Luxury pace

Sir — In the technology-driven world that we live in, life can feel like it is whizzing past us faster than a cheetah high on espresso. The seemingly perfect antidote to this is the concept of ‘slow living’. However, like most other wellness trends, not everyone may have the privilege to pursue slow living. While the allure of tranquility and mindfulness is strong, it is also pertinent to acknowledge that slow living requires time, financial stability, and resources that may not be readily available to individuals from the lower rungs of the socio-economic strata. They may have to make peace with the daily grind for survival.

S.S. Chaudhuri,East Midnapore

Lack of action

Sir — It is disheartening that a powerful faction of priests from Ayodhya has extended support to the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (“Ayodhya show of defiance”, June 2). The Bharatiya Janata Party’s tactic of using religion and religious leaders as shields to hide its shortcomings must be condemned.

M.C. Vijay Shankar,Chennai

Sir — The government should take immediate action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has been accused of sexually harassing many female wrestlers (“Khaps rally behind wrestlers”, June 2). Sadly, the grapplers have been forced to seek help from all avenues — from the president and the Opposition to leaders of the farmers’ movement and the khap — given the government’s inaction. In spite of first information reports having been filed against him, Singh continues to roam free and foment tension.

Arun Gupta,Calcutta

Sir — The Centre has dropped the ball by letting the Opposition and farmers’ unions politicise the wrestlers’ protest. This is in spite of the wrestlers’ initial claim that they do not want anyone to reap political dividends from their cause. The government needs to send a strong message to reassure Indian women that they are safe in this country. If it fails to do this, women will be unwilling to choose a career in sports.

Bal Govind,Noida

Booming industry

Sir — India is attracting major players in the microchip industry owing to its potential as a manufacturer. The government needs to take targeted steps to give this industry a boost. Offering incentives, financing state-of-the-art infrastructure and formulating favourable policies will encourage investments in this sector. It is also important to develop a skilled workforce and promote research and development in the microchip industry. Supporting collaborations and reducing bureaucratic hurdles will also ensure a favourable business environment.

Rajpal Singh Chouhan,Ujjain

Unsafe produce

Sir — Consumers are often tempted to buy products labelled as ‘organic’ under the assumption that those are safer than other alternatives available in the market. Most of these so-called ‘organic’ products are harvested in remote areas where farmers use a readily available mixture of untreated animal faeces instead of organic manure. This can lead to the deposition of toxic chemicals and heavy metals in the produce. Moreover, using natural insecticides made out of plants like datura which have neurotoxic chemicals also makes these products unsafe.

Noopur Baruah,Tezpur

Parting shot

Sir — Deccan Queen — the first deluxe train of the Indian Railways operating between Pune and Mumbai — has completed 93 years of service. Daily commuters and railway enthusiasts alike have celebrated the anniversary of this occasion.

Sourish Misra,Calcutta