MyVoice: Views of our readers 21st June 2024

Rise in MSP a step in right direction

The government raised the minimum support price for paddy by 5.35% to Rs 2,300 per quintal for the 2024-25 kharif marketing season. The hike in paddy support price comes despite the government sitting on surplus rice stocks but it is significant ahead of elections in states like Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi. The Cabinet has approved the minimum support prices for 14 kharif (summer) crops based on recommendations from the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The MSP for ‘common’ grade paddy has been raised to ₹2,300 per quintal, while for the ‘A’ grade variety it has been hiked to Rs 2,320 per quintal for the upcoming kharif season. This is the first Cabinet decision taken in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term in office. This is a step in the right direction.

C K Subramaniam, Navi Mumbai

Govt need to stop bootlegging

The hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi had the hallmark of similar tragedies in the country. For one more time it has turned the spotlight on the unchecked consumption of bootleg liquor. One thing is for sure – the production and sale of illicit liquor must be rampant for a tragedy of this proportion to occur. Often illegally brewed liquor is spiked with chemicals such as pesticides to increase potency. In the present instance, the “packet arrack”, laced with methanol, a chemical that attacks the central nervous system, proved to be the killer. It is a significant sociological fact that mostly impoverished people sate their craving for getting intoxicated or try to escape from the harsh realities of life - they seem to believe so - by consuming locally and easily available cheap brew - obviously, it is tax-free, GST free - and end up being the victims of hooch tragedies. The appeal of adulterated liquor is that it is cheap and potent, more potent than the licensed brands sold in authorised outlets. Lured by more kick for less money, people gulp down the poisonous concoction without giving a thought to the fact that it is fatal and succumb to it. On its part, the government must crack down on underground brewers and destroy their breweries. We are at a loss to understand how alcohol is distilled and bootlegging ‘flourishes’ without it being known to the police. Drinking ruins individual lives and families. The level of alcoholism in our society is really a major problem that we cannot turn a blind eye to. Public awareness is crucially important as it is the key to preventing people from drinking spurious and unsafe liquor and saving lives.

G.David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

***

It is shocking and disturbing that some 34 people lost their lives in the hooch tragedy at Kallakuruchi district in TN. As usual a solitium of ₹10 lakhs has been granted to the kin of the dead and an high level enquiry constituted. The dust on last years Villupuram hooch tragedy has not settled down in which 22 people were killed. Hooch deaths are due to negligence of the officials to check the sale of spurious liquor. Also the sale of cheap methanol is a cause. Spurious liquor is available freely at a cheap rate. The spurious sales of liquor and drugs have a big network and cannot be done without political patronage. Moreover, the government has not learned any lessons from the previous hooch deaths. Unless stern action is taken against the offenders, it will become a hard nut to crack.

Sravana Ramachandran, Chennai

Transferring babus demeaning

It has become a customary practice in our country to transfer babus whenever there is a change of government. CBN (Chandrababu Naidu) is more inclined into this “business” with vengeance. It is a pity to note that IAS officers are subservient to the political bosses forgetting the fact that they are bureaucrats and need not toe the line or the diktats of the politicians. Prior to Independence the ICS officers commanded respect even as the politicians hesitated to barge into their (ICS) chambers. Such was the clout maintained by the then ICS officers. However, the brown Doras (Indian politicians) changed all that by “managing” the system as a whole. CBN who happened to be an expert in this Art of managing the system won’t leave a stone unturned until the bureaucrat is place at the right place! Administratively speaking, this practice is not correct and it is astonishing to note that the babus are taking it lying low without a semblance of resistance.

Govardhana Myneedu, Vijayawada