Using pocket money for drugs

Seizure of drugs, including Ganja and high-grade OC weed, at Mahindra University in Suraram, by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TANA) has sent jitters among parents. The drug racket, with a Nigerian as the main peddler from Nigeria, reportedly involved 50 student peddlers from within the campus. Incidentally, the young addicts use their pocket money to procure the banned substances.

The racket is presumed to be the tip of the iceberg, especially when it comes to drug consumption on campuses. The courier service is said to be the preferred route for such drug trafficking among customers, given the absence of any checks. It is time to form a joint action group involving parents to thwart the trend and wean away the next generation from drug abuse.

K V Raghuram,Wayanad

Don’t destroy careers of students

This is with reference to your article titled, “TG private colleges to shut indefinitely from September 15”. The day observed across India as Engineer’s Day will unfortunately take on a sombre note of protest in Telangana this year. The indefinite closure of private colleges, arising from the prolonged delay in release of fee reimbursement dues under the Reimbursement of Tuition Fee (RTF) scheme, has left students in a state of deep anxiety. For many from SC, ST, BC, minority and economically weaker sections, this strike is not a mere administrative standoff, as it directly derails their exams, placements, and academic schedules, creating uncertainty at the most crucial juncture of their careers. The financial burden is not the only fallout. Parents, already stretched to meet rising costs of education, are now forced to bear additional stress as their children’s futures hang in limbo. The mental toll on students ranging from fear of losing job opportunities to feelings of helplessness is immeasurable. If this deadlock continues, it will not be the management or the government that will bear the consequences, but thousands of young minds whose aspirations may be permanently scarred. One must remember that education cannot be reduced to a bargaining chip in institutional disputes. The concerned authorities must urgently address this issue to ensure that students do not suffer irreparable damage.

Sukruti Paturi,Hyderabad

GST slab revisions-festive cheer or illusion?

The revised Goods and Services Tax (GST) slabs that will come into effect on September 22 are being marketed as a festive bonanza for households, with prices of nearly 400 items expected to drop by up to 10 percent. On paper, this looks like a windfall for consumers. However, it risks becoming yet another mirage, an illusion as the benefits will be siphoned off by corporations. Despite legal provisions requiring companies to pass on lower rates, experiences reveal rampant profiteering. Traders often invoke inflated operational costs, sell old inventory at outdated rates, or quietly raise base prices while flaunting reduced tax incidence. As a result of these accounting tricks, consumers end up paying the same or more, while corporations pocket the gains. The government has issued stern warnings and threatened penal action, but enforcement remains weak. With thousands of companies involved and limited monitoring mechanisms, profiteering thrives unchecked. Without robust measures like mandatory pre-and post-GST price disclosures, real-time billing scrutiny, and consumer vigilance platforms, the exercise risks becoming a hollow reform. GST rationalisation should not be reduced to a corporate windfall masquerading as public relief.

N Sadhasiva Reddy,Bengaluru-56

Toughen stand against GST evaders

Not only TG, but all States and UTs should take up a special drive to identify GST evaders. GST 2.0 is bound to cause some revenue loss, but the traders would always try to evade payment of actual taxes by fudging accounts in connivance with corrupt officials from the commercial taxes department. These officials would never achieve set targets as there is a deep-rooted nexus between traders, officials and ruling party leaders. Unfortunately, even after 78 years of independence we don’t have a centralised system to monitor the entire trade transactions item-wise. This would have helped the government to estimate revenue to the nearest rupee on account of GST. It is not too late to start a mechanism to monitor the volume of trade taking place in each state to realise the estimated or targeted taxes. It is for the intelligence wing of the commercial taxes department to monitor everything related to trade, plug loopholes (corruption and nepotism) and collect the targeted taxes.

Govardhana Myneedu,Vijayawada