With prosecution witnesses turning hostile, a number of murder cases involving high-profile people continue to languish in courts ("Crime Sans Punishment", April 1). One way out could be to have a magistrate accompany the police to the scene of crime and record the statements of all those interrogated. As the statements made before a magistrate cannot be retracted during the trial, the probability of a witness turning hostile would be minimal, the trial would be expedited and justice would be done.

K.S. Bhalla, Delhi

Fare Enough

It is not true that HUDCO was requested to foot the taxi bills of Rs 11 lakh for the personal staff of the minister for urban development ("Golden Pumpkin", April 1). HUDCO, India's leading housing and urban development organisation, extends support to a large number of integrated programmes of the Government which requires constant interaction with the Urban Devlopment Ministry and its personnel for policy formulation and programme implementation. Certain expenditure on office automation, communication facilities and travel are borne by HUDCO as part of the project implementation cost for facilities availed of by HUDCO and the ministry.

Rajinder Rana, Public Relations Manager, HUDCO, Delhi

A Lesson in Law

It would do Tavleen Singh a world of good to go through Indian laws thoroughly ("Cause Macabre", April 1). She would find that not just the Muslims but virtually all major Indian communities have personal laws. In fact, Indian laws are the amalgamation of several norms followed by different communities and countries.

Khalid Lateef, on e-mail

Olden Touch

Even though ayurveda may take a long time to cure diseases, it is a wonder treatment ("Man for All Cures", March 4). Since we seem to realise the worth of a system only after it is endorsed by the Americans, it may be pertinent to mention that the US now has more colleges than us teaching ayurveda. Besides, if ayurveda was inefficacious, why would foreigners rush to Kerala for treatment? Yet the government allots lesser funds to ayurveda than allopathy, leaving the ancient system to fend for itself.

Naresh Chander Chawla, on e-mail

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