Nothing special

Sir — S.L. Rao is right in saying that special economic zones in India have done little to enhance the value of enterprise (“Special blindness”, Feb 11). Despite the sincere efforts of successive governments, SEZs have been set up primarily as a land-grabbing exercise by corporate houses. Though plenty of leeway has been given to them, many corporate bodies that have set up SEZs have been vocal against certain restrictions imposed on them by the government. This, in fact, is a calculated ploy on their part to cover up their lack of initiative towards social welfare. Even the much-maligned restrictive labour regulations have not been effectively implemented. Only a few of these organizations provide employees’ insurance and other benefits, and, unfortunately, the government has failed to ensure that these rules are observed uniformly by all SEZs. Whatever the advantages of having SEZs, they have already been nullified by a corrupt bureaucracy. This is probably the reason why comprehensive information about SEZs is not available to the public despite the hue and cry over land acquisition.

Yours faithfully,
Surajit Das, Calcutta

Sir — S.L. Rao is full of blithe approval for China’s SEZs, acknowledging them as the “key to China’s industrial and export growth”. Yet he roundly condemns the same economic set-up in India. Doing better than India, by itself, does not mean that China has made spectacular progress in industrial development. India has done better than Pakistan and Bangladesh, but still cannot be compared to the developed nations. According to the human development index of 2005, China ranks 85th in the world in terms of per capita GDP. It is not my intention to undermine China’s success or that of any other communist country but one should also remember that China has failed to properly adopt a ‘command economy’. Instead one should look at South Korea, which, though smaller than North Korea, has a booming GDP unlike that of its neighbour.

Yours faithfully,
Asoke C. Banerjee, Calcutta

Modern love

Sir — Love, especially between a man and a woman, is always an intriguing affair. And, of late, Valentine’s Day celebrations has added a new dimension to this tale. These days, love tends to be invariably associated with sexual attraction. Unfortunately, people have stopped realizing the importance of celebrating love that is pure in spirit, which, I feel, is the real essence of an event like Valentine’s Day. Let this day be a reminder to lovers that it is most important to express their love for each other without the trappings of cheap modernity.

Yours faithfully,
Salil Gewali, Shillong

Sir — Teddy bears, heart-shaped balloons, greeting cards and countless couples on motorbikes driving around from pillar to post —Valentine’s Day has become a grand festival in India (“Street play on Indian romance”, Feb 14). Love has changed shape and become a money-making venture. The (moral) police too are at their active best on this day, trying to prevent the “nuisance” of couples expressing their love. However, the same force is caught napping when it comes to fighting serious crimes that have a far more debilitating effect on society. What is the need to celebrate an event which is not a part of our culture, especially when one knows that the celebrations would be met with violent opposition? Every year there are reports of hooligans blackening the faces of couples on this day. Perhaps it would be better to educate our youth about India’s rich culture so that they do not feel the need to ape the West.

Yours faithfully,
Md Ziyaullah Khan, Pune

Parting shot

Sir — India, which was once considered a strong supporter of the global peace movement, is one of the biggest buyers of weapons in the world’s arms bazaar today (“Friendship boom in Delhi arms bazaar”, Feb 17). There are many who subscribe to the view that only a country with a strong army can ensure peace in its neighbourhood. This may not always be true. India has always met threats to its internal security without having to buy expensive weapons from arms-supplying nations. The other thing the government needs to consider seriously is cutting down the size of India’s armed forces. Trimming the size of India’s army and developing military technology with the help of indigenous means would give India a lean and effective strike force. The money saved on defence purchases could be used to provide citizens with basic resources like water and electricity.

Yours faithfully,
S. Kamat, Alto Betim, Goa