MyVoice is to lift up the voices and experiences

It's time we found alternative for plastic

Polylactic Acid (PLA) bio-plastics are made of renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar cane and is a natural polymer designed to substitute widely used petroleum-based plastics like PET (Polyethene Terephthalate).

In the packaging industry, PLA plastics are often used for plastic films and food containers. Congratulations to all the people involved in this PLA smart research and its applications.

Now the focus of the UNO and 196 nations should be 100% replacement of plastics and how to get rid of 8 billion tons of accumulated plastics waste causing poisoning of land and marine environment.

Incineration causes atmospheric pollution. Hence go partially at least or completely for gasification a process that melts plastics at a very high temperatures in the near absence of Oxygen (which implies atmosphere polluting toxins like dioxins and furans are not formed).

Another benefit is that the process generates a synthetic gas that is used to fire turbines. Add one more R i.e. Resist (RRR: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle).

Show alternate employment of comfort, choice, likes to the affected persons not to increase unemployment rate or inflation rate that is related to shooting up of foreign exchange rate of the rupee or any affected nation and its currency.

Better limit PLA bio-plastic industry to only the poorer and middle class sections to rise their standards of quality life.

P N Sree Lekha, Boudhnagar, Secunderabad

Don't degrade democracy

"Parties come and go but the country's democracy should remain eternal," said A B Vajpayee in his landmark speech in Parliament. One of the major reasons why people around the world support democracy is because they have the right to question the government.

Democratic countries absolutely require strong, stable governments to perform effectively, but it doesn't mean that dissent must not be tolerated.

Commenting on the current economic scenario, Subramanian Swamy, a member of the ruling party and an economist himself advised the government that it should stop scaring the economists and develop temper to listen.

When bureaucrats are not encouraged to speak the truth, ultimately, they turn into ''yes men'. It's not a good sign for the country's future. This is a typical scenario in which leaders insulate themselves from contrary perspectives of their decisions. The outcomes in such cases will not be so encouraging.

Opinions of several economists were criticised and sometimes not even paid attention, and in some cases, they had to face the government's ire like Raghuram Rajan, Urjit Patel and the like. Whether it is in the State or at the Centre, a good majority will always give confidence to ruling parties. But this confidence shouldn't transform into arrogance.

Instead, it should be used to do greater good. Even State governments are becoming intolerant to dissent. Consider the example of Andhra Pradesh where a ban was imposed recently on ABN and TV5 news channels.

Such restrictions crush the freedom of press. If any mistakes are done by the press/media, the government must fight a legal battle. Making such unprecedented moves will only give an authoritarian image to the government. Right to dissent is an inalienable right in a democracy.

Media, instead of being biased, should develop constructive criticism to draw the attention of the people towards the actual scenario.

However, our Central and State governments shouldn't be criticised at International stages. If people are shielded from speaking facts and questioning the government, then it is where democratic values are being degraded and graves for democracy are being dug.

Bagam Vishwamithra, Hyderabad