MyVoice: Views of our readers 16th December 2023

Jagan meets long-awaited needs of Uddanam people

Kudos to AP Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s perseverance and commitment to serve the people by implementing his party’s poll promises. People in lakhs living in Uddanam area have been suffering from kidney ailments for a long time and the successive governments merely glossed over the issue by taking temporary relief measures. Having promised (2018) to construct a specialty hospital for the area during his Padayatra, Jagan succeeded in completing it, though delayed due to Covid-19, and inaugurated the same at Palasa much to the appreciation of the multitude of people needing medical treatment, free of cost. Nara Chandrababu Naidu was the biggest culprit in this regard. During his last tenure (2014-19), he promised many things to the area but fulfilled none. By promising another similar venture at Markapuram, AP CM Jagan has taken one step forward in attending to the medical needs of the people in the State.

Govardhana Myneedu, Vijayawada

Endless agony for EPS-1995 pensioners

Referring to a letter on “EPS-1995 pensioners’ woes continue” written by RSN Rao, I like to stress this issue. My letters in this column were brought to the notice of all major political party heads to hike the pension to minimum Rs 10,000 so as to provide solace to about 70 lakh EPS-95 pensioners throughout the country, who are now in the age group of 70-80 and are on ventilation. Thousands of this group have already breathed their last. I have urged all the party heads in my “Open letter to all parties on EPS-95” through Reader’s Pulse on October 8 this year and sent copies in registered post but none responded. The National Agitation Committee is still conducting meetings in Delhi. This group is not considered as human beings. This is very pathetic.

Dr NSR Murthy, Secunderabad

TSRTC will groan under free travel burden

One of the six guarantees that is free travel facility under Mahalakshmi in city and district buses for women commuters is being more excessively used than needed. All buses are loaded with them. Why identity cards to show to conductors are necessitated now when all women including transgenders are treated as women? Run saparate buses for women without conductors. Is it for Telangana women only? This guarantee imposes a huge financial burden on TSRTC. Male fraternity is raising questions for not considering them in this respect. A suggestion to the Telangana government. Reduce the existing fare to 50 per cent to all male and female commuters including bus passes to students. This change can be treated as an extended facility to the guarantee.

N Ramalakshmi, Secunderabad

COP28 summit steps aside key issue

The key part of the final COP 28 text, ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and inequitable manner’ reads ambiguous and ill-disguises the Dubai summit’s failure on fossil fuel phase-out. The omission of the phrase, ‘phase-out’ is a giveaway of the unwillingness to address the problem head-on and with the seriousness it deserves. The wording ought to have been ‘phasing out’ and not ‘transitioning away’. The fact that the word, ‘oil’ finds no mention anywhere in the 21-page document speaks for itself. The expansion of fossil fuel extraction, in which huge sums are invested, means emission of more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and becomes a recipe for climate disaster. A lot depends on climate financing for the poor nations to cope with ‘loss and damage’ and green their economies. But it is left for the next summit in Baku in Azerbaijan next year.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, TN

Suspension of MPs unjust, undemocratic

The audacious security breech observed inside and around Parliament on Wednesday exposed weak security that should have been fortified since the attack on Parliament by Afzal Guru in February 2013. The intrusion and skirmishes that ensued in and around Parliament send a clarion call to the concerned to ensure a foolproof security with respect to Parliament, another attack on which cannot be accepted. Instead of taking action against BJP MP Pratap Simha who issued passes to the intruders, the government chose to suspend 14 opposition MPs for ‘unruly conduct’. Government’s partisan approach to the serious issue was better avoided.

Dr George Jacob, Kochi

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It is unfortunate that from the public gallery, 2 persons jumped to create chaos and terror in Lok Sabha. The public galleries shall be removed immediately from such secured areas. The proceedings of all such sessions be telecast over popular TV channels. However, the elected leaders have to conduct the sessions in a peaceful way without blame and boycotts. The elected leaders shall conduct people-friendly sessions with amicable and usable solutions for all issues. Such sessions will be pleasant for all and become lovely to watch over the TV channels.

G Murali Mohan Rao, Secunderabad