MyVoice: Views of our readers 11th July 2023

Old City should mount demand for metro

Apropos ‘Old City Metro ‘nakko’ says L&T’. It is unfortunate that the Old City of Hyderabad is to be deprived of modern connectivity of metro that is vibrantly evident in the rest of the city, due to financial crunch by the company and religious places coming in the way of the construction activity of the metro route in the area. The responsibility in this regard is more on the people living in places of the Old City, who must courageously think in terms of dismantling structures, even if they are mosques or Dargahs. People living in the congested and labyrinthine localities in the Charminar area must show the initiative not to always believe living in ghettos, cut off from the rest in this developmental aspect.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

Divine providence saves lives

The horrendous incident of fire in the Falaknuma Express near Bhongir in which several compartments were burnt was reminiscent of Balasore tragedy. It was averted by timely intervention of a passenger who pulled the chain to stop the train resulting in the safe exist of passengers was nothing short of ‘drama in real life’. It is divine providence that the stationary train which stopped midway did not encounter any oncoming trains from either direction – otherwise the incident would have ended up in a catastrophe that would have been beyond one’s wildest fears.

K R Parvathy, Mysuru

Pay heed to climate change concerns

The globe is hotting up like never before. We hear of surge in wildfires across the continents. Earth’s average temperature set a new unofficial record high a couple of days ago - three times within a week. The global average temperature reached just over 62°F. It was the hottest average temperature ever recorded by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction since the organization began keeping records in 1979. This was the hottest temperature on record and could be the hottest in 1,20,000 years, as per scientists. Add to it, there are extreme unseasonal and climatic events - be it rains, floods, landslides or melting of Arctic ice. Even as this stirring a section of scientists, mostly those dealing with environmental sciences, a legitimate question and concern is yet to evolve across societies the world over, about the impending threat to the globe and its inhabitants. It should have grabbed global headlines by now. Bad, alas, that is not to be, as high temperatues do not look that hot because the people and their rulers are consumed more by inconsequential matters. Scientists warn more than the numbers, albeit concerning, what should alarm the people and the governments alike are the happenings behind this hot phenomenon. We can disregard it at our own peril. Earth just set a heat record. It won’t be its last.

Mahesh Pasala, Tirupati

Regional parties standing up to BJP

Apropos editorial ‘Has BJP shot itself in the foot in Telugu states?’ Telangana is definitely doing well in terms of farmers issues; and there is minimal chance of BJP coming to power in Telangana albeit garnering more seats this time around. As for Andhra, the BJP has a definite prospect of proving to be a worthy opponent of YSRCP, by joining hands with TDP. BRS is definitely wary of the fate of K Kavitha MLC, embroiled neck deep in the Delhi liquor scam money laundering case – which will be a definite liability for the party.

K V Raghuram, Wayanad

II

The editorial is right in pointing out that change of guards at the helm effected by BJP in AP and Telangana states appears to have been done in haste and without proper thought. By all accounts, it also gives clear indications that Modi, Shah seem to be aggressive than ever before to return to power with a bang. This is evident from the way the party effected the change all too suddenly, which not only rattled a section of the party but created confusion in the rank and file about the strategy to be adopted in the two states. All said and done, looking at the ground realities, one thing is clear that it is not going to be easy for BJP at the hustings to come through facing bigger challenges posed by rejuvenated congress and aggressive BRS.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Cell phone driving major cause of mishaps

It seems RTA is not serious about mobile phone driving and its consequences. RTA should note that one of the key reasons for the ongoing road accidents is mobile phone driving. Keeping aside the uneducated people, even educated are also using mobile phones while driving their car/bike posing danger to lives of other people. Not only the vehicle drivers, even the pedestrians are also using mobile phones while walking on roads and crossing the roads keeping half mind only on safety. Sir, this is a serious issue linked with lives of people. Hence RTA as well as the government should immediately ban use of mobile phones while driving or while walking or crossing the roads and impose severe punishment if caught.

Tumuluri Srikumar, Hyderabad