MyVoice: Views of our readers 8th November 2021

Tourism creates jobs and drives economic growth

While enlightening readers on the unveiling of the statue of Adi Guru Shankaracharya and the inauguration of several developmental projects at Kedarnath by the Prime Minister, the writer V Ramu Sharma rightly laid stress on the need for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to upgrade tourism infrastructure in the wake of cultural heritage, religious, medical and beach tourism assuming importance. Time has come for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to take tourism sector seriously by together chalking out plans to improve infrastructure and upgrade facilities around places of tourist interest because tourism has a great potential to showcase the divergent and rich culture and glory, ancient history of the land in great depth to the outside world besides having a great potential to create more employment and help state earn a huge revenue.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

The article by V Ramu Sarma, 'Tap latent tourist potential in South' (November 6), is virtually giving a clue to the governments of Southern States how to enhance their revenue and create job opportunities by exploiting 'Temple tourism and Buddhist tourism.' Sarma considers tourism a 'major industry.' Among many financial incentives and attractive amenities of good hotels, restaurants, and entertainment to promote tourism, there is one which is often overlooked is the one providing clean, safe, secure, and comfortable (public) walking places at least in the vicinity of tourist spots. These are known as sidewalks, pavements, or footpaths. This infrastructure offers great pleasure to tourists in enjoying their care-free holidays and leisure. Almost all other countries pay an enormous attention to providing such safe sidewalks. It helps promote tourism at much lower cost. The Union Ministry of Tourism offers special financial packages to State governments in providing infrastructure of pavements around tourist places. In my opinion, tourism development and infrastructure of encroachment-free-footpaths must go hand-in-hand.

Prof B R Sant, Hyderabad.

Govts' criminal apathy to safety in hospitals

The fire that occurred at Ahmednagar Civil Hospital shows the negligence of management, which led to loss of 11 lives. Whenever the fire mishaps happen, the government immediately orders probe and offers ex-gratia to the kin of deceased. Afterwards, it loses interest to prevent fire mishaps in government or private hospitals to save the precious life of people. There is a need to change the old infrastructure and regular maintenance is the need of the hour to control fire mishaps in the future. I request the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandavia to take the cognisance of the tragedy seriously and make surprise visits, and give directions to State Health Ministers to inspect hospitals regularly to put pressure on hospital managements.

Syed Nisar Mehdi, Hyderabad

Jagan, KCR must settle all vexatious issues peacefully

The upcoming Southern Zonal Committee meeting in Tirupati is a blessing in disguise for the CMs of both the Telugu States to make use of the big platform to sort out several disputable issues that are increasing day-by-day since bifurcation and additionally the river water sharing which is increasing tensions on the Andhra and Telangana borders in the past few days. Now is the time for the 'PEDDANNA' TS CM to view the disputes as mere differences and sort out these mere differences on behalf of all the TELUGUS in both the States, taking the wise advice of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamy with an open mind. Even the AP CM should realise that he is only a god-sent servant to create peace in the region.

Katuru Durga Prasad Rao, Rajahmundry

Fuel price cuts paltry

Slashing of petrol, diesel prices by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre respectively is meagre and belated, considering its steep increase over a period of time during this pandemic. It is well-known that recent bypoll losses had forced the Modi government to reduce prices of petrol. All this shows that petrol prices can still be reduced, if the government has a will to do so, contrary to the beliefs that same are linked with the prices of crude oil in international markets.

Kshirasagara Balaji Rao, Hyderabad