LETTERS TO EDITOR

Women’s hurdles

This is with reference to the article ‘Why women’s participation in sports still lagging’ (March 11).

Most of the sportspersons especially the women come from a humble background.

Also most of the sports bodies are controlled by powerful politicians. Sports bodies are riddled with politics, corruption, nepotism and sexual harassment of women sportspersons and need a thorough clean up.

The Sports Ministry must appoint sportspersons with impeccable credentials to run sports bodies to encourage women.

Thane

Apropos the article “Why women’s participation in sports is still lagging” (March 11), Indian women,

Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.

compared to their counterparts in western countries, face more complex issues and hurdles such as entrenched patriarchal attitudes, lack of financial support, lack of proper and adequate sports facilities, fears of sexual harassment and the male dominated sports administration bodies, etc. While some of these problems like patriarchal attitudes may take time to overcome, creating congenial atmosphere for women sportspersons free of harassment can be quickly addressed.

For instance, Why should sports bodies meant for sportswomen have any representation of men? Further, government needs to identify and encourage female sports talent from the school stage, provide financial assistance.

Hyderabad

Southern outreach

BJP’s core constituency is the Hindi heartland. Its energetic foray into South is to boost its legislative clout, be it on its own or riding the back of regional entities. Divisiveness having been adopted as the operational politics with some success in central belt, the BJP, alas carries the same tool box to South. The saffron party, like the Congress, errs in assessing regional undercurrents and regional leaders are wary of the BJP.

Navi Mumbai

Dry Bengaluru

The water crisis in Bengaluru is making national headlines. The matter requires nationwide efforts for water conservation, water bodies’ preservation, and sustainable agricultural practices.

Elected representatives of the city administration who are tasked with enabling and improving the water supply to households are themselves (or their associates) operating the highly lucrative business of water tankers. There is clearly a conflict of interest here.

Pune

Dharavi imperatives

This refers to 'Adani pulls out all stops to make Dharavi slum rehabilitation smooth' (March 11). Reframing Dharavi is a challenging task. Millions of people stay in one room tenants or rather one room kitchen (ORK) as it is famously called in Mumbai city.

It is a refuge for daily wagers, coolies, taxi drivers, autorickshaw drivers, platform vendors, painters, cobblers, petty shopkeepers, vegetable vendors and safai karamcharis etc

who eke out for their living.

The task undertaken by the Adani group is formidable. Reshaping Dharavi involves Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Rehousing. Many could own the tenements, living there and a portion of it is let out. Though it is a bit of a complicated process, the enumeration and capturing data on the areas owned by them with clear demarcation on living space and the one used for commercial purpose is a must before commencing the civil works and must be digitised by linking with Aadhaar.

Centre had recently offered to use the sprawling space of 45 acres of Railway land adjacent to Dharavi which would help them in getting relocated temporarily.

People of Dharavi are like wheels on which the Mumbai city runs.

Chennai