Faux pas
Sir — If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. This maxim seems to have been adopted by employers. It is widely known that young job seekers use ChatGPT or other Artificial Intelligence platforms to write CVs and job applications. But now even human resource departments are using AI to read these applications. What is happening as a result is that applications and CVs have lost the human touch. While both applicants and employers thought that AI would make CVs stand out or filter out unoriginal applications, what it has done is dumb down the first impression that companies and candidates have of each other.
Sayeri Bhowmick,
Mumbai
Prepare better
Sir — Cyclone Montha struck India’s eastern coast with intense winds and heavy rains. Keeping in mind the experience of previous cyclones, the National Disaster Response Force had deployed 26 teams and the army, navy, air force and coast guard were put on high alert for rescue and relief operations. Early warnings, evacuation drills, and power backup plans are vital to minimising devastation and ensuring rapid recovery.
R.S. Narula,
Patiala
Sir — Andhra Pradesh was among the worst affected by Cyclone Montha. Heavy rain impacted power lines and standing crops were destroyed across thousands of acres by strong winds. Numerous people have also been displaced across states on the eastern coast. Cyclones have become a regular event owing to climate change. The government must find an effective solution to these annual losses.
Jayanta Datta,
Hooghly
Sir — Cyclone Montha, once again, exposed the weaknesses of India’s disaster preparedness template. Each year, India experiences cyclonic storms that destroy lives and homes, yet our response remains reactive instead of preventive. How long will we wait before preparedness becomes a civic habit and not a seasonal administrative response? Coastal states must invest in safer housing, proper drainage, and timely evacuation systems. Public education and local drills must become routine. Safety is not an act of charity but a duty of governance. The time to prepare is before the storm, not after the ruins.
M.D. Hasnain,
Patna
Sir — Cyclone Montha struck the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam the hardest, bringing with it wind speeds of over 100 kilometres per hour and heavy rainfall. A few people have lost their lives and many others have been forced to relocate. The Centre must extend aid to the state at the soonest.
Dimple Wadhawan,
Kanpur
Great loss
Sir — The loss of the teenaged Australian cricketer, Ben Austin, is devastating. The young cricketer’s death comes more than a decade after fellow Australian cricketer, Phillip Hughes, died from injuries sustained on the field after being struck by a bouncer. Austin’s death raises questions, once again, about the effectiveness of the protective gear used in cricket. The cricket fraternity will remember Austin for his kindness.
Ranganathan Sivakumar,
Chennai
Final curtain
Sir — Roi Roi Binale, the last feature film of Assam’s cultural icon, Zubeen Garg, who passed away last month at the age of 52, released yesterday. In it, the popular singer-composer portrays the lead role of a blind artist. The film has received a massive response with almost all first-day tickets of the movie being sold out. Many cinema halls have added early morning shows, as early as 6 am. This musical drama is going to break several big records in the box office.
Sourish Misra,
Calcutta
