Sir — A shocking video of a cobra throwing up a plastic bottle was shared by a forest service officer on Twitter. While a cobra can regurgitate, most animals cannot, and millions die in painful ways after swallowing plastic waste. India alone generates some 25,000 tonnes of such waste every day; 40 per cent of it is not collected. It is important to not just reduce plastic use but also ensure proper disposal. Incidents such as these must not be allowed to recur.
Shreya Dutta
Calcutta
Dig deeper
Sir — Last week, a Delhi court issued death warrants to the four adult convicts of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape and murder (“January 22 death warrants on Delhi rapists”, Jan 8). Perhaps this will bring closure to the victim’s family after seven long years. It is the perseverance of her parents, continued media coverage and public support that have contributed to this decision.
It is, however, important to introspect if the judiciary could have pronounced the sentence sooner. Also, has the government done enough since the incident to ensure the safety of women in public spaces? There is still a long way to go before we can consider the country safe for women. Although, the last few years have seen women speak up against gender-based crimes and discrimination, the security apparatus as well as the judicial system are in dire need of improvement. Unless the justice system is strengthened, pronouncing death penalties can bring little change.
Syed Ahmed Ali
Hyderabad
Sir — The issuance of death warrants in the Delhi gang-rape and murder case has brought to the fore certain grey areas in the legal system. Usually, a death warrant is not issued until the convict has exhausted all remedies available to him. At the time of the Delhi-court order notifying the warrants, not all of the convicts had filed curative petitions in the Supreme Court or mercy petitions before the president.
Hence, one is forced to wonder what the justification was behind issuing the warrants. The legality of the warrants can be challenged since all constitutional remedies have not yet been availed of by the convicts. Procedural nitty-gritties may now end up delaying the execution of justice.
Venu G.S.
Kollam, Kerala
Sir — The sense of gratification from the death warrants issued to the 2012 gang-rape convicts does little to address the larger concern of gender violence. Since 2012, similar incidents in Unnao, Kathua and Hyderabad, among many others, have shocked the nation. Unless we strike at the social roots of gender-based violence, it is impossible to bring about change.
Bani Mazumder
Calcutta