LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Take an overall view

I refer to ‘Spare a thought for Mumbai's fallen giants’ (June 25, FPJ). While I appreciate that trees have to be protected, one must take an overall view. We are left with no choice. And MMRCL has already committed to replant old trees and/or plant new trees. You must also be aware of the new technology whereby entire trees will be taken out from the ground with roots and replanted in new locations. Commuting in Mumbai is already becoming difficult day by day with increasing traffic Jams, long journey from suburbs and constant overcrowding in suburban trains. Hats off to citizens of Mumbai, who continue to suffer

without complaining. We have no choice but to have Coastal Road and Metros, including underground Metro. We are already too late—at least by 5 years—and if we do not speed up the projects, it will be impossible to run the city. Please ask your reporter to make a proper study and come with balanced views on the subject and stop misguiding your readers by such illconceived news. — Mahendra Parikh

Stop burdening exchequer

Building statues, museums and monuments is not government's task. Leaders might be great and might have even influenced political movements, but still their monuments should not be built on government's land. The construction of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 182metre-tall statue is underway. Petroleum ministry has directed oil and gas PSUs to pay at least Rs.200 crore towards its construction. It is surprising to find government companies assisting statues and increasing burden on national exchequer. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s proposed monument will occupy government

of India’s Indu Mills land. Maharashtra Government has shown keen interest in building the monument there. Political parties should collect funds and build such monuments. The government must not be taken for granted. — Girish Bhagwat

A lesson in prudency

The farmers' loan waiver scheme is ill thought out as it will be repeated every year even if a farmer has debts or is simply pretending to be in debt. Many of the farmers take loan from a money lender at a high interest rate as there are no banks nearby. Moreover, the formalities to be completed with a money lender is very simple i.e. handing over the property documents and a signature/thumb impression on the register. A bank wants a collateral and witness apart from the registered documents of property that can be pledged. It takes time to inspect, access the proof and other liabilities. With a money lender, there are none. Because of political affinity farmers have made it a point to demand. In case the loans are

disbursed in cash to the farmers one knows the end use of it. More the cash in hand, more the bottles in hand. Let the government teach them to be prudent. —A S Raj

Brutality must end

After the PM spoke about growing atrocities in the guise of cow protection a man was accused of carrying beef and was beaten up and killed. Is it not proof that no one cares about the PM’s words? Is it not enough to prove that lawlessness is spreading steadily? If it is otherwise, the killing of innocents should stop and the law has to take charge. The brutality which your own Edit has described will continue as long as you speak. —S S Nair

Utter chaos ahead?

I have been trying to link my PAN Number with my Aadhar for the last 2-3 days. I keep getting the message "Technical Error at UIDAI" or "Secure connection timed out". I have wasted

countless hours trying to link my details without any success and without receiving the real reason for the failure of this simple process. I shudder to think what will happen when millions of traders try to upload their data for GST purposes and the system fails to respond properly. Are we heading for extreme chaos and frustration? Who would be responsible for it?

— Atul Gupta

Refrain from hollow words

PM Narendra Modi has reminded the nation that killing in the name of gau bhakti is unacceptable. The need of the hour is for these pious pledges or statements to be followed by concrete and immediate actions against the lynchers. That will send a redoubtable message across the Hindi heartland that vigilantism of this sort will not be tolerated, and such lawbreakers must also be prepared to face its full wrath. All the lynching cases since 2014 must be investigated thoroughly and those proven guilty must be punished. Otherwise, the PM’s words would only ring hollow.

—K S Jayatheertha