MyVoice: Views of our readers 18th November 2022

Huge responsibility rests on India

Acting as the president of G 20 countries is an honour with a lot of responsibilty for India. With having share of 80 per cent of gross world product and 60 per cent population, the group of influential nations will have a major role in shaping the world order. Given the competitive geopolitics among the member countries, it's too much to expect united voice from them on any matter - be it environment or economic policy. Still India with its leadership abilities can help the group in finding common minimum agenda on reviving shattered economy in first place. India has its task cut out for making G 20,a group that acts more than what it boasts.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

II

During G20 summit 2022 at Bali in Indonesia, the baton of presidency was handed over by the present president Joko Widodo, the President of Indonesia, to the new Modiji, Prime Minister of India. It is an occasion to rejoice for Indians. In December next year India will host G20 Summit. It should avail the opportunity of Presidency and provide good direction to the G20 Nations for economic growth and infrastructure development.

Kantamsetti LakshmanRao, Visakhapatnam

III

As Prime Minister's remarks that 'Today's era must not be of war' are significant because it echoed during the G20 final Bali declaration which was adopted with a firm condemnation of the war in Ukraine. Further, India's reiteration that the best way to peace would be to return to dialogue and diplomacy is a right step forward. All in all, the consensus document is a positive development as India prepares to take over G20 presidency in December.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

IV

The G-20 Bali Declaration with regard to the Ukraine war, despite its ambiguous wording reflecting the divergence of opinions among nations within the grouping, is welcome for its 'nuanced' advocacy of world peace. It is encouraging that more and more countries subscribe to the view put forward by India that 'today's era must not be of war.'It is sad to note that even the terrible cost of a global pandemic in death and suffering and the very real threat to our continued existence on the planet posed by the global phenomenon of climate change have not conscientized those responsible for the war about its utter futility. The rest of the world, united by a sense of common humanity and without taking sides, should nudge Russia and Ukraine towards the negotiating table.

G David Milton, Maruthancode (TN)

Averting needless elections

A number of electoral reforms are a dire necessity now: 1) If an MLA/MP resigns and causes by-election, he/she should be debarred from the contest; 2) To avoid cost, time, holiday, tension, bettings etc., next nearest person in line who lost to him last general election should be sworn in by treating him as elected; 3) No party hopping during the term should be allowed; 5) However if an elected representative dies, bypoll can be conducted, but it cannot take place if sixty percent of five year term is completed. Munugodu bypoll in Telangana state has seen how money management played an important role. Why not the highest court of the land take up this as a suo moto case to keep a check on unwanted elections?

Dr NSR Murthy, Secunderabad

Murder the most foul

Delhi's Dexter chopping live-in partner into 35 pieces was a bone chilling heart-wrenching crime story. In a world full of hatred wherein violence & crime continue to take place often with gay abandon, this crime will rank amongst the most heinous & dastardly one to say the least. What is truly perplexing is the accused trying to preserve the body in a freezer & coolly disposing it of over the days until nemesis finally caught up with him. This is 'kaliyug' at its peak. Even reporting about this anymore would deeply disturb the mental psyche of the readers.

N R Raghuram, Hyderabad

Time to end 'sealed cover' culture

The Telangana High Court's contention of not involving CBI since investigation by SIT has made much progress is welcome but what intrigues is the submission of inquiry report in a sealed cover when public is entitled to know every aspect of poaching, be it genuine or stage managed. These are the days when Supreme Court is contemplating live proceedings of courts and it is high time this sealed cover culture is put to an end for total transparency as people have every right to know everything barring those that threaten national security or terrorist activities.

D Nagarjuna, Hyderabad

100 start-ups register with ISRO to work in space tech domains

Bengaluru: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairperson S Somanath on Thursday said about 100 start-ups were registered with them and were working closely in various domains of the space sector.

Addressing a plenary session on Thursday at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022 on 'R&D of India – Innovation for Global Impact', ISRO Chairman Somanath said "ISRO has signed MoUs with companies to work closely which include hand holding in space technology and building processes from start to finish." He said a significant number of companies have the potential to become big players in the space sector and ISRO is playing the role of facilitator and helping in building technologies. He said out of 100 start-ups at least 10 of them are working on developing satellites and rockets.

Somanath announced that Chandrayaan 3 mission will be in orbit in a few months adding that ISRO is working closely with NASA in space technology areas. He said the computer that was used in the rocket was made in India.

In his brisk presentation, he said space tourism has picked in the world with start-ups evincing interest in various applications which impact the day-to-day activities. He said ISRO is playing an important role in smart city projects and smart manufacturing processes.

He said some of the areas that ISRO is working on include bringing back satellite technology, propulsion systems used in engine manufacturing which have been successfully tested, green and hybrid propulsion system, nuclear propulsion, launch of small rockets with the use of additive technologies, energy storage systems, functional materials, carbon fiber technology, electronic devices, robotics, drone technologies, quantum technology used in encryption and disruptive technologies.

Earlier, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2020 and French microbiologist Dr Emmanuelle Charpentier who is scientific and managing director of Max Planck Unit, Science of Pathogens in Berlin gave a presentation on "A research journey towards the CRISPR-Cas genome engineering technology".