PICTURE SPEAK

“Global Warming: What We Can Do to Save India”, April 23, 2007

“In the mad race for industrialisation, men have forgotten their duties towards mother nature. Indian cities are now incapable of coping with natural calamities.”

Jayendra Katti, Mumbai

Warming Up to the Threat

In your well-researched cover story, you have presented the life-threatening problem of global warming in a balanced and sensitive way, while reminding readers to do their bit in overcoming the challenge ahead (“Apocalypse Now”, April 23).

Rock Furtado, Delhi

India, which has a large population and is trying to expand its industrial sector, is contributing to global warming. The Government should ensure that the cleanest possible technology is used in India’s power stations. We should also have a system of retrofitting old power stations with better technology.

Ajay Bhattacharya, on e-mail

In modern India, especially in metros like Delhi, there are practically no footpaths for pedestrians. This is why people prefer to drive even to the nearby subziwala. If the Government wants to bring down toxic gas levels in the atmosphere, it must encourage people to walk.

Man Mohan Bhatia, Delhi

If you are indeed so concerned about the environment, please stop selling your magazine in plastic bags and publish articles on the numerous success stories in the field of renewable energy.

Devang Visaria, on e-mail

The world is going to be a horrible place to live in if a planned, time-bound, global remedial effort is not put in place to tackle the menace with the urgency it demands, and to prevent famines, pestilence and flash floods in the future.

R.J. Khurana, on e-mail

Ever since Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock was published in the early 1970s, we have been hearing about the impending catastrophe. We cannot avoid the disaster by simply shrugging our shoulders and thinking that it is someone else’s problem.

A.R. Maslekar, Pune

The following will help tide over the deteriorating situation as evidenced by the early onset of summer in north India: duty on compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) should be slashed to make them cheaper, and all bulbs should be changed to CFL within 5-10 years; solar devices should be marketed on a wider scale; and public transport should be made more comfortable.

N.K. Somani, ex-MP

Army of Problems

A large number of army officers calling it quits is one of the major side effects of the exorbitant salaries paid by MNCs (“The Talent Marches Out”, April 23). The IMA seats are full only because of unemployment. The salaries of army officers should be increased substantially.

Arun Bala, Bhatinda

Gone are the days when young men joined the army for the sake of adventure, bravery and national spirit. Today’s youth are moved only by money and other monetary incentives.

Major (Retd) S.S. Hallikeri, on e-mail

The army is one of the best organisations to work with in one’s early years, but when one has a family—children and old parents—to look after, life becomes tough. Instability due to frequent transfers and postings and financial crunch force armymen to look for greener pastures.

Colonel S. Kapoor, on e-mail

The main reasons for premature retirements in the army are: poor pay, slow promotions, the precedence given to pliability over professionalism, and the apathy of the civil administration towards armymen.

Madhu R.D. Singh, Ambala

River of Discontent

The fracas over Cauvery waters between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is proof of the lack of a pan-Indian attitude (“Hate Thy Neighbour”, April 23). If river Mekong’s waters can be shared by many South-east Asian nations and Mississippi waters can be used by many US states amicably, why can’t we share the waters of Cauvery peacefully?

Asoke C. Banerjee, Kolkata

Love Lost

In recent years, like in all other spheres of life, elephant-rearing has been commercialised and the animals are exploited (“Jumbo Rage”, April 23). This is the reason behind the recent elephant attacks. Earlier, mahouts and owners used to treat the gentle giants with love.

H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana, Mysore

The Writing on the Wall

Your offtrack on students writing their prayers on the walls of a temple in Kota reminds me of the Sigiriya rock temple in Sri Lanka, where visitors used to scribble graffiti (“The God of Big Tests”, April 23). Some of these poetic writings date back to the 14th century ad.

D.B.N. Murthy, Bangalore

Ad Infinitum

Your article rightly points out that laying down limits on the number of endorsements cricketers can take up does not make any sense (“The Team Behind the Team”, April 23). They don’t have to be reminded that endorsements depend on their performance.

S. Balachandran, Mumbai

Disclaimer

The general public is hereby cautioned that it has been brought to our notice that certain persons are falsely and illegally using our brand name, “India Today”, to organise and promote their illegal activities and are also collecting subscription amounts of Rs 16,900 per delegate for participating in a workshop being organised in the name of “India Today” on May 9, 11 and 14, in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi, respectively. It is cautioned that no seminar/workshop or any such event titled “Indian Giants Workshop with Verne Harnish”, is being organised or managed by Living Media India Ltd or the India Today Group. If any kind of activity is being executed in the name of India Today/Living Media India Limited by any person, the India Today Group will not be responsible for any act/loss/damage whatsoever caused to any member of the public.

THE BIG FAT FACTS

In the smaller cities, it is not pizzas or burgers, but samosas and kachoris which form the staple snacks (“Trans Fats: The New Threat”, April 23). Re-heated in recycled oil, they are a major source of trans fat.

Dr Prashant Joshi, Nagpur

We’ve always known that junk food is harmful but now we are told that even home-cooked food contains trans fat. It is up to us to inculcate healthy eating habits.

Bal Govind, Bareilly

You have not highlighted the fact that the country’s youth are an easy prey to international fast food chains. The ‘eating out’ culture has now become a fad.

Lubna Salim, on e-mail

30
Years Ago in India Today
MAY 1-15,1977

The Oscar Network

Peter Finch, saturnine British actor, created Hollywood history after his death, by becoming the first posthumous winner of moviedom’s most coveted accolade—the Oscar award for the best actor. Finch, who was born in London and educated in Australia, was awarded the Oscar for his role as a demented television announcer in Network, a scathing satire of the idiot box industry. Sylvester Stallone, 30, saw his sentimental boxing film Rocky win the best film award. Stallone, who wrote the script and also starred in the film as a boxer, was apparently unmoved by the fact that he failed to win the award given to Finch, which he had been widely tipped to win. “If it’s not this year it will be next year,” he confidently told reporters, “I think it’s nice that Mrs Finch has something to remember her husband by.”

—from ‘Globe-trotting’