaan’ narrative is meant for fanning the fire of fanaticism in UP in the election year.

Abhimanyu Malik, Jind

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