A party in crisis
Expectedly, the internal frictions in the Congress party have metamorphosed into widening cracks, with the possibility of a steady stream of exits with each passing day (“Amid buzz, M.P. Cong. leaders recall Nath’s ties with Gandhi kin”, February 18). More than ideological considerations, it is clear that personal interests count more for the Congress’s stalwarts in cosying up to the BJP.
The oft-repeated assertions by the Prime Minister that the NDA will be reaching the 400-plus mark in the parliamentary elections, apart from a slew of political inducements offered by the ruling party should have been the main inducement. The much touted INDIA bloc has considerably shrunk in size and image. With many free floaters waiting in the wings, the distraught Congress party needs to brace itself to face a huge crisis.
V. Johan Dhanakumar,
Chennai
Deadly conflict
Rising human-elephant conflicts, especially in Kerala, can be traced to a multitude of factors that include agricultural expansion, industrial intrusion, mining, infrastructural activities, ‘colonisation’ of vital elephant corridors by resorts/hotels, plantations, deforestation, and even climate change. There have to be sustainable development activities, ensuring that wildlife corridors are safe from intrusion. There has to be afforestation and also the vital step of setting up a special task force that has local people, eco-activists and the Forest Department on its advisory panel.
R. Srivatsan,
Chennai
Mission accomplished
In ISRO’s launch of its weather satellite, the words of its chairman S. Somanath at The Hindu’s Litfest came alive: “It is all team work.”
V. Subramaniam,
Chennai
