Refer to ‘Cooling India before it overheats’; we need to design our cities and buildings better. Urban planning must prioritise shade, green corridors, water bodies and permeable surfaces to reduce the urban heat island effect. Building byelaws should make reflective roofs, natural ventilation and energy-efficient construction materials mandatory for new housing projects. Traditional architectural practices, such as courtyards, high ceilings and shaded verandahs, must be brought back. Schools, hospitals and low-income settlements should be covered under a national cooling resilience mission. Rooftop solar panels can power cooling systems, reducing pressure on the electricity grid.
Vandana, Chandigarh
Use dam water wisely
Apropos of ‘Dam warning’; the reservoir level at Bhakra dam is higher than last year and that calls for good water managment. Being dependent on groundwater for irrigation not only lowers the water table but also raises questions on the working of the irrigation department. There is a need to strengthen coordination for effective utilisation of dam water for irrigation through canal network so that the dangerously increasing water level in the dam could be controlled in the rainy season. Timely release of water through canals would not only reduce pressure on the reservoir but also help recharge groundwater levels.
Kamalpreet Singh, Barnala
Leaders’ performance matters
Apropos of ‘Modi, Nehru & Rahul: Leadership matters’; Jawaharlal Nehru steered a newly independent nation through enormous challenges and left a lasting imprint on India’s democratic institutions. Likewise, in contemporary India, Narendra Modi has created a niche for himself in the country’s political landscape as a mass leader. His ability to connect with ordinary citizens and pursue large-scale national initiatives has earned him a place among the country’s most consequential leaders. Leadership is ultimately judged not by inheritance but by performance and the ability to inspire confidence.
Col SS Chauhan (retd), Mohali
Years in office not a yardstick
Refer to ‘Modi milestone’; in an evolving democracy, the success of a leader is directly related to the prevailing conditions in his constituency and their amelioration. Comparing Modi with the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, is not fair as the contemporary time is different from 1947, and so is the political ethos. For a leader, winning people’s hearts is a greater reward than occupying a position of power. More than anything else, the vision of the leader is important. A leader’s enduring legacy is measured not by the years spent in office, but by the transformative impact of his vision on the nation and its future.
Jagvinder Singh Brar, Patiala
Let convict’s wife have a child
Refer to ‘Prisons and forgotten childhoods’; it goes without saying that the sentencing of a convict impacts the entire family. Not allowing the life convict’s wife a chance to conceive a child amounts to depriving her of a basic human right. The universally acknowledged principle of parens patriae (the state acting as the parent of a citizen) is effectively negated. The state must recognise the legitimate claims of the wife and children, whether born or unborn. Arguments regarding the potential stigmatised life of such children do not hold weight in justice dispensation, as the State is duty-bound to provide for and protect the lives of all citizens. Penal codes are intended for wrongdoers, not those who have committed no offence.
Rakesh Mohan Sharma, Pathankot
Restrict doctors’ working hours
The National Medical Commission has told the Supreme Court that of the 756 medical colleges in the country, seven have not been paying stipends to interns and junior and senior resident doctors. Show-cause notices have been issued to them. The commission should also highlight the long duty hours of doctors that cause physical fatigue and mental stress. These young doctors should get more time to update their medical knowledge and skill in order for them to render better services to patients.
GR Kalra, Panchkula