Letters to the editor

Letters to the editor

The need for Virar Panvel local This is in response to your article ‘Virar-Panvel Local plans on fast track’ (DNA, Jan 6). I would like to bring to your attention the plight of the Kurla-Mahul Local line in this regard. The proposal to run locals on the Kurla-Mahul line has been totally ignored all these years despite having a nod from the Central Government and the Railway ministry (In response to the proposal submitted by then MP Kirit Somaiya in parliament in 2004). This old electrified line is currently used only a few times a day to serve the refineries and the RCF plant in Mahul. Starting locals on this stretch would help locals in areas such as Suman Nagar, Chembur Camp, Vashi Naka and Mahul tremendously as they currently have to rely on inadequate BEST services and auto rickshaws to travel to/from Kurla. —Aditya G, via email Century mania This is with reference to the article on the drama surrounding Sachin’s hundredth 100 (January 7, DNA). How do you explain incoherent anchors on various television channels getting super excited when Sachin comes to bat? Enough sycophants will ensure that Sachin continue playing till he is 58 -the official Indian retirement age - before he hangs his boots waiting for that elusive 100. Can we expect our cricketers to finally imbibe some level of team-spirit and gamesmanship by watching their Australian counterparts conduct themselves with such supreme sportsmanship that they do not aim for records but think about what really matters - winning a test. We are only good at cricket and nowadays watching these two pathetic tests, I guess we are aiming for mediocrity there too. Our sportsmen I guess have this insane desire to be made to feel unwanted before they finally hang their boots. —Snehha, by email The best team in the world? This is in reference to the recent 0-2 loss to Australia by the Indian team. One fails to understand why the team goes down under in foreign soils-even with the best players who have been part of the team continuously from past 3-4 tours? It should be noted that the mere term ‘World Champions’ isn’t restricted to wins in India but also across the world’s best cricket playing nations. No wonder the team has been banking upon one person’s jinxed miracle to score 100 centuries which of late is turning out to be a mirage. Why pressure the person who has already accomplished many feats? Why not focus on nurturing the young blood who need the right kind of break-to begin with the Australian tour? If the team doesn’t fit in well it is high time to start replacements immediately to infuse young blood into the team. The team needs to win the remaining matches as well hence this is the right to stay focused on victory itself, and not any individual’s record. —Varun Dambal, Bangalore II Cricket lovers are unable to digest Team India’s ignominious capitulation before the host team’s three fast-bowlers to end up scoring a total of 591 runs in two outings which was still 22 runs less than the 613 runs which the three middle-order Australian batsmen had scored between them in their only innings! The reasons: after Zaheer Khan gave us some hope by reducing them to 37 for 3 wickets, our bowling just melted before the marauding Aussies allowing them to post 659 runs. Our batsmen seem to be suffering from foreign-phobia on overseas pitches and regrettably no one could score a single century. If Ashwin could score 62 runs, it is intriguing why Sehwag, Dravid, Kohli and Dhoni could not do so. The immediate remedy is to sack Duncan Fletcher and send Kapil Dev to guide the team in the remaining two tests. —Dr RV Subramanyan, Mumbai Helmets are compulsory for police, too Apropos to your above report (DNA, January 6) on statistics on motorists booked for not wearing helmet - 3,26,740 in 2007, 5,73,377 in 2008, 2,71,602 in 2009, 2,28,662 in 2010 and 1,90,190 in 2011 till November. I’m sure none of the statistics quoted would have any policemen riding a two wheeler without a helmet. It is a very common site to see most of the policemen including the police patrol riding two wheelers without a helmet. I have halted many of them and drawn their attention and they give a lame excuse that they cannot hear the phone if they put on the helmet. But that is no excuse to violate the law particularly by those who are supposed to maintain it. The Motor Vehicles Act and Rules do not have any such exceptions. I have also drawn the attention of the Police Commissioner as well as Joint Commissioner of Police [Traffic] in writing with photographs, but there has been no action. Can someone take up this matter strongly? —Sharad Kumar, via email Keep the elephants uncovered The EC has issued orders for covering statues of elephants put up in UP, as this is the election symbol of the BSP. This is stretching the sense of a bureaucratic fair play too far. By covering these, even a nondescript symbol will attract curiosity and defeat the very intention of the exercise. Will Congressmen be now asked to offer only ‘ gloved ‘ hands when meeting the electorate or the ‘cycle’ is barred from venues of rallies by the SP? Try covering Lalu’s ‘lanterns’ in Bihar or ordering a solar eclipse in Tamil Nadu ! The EC must now take great care in awarding election symbols that are cost effective in matters of providing them with covers in election time. —R.Narayanan, Ghaziabad