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   LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM                                                                   /TEHELKA        @TEHELKA



 Proper flood management                          democracy. Unambiguously,    in-command has done over 50
 9/17/2018  15SEPT2018E  Minister has also said that we   societal behaviour. Societal
 plan is the need of hour  should attain technological   behaviour is moulded by   we cannot expect superb   years. Certainly, the change of
 With reference to the Cover Story “Man-made   capacity to improve the quality   predominant ideologies in the   performances from mediocre   guard in the DMK, as wished by
 disaster sinks Kerala” by KV Lakshmana  of predictions.   region and credit must be given   personnel who secured   Kalaignar, was a cause for the
 The floods in Kerala have been   Everyone knows the low   where it is due.  admission in premier   party cadres to celebrate.
 devastating in terms of the loss   accuracy of weather forecasts   NOEL THERATTIL  educational establishments and   Stalin is aware that heading
 of lives, damage to houses and   which are practically rituals. His   positions solely connected to   the principal party in the State
 other infrastructure and, most   argument that some of the rivers   What created the magic is a   caste or religion.   is not an easy task. On officially
 importantly, loss of occupations   — Achankovil and Manimala,   perfect mix of education and   Political outfits, however,   taking over the reins of the
 and businesses. There is debate   which flooded Pandalam and   political awakening whereby   still support the existing system   party, he gave a categorical
 about the causes of floods and   Thiruvalla — do not have dams is   such a citizenry is fully aware of   of reservation overtly for their   assurance that the DMK will
 the authorities in Kerala should   not the full fact. Both these rivers   its rights and responsibilities — a   achievements rather than   represent and uphold the ideals
 study this subject scientifically.   flow into the highly-flooded   boon to any democracy. It is this   the genuine development of   propounded by the Periyar. He
 They should not hesitate to   Pampa, causing an incapacity   enviable case of camaraderie   the country. Our unbiased   has stood as a bulwark against
 reach out to the United Nations   of the tributaries to empty, thus   and mass power that binds a   intelligentsia and political   cultural invasion attempted by
 and other countries that have   raising water levels in both of   nation state.   stalwarts should revamp the   the Sangh Parivar and the Modi
 vast expertise in flood mitigation   them.   Such a secular fabric must   quota system at the earliest.  Government in the name of
 strategies. There must be a flood   If Vijayan plans to “build   stay in place and be emulated   TKM KUMBALAMCHUVATTIL  religious nationalism.
 management plan for each river   a new Kerala”, taking into   across the nation especially in   By forging an electoral
 basin.  consideration “ecological issues”,   times of divisive politics.
 http://tehelka.com/15SEPT2018E/mobile/index.html  1/2  India, Pakistan should    alliance with secular parties
 Natural infrastructure such   he should be willing to accept   ANJALI B  strive for fruitful relations  in the State and aligning with
 CONTAGION? NO,   as marshes, reefs, mangroves   what V.S. Achuthanandan said in   Time to revamp the quota    With reference to the report “Sidhu on firing line   the secular and social justice
 and beaches can help protect
 the Assembly — “flawed policies,
                                                  over his visit to Pakistan” by Rajendra Khatry
                                                                               forces in the post-poll scenario
 LEPROSY IS NOT  coastal areas. All this is well-  formulated under pressure   system at the earliest  (September 15)  at the Centre, he should prove
                                                  There has been a lot of noise
 documented. There should also
 from vested interest groups”,
 be concerted efforts to promote   had opened the door for the   With reference to the column Hard Line titled   in India recently pertaining to   that he is indeed a worthy
                     “Without de-reservation, reservation is useless”
                                                                               successor.
