Grave danger

• Sir - The state government needs to pay attention to the threat to public health and the deteriorating condition of the environment on account of the indiscriminate use of plastic products. Polythene bags, thermocol cups, plates, bottles, and plastic jars for preserving food are used on a daily basis, but most people do not realize the adverse effects these have on their health as well as on the environment. Plastic products also contain chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic. Prolonged usage of plastic containers to store and serve the food we consume can lead to various kinds of cancer. People must stop consuming food and beverages cooked or kept in plastic containers.

Plastic products are not biodegradable. Instead of disposing of them properly after use, people throw them anywhere they please. This results in the blockage of drainage systems. Owing to the indiscriminate throwing of plastic into water bodies, marine life suffers greatly. The media do try to highlight this problem, but more needs to be done. Local government bodies have started discouraging citizens from using plastic, but these attempts are half-hearted, as no rules are enforced properly. The few volunteer organizations trying to generate awareness are not gaining much ground, owing to the absence of support from the local administrations.

People should stop using plastic products and switch to alternative items made out of natural, organic materials available in the market - earthen pots, plates made out of paper or the leaves of trees such as palm, banana and sal. These products do not harm one's health, and they also protect the environment. Unfortunately, the popularity of plastic eats into the market of such indigenous industries. The West Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, is trying to develop the state's cottage industries. Her government should restrict the use of plastic products and incentivize the use of natural goods. The problem can no longer be ignored, as environmental degradation all over the world has reached a critical point. Numerous species of animals and plants are dying out. If we do not take immediate steps to counter the problem, the future of humankind will be at risk.

Yours faithfully,

Tapas Biswas, Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas

• Sir - May 22 was celebrated as the International Day for Biological Diversity in order to increase awareness about the issues threatening our planet's biodiversity. Habitats that were rich in natural resources are now barren, and crucial species of animals, birds, fish, insects and plants have gone extinct. Most of this is due to the environmental pollution caused by human beings. It is our duty to adopt environment-friendly practices that do not harm the natural world and aid in conservation.

Yours faithfully,

T.S. Karthik, Chennai

Lawless land

• Sir - The rise of the moral police, hitherto known as the anti-Romeo squads, in Uttar Pradesh and its harassment of adults in public spaces highlight the fact that individual rights are in danger ("Saved: Romeo's reputation", May 20). In William Shakespeare's play, the love between Romeo and Juliet was consensual, but it was forbidden on account of a divide between their families. The squads in UP are aiming to divide society. Their activities are sanctioned by the chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, and they do not approve of boys and girls sitting next to one another, meeting in cafes or going to the movies together. Holding hands or canoodling in the dark are out of the question. The harassment of couples and friends is carried out under the guise of protecting women. But these activities are unconstitutional, as they deny citizens the fundamental rights of choice and free movement.

It is shameful that the UP government has defended such acts. Adityanath has now decided to rename the squads and call them Nari Suraksha Bal. It is of some solace that the name of Romeo is no longer attached to such activities.

Yours faithfully,

S.S. Paul, Nadia

Gone too soon

• Sir - The sudden demise of the Indian actress, Reema Lagoo, was saddening. She was a very popular theatre and film actress, known for her work in Hindi and Marathi cinema. She will be remembered for her performances as a sweet, loving mother in Sooraj Barjatya's family-oriented movies as well as in her comic roles in popular television serials such as Shrimaan Shrimati and Tu Tu Main Main. Her best performance was as a strong mother in the film, Vaastav. She will be greatly missed.

Yours faithfully,

Kiran Agarwal, Calcutta

• Sir - Reema Lagoo's untimely death will create a void in the film industry. She was a popular Bollywood actress who could essay character roles with ease and grace. She may have been restricted to playing the mothers of top Bollywood actors such as Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Dutt, but she always left a mark with her stellar acting. Her excellent performance as Dutt's mother in Vaastav deserves mention; it earned her a coveted Filmfare award.

Yours faithfully,

R. Sekar, Visakhapatnam

Sir - The news of Reema Lagoo's death left me sad. In her long, accomplished career in show business, she avoided controversy and was always dignified.

Yours faithfully,

Arnab Chatterjee, Calcutta

Faulty planning

• Sir - The fire in a mall located in one of the busiest commercial areas in Patna is a warning to the authorities. Sanctioning poorly planned commercial complexes can have lethal consequences. Luckily, no lives were lost on this occasion. However, over a dozen shops and offices were gutted in the fire. It took fire tenders over four hours to put out the flames. How can a mall be allowed to come up beside a petrol pump? Had the fire spread to the petrol pump, the results would have been disastrous.

The GV Mall is located at a congested spot. Did the town planners not foresee such a problem? Moreover, these buildings are expected to adhere to strict rules. Overhead tanks filled with water must be available, pipes should reach every floor, and a separate stairway must serve as a fire exit. Did the mall meet these conditions? If this was not the case, how was it issued a fire-safety certificate?

The government must ensure that the norms of constructing high-rise buildings and commercial complexes are not flouted. One shudders to think what may have happened if the fire had broken out during busy hours.

Yours faithfully,

Sangita Singh,

Patna

Be humane

• Sir - A jawan belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force died in police custody in Vaishali. It has been reported that the soldier was arrested for violating the liquor law. His plea that a doctor had advised him to consume liquor to overcome 'withdrawal symptoms' did not cut any ice and the police took him into custody.

Laws need to be enforced. But they must also take into account the welfare of citizens. The relevant law overlooks the fact that doctors often prescribe the consumption of liquor in moderate amounts on medical grounds.

The death of the jawan should force the government to reconsider the law. Limited access to liquor should be permitted on health grounds.

Yours faithfully,

Jai Kumar,

Darbhanga

War of words

• Sir - There is stiff competition between the Biju Janata Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Odisha as both parties prepare to celebrate three years in power, one in the state and the other at the Centre. The BJP is keen to win the 2019 assembly elections in Odisha. The three-year-mark presents both parties with the perfect opportunity to reach out to people and show them the progress that the state and the Central governments have made as far as honouring promises are concerned. The BJD is wary because of the BJP's spectacular performance in the recent panchayat elections. It will be a bitter battle that will go right down to the wire.

Yours faithfully,

Aditya Satpathy, Bhubaneswar

• Sir - The discord within the BJD is out in the open. None of the members seems to care about the warning issued by the party president, Naveen Patnaik, against making public statements that affect the image of the BJD. Three years after he was elected to power for the fourth time, Patnaik is struggling to keep his flock together. Some BJD members of parliament have demanded that Patnaik make his stand clear on the possibility of a post-poll alliance with the BJP.

Patnaik, however, is focusing on improving the lives of the people in Odisha. He has started two new programmes, 'Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas' and 'Biju Sathi'. These will have a positive effect on the failing reputation of the BJD.

The BJP is planning to bring in senior Union ministers to the state to celebrate the third anniversary of the Narendra Modi government. This might pose a challenge for Patnaik given the bickering within his party.

Yours faithfully,

Manjeet Patnaik, Rourkela

• Sir - The BJD and the BJP have been making tall claims about the things that they have done for the people in the past three years. Common people, however, have not felt the effects of any of these plans and policies. Industrialization has been slow and agricultural activities have not brought promising returns. Unemployment is growing in Odisha and there has not been any significant improvement in the poverty levels either. The ruling parties at the Centre and in the state should join hands to address such grave issues instead of fighting amongst themselves. It is unfortunate that veteran politicians are engaging in the mud-slinging. The spirit of federalism is missing.

Yours faithfully,

Sukant Rout, Cuttack

• Sir - Goaded by the BJP's active campaigning in Odisha, Naveen Patnaik announced that BJD ministers would brief the media about the achievements of their respective departments for a few days on the occasion of the party completing three years of its present term. This would only result in people being flooded with statistics. One fails to understand the point of this exercise.

Yours faithfully,

Binita Bohidar,

Sambalpur

• Sir - Political parties have already begun campaigning aggressively for the 2019 assembly elections. Naveen Patnaik has instructed the cadre to make common people aware of the policies implemented by the BJD. On the other hand, the BJP president, Amit Shah, is scheduled to visit remote districts in Odisha next month to strengthen his party's hold at the grassroots. Then there are the Congress leaders who are busy highlighting the failures of both the BJP and the BJD. Ordinary people are finding this baffling. They cannot make up their minds about which party is actually concerned about them and which is making empty promises.

Yours faithfully,

Santosh Pradhan,

Bhawanipatna