 With reference to the column The Last Word titled “Leprosy is    rainwater harvesting.  razing of hills, encroachment   by Anil Singh (September 15)  Navjot Singh Sidhu hugging
 curable but stigma linked to it kills” by Abdul Wasey    Since there is a debate   The basic reason for   Pakistan Army Chief General   G DAVID MILTON
 (September 15)  about the safety of dams, new   of forests, reclamation of   reservation is poverty and this   Qamar Javed Bajwa during his
 The media must be appreciated   sources of energy should be   wet lands, damming of   phenomenon exists in every   recent visit to Pakistan.  Only tough regulations will
                                                                               help improve public health
 streams and rivers and illegal
                                                    One fails to understand as to
 for highlighting the progress   sought out. Sunlight is the most   quarrying” which have led to   human race, irrespective of   why people are criticising Sidhu.   With reference to the Cover Story “Action, not
                     caste, creed or religion. The
 of active leprosy case detection   freely available form of energy   piecemeal development and   policy of earmarking certain   He has neither committed   politics, will help curb drug deaths” by Raju
                                                                               William and Bharat Hiteshi (July 31)
 and harvesting it should be
 not sustainable growth. These
 campaigns. However, there are   encouraged. As these floods   flawed policies are obviously   percentage of governmental   a crime nor has he made a   The report reflects the
                     benefits, like jobs in public
                                                                               sentiments of millions in India
                                                  mistake. Such gestures can
 some gaps, an example being the   occurred in an age of improved   the creation of both the LDF and   establishments, admission to   reduce mistrust and improve   — that multinationals have
 usage to still describe leprosy   technology, each town must   UDF governments.  PRV RAJA  premier educational institutes   relations between India and   never really cared about the
 have guidelines on flood safety
 as a “contagion”. The disease   precautions. This would also   compromising the qualifying   Pakistan. Now,that Imran Khan   ailing masses and only think
                     standards et al, is obviously
                                                                               about their bottom lines. Why is
                                                  is the Prime Minister of Pakistan,
 is no longer a “contagion” and   mean ensuring sufficient   There has been a lot of emphasis   irrational and also against the   one hopes that both India and   the government in India silent
 numbers of boats in flood-prone
 can be cured with a multi-drug   villages.  on the display of social solidarity   principles of Indian democracy.  Pakistan would strive for fruitful   even after the horrifying details
 and the human spirit in Kerala
                       Providing equal facilities
                                                  relations leaving behind any sort
                                                                               of medical negligence? There
 therapy that is available free   DR AJAYA KUMAR  but the question often glossed   and opportunities, irrespective   of animosity.  should be greater concern,
 in government hospitals. The   over is about the political system   of caste, creed, religion et al, on   DEVENDRA KHURANA  stringent statutory provisions
 disease must also be detected   Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi   that fostered it.  merit alone must be the sole   and deterrent action.
 Vijayan’s claim that there was
 Over decades, a sense of
                     criteria in deciding the winners.
                                                                                 Separately, and as it has often
 early. The use of such words will   nothing wrong in “our” dam   social solidarity has been   In the global arena, we are   Stalin needs to prove    been highlighted in the sections
 only contribute to stigma and   management is strange. He has   fostered in India’s lone   obliged to contest with world’s   he is worthy successor  of the media, many drugs are
 communist-ruled State — home
 blamed the India Meteorology
                     giants and not with mediocre or
                                                  With reference to the report “Stalin inherits
                                                                               being promoted in irrational
 discrimination, in turn affecting   Department for not providing   to a religious demographic   feigned opponents.   legacy as per Karunanidhi’s wish”    combinations. The way clinical
                                                  by KV Lakshmana (August 31)
 the ongoing efforts of the leprosy   the State Government with   which would be considered a   Hence, the ideology of   The elevation of MK Stalin as   trials are being conducted,
 programme.  sufficient information.   tinderbox in the rest of India.   demeriting meritorious   Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam   with many used as guinea pigs,
 But the State Electricity
 The rapid mobilisation of
                     candidates for caste-related
                                                                               is another area that needs
                                                  (DMK) president marked a
 P MANICKAM  Board, which manages the   resources and solidarity by   reasons is quirky and   new era in Tamil Nadu politics.   regulation. The new health
 dams, had confirmed that the   Malayalis across the world   degenerative to the nation;   It also marked the successful   policy should help the poor and
 IMD forecasts were proved   speaks of an intangible quality   besides it contradicts the   culmination of a tireless   ailing masses.
 wrong even in July. The Chief   that goes beyond the normative   primary ethics of a bonafide   political work that the second-  AG RAJMOHAN
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