MyVoice: Views of our readers 29th March 2022

K-Rail will wreck fragile eco-system

The people of Kerala look askance at rigid mindset and compulsive nature with which the K-Rail SilverLine project is being promoted in the State by the Left Democratic Front (LDF). The project was conceived with a view to bring down the travel time by a couple of hours, from the present twelve hours, between Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargode, covering a distance of roughly 600 km. It is interesting that K-Rail project is declared as unfeasible in terms of several factors like fragile ecosystem, swamp lands, rivers, hills, recurring floods during the monsoon etc., by experts. The project is likely to cost around Rs 1.26 lakh, while other existing facilities like rail and air connectivity between these two destinations can be easily met, with slight improvisations, with mere one tenth of the cost. The measures suggested in this connection are doubling of the line between Mangalore, Shoranur and Thiruvananthapuram, wherever it is no fully completed; and by leasing of passenger aircrafts to link T. Puram, Cochin, Calicut, Kannur and Mangalore airports that are already in place, with regular daily shuttle services. One wonders, why such easy and feasible methods are not being considered.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad.

Ruckus in Bengal Assembly

Dramatic pictures showed that it was free-for-all in the West Bengal Assembly. However, it was hard to make out from the pictures 'who manhandled whom' in the melee. Both the TMC and the BJP MLAs were seen exchanging blows as well as they could. Opposition leader Suvender Adhikari is alleged to have punched a TMC MLA on the nose. One video has shown a BJP MLA being pushed and pulled. Selective video grabs don't tell the full story. We cannot despair of the honourable MLAs in that they are more disposed to fight than to flee. By brawling that is to say, making it a battle of the physique, inside the Assembly, they have made a point: they have brawn as well as brains.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Humility a sign of greatness

I got moved beyond words on seeing the video in which the 126-year-old Yoga Guru Swamy Sivananda kneeling on the floor before the PM and the President and receiving Padma Shri. I am awestruck by the spate of messages and mostly in appreciation of his sagacity and our own great Indian culture. As our tradition reveals that the floor is like deity or mother and legendary Rafi Saab sang Hasrat's song in which it reads "Dharthi ka beta hum me" (I am the son of earth) and no matter what the age the stature is more important. The PM and Prez being the highest in our country as the head of the government and the head of the constitution respectively, the Guru acted aptly. Let's salute the Guru for his humility and excellence.

Dr T Ramadas, Visakhapatnam

Theatre's prominence on the wane

Since time immemorial, theatre has been one of the most popular forms of entertainment. March 27 is celebrated as the World Theatre Day, a day commemorated to enhance the significance of theatre arts, their status in the field of amusement as well as the metamorphosis they bring to human lives. The day was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute. The essence, beauty and value of theatre arts is immense but alas our governing bodies, politicians, institutions and stakeholders around the world have utterly failed in recognising its overall utility and potential for economic growth; it is dying a slow death.

Dr Sunil Chopra, Ludhiana

Shocking acts of 'RRR' fans

Rajamouli's multilingual 'RRR' seems to have been well received in not only Telugu states but even in other parts of India and in countries where it got released. However, I was a bit shocked to see the hysteria that was shown in many channels including the mainstream English news channels. There were dangerous visuals of fans burning flowerpots inside the cinema halls. I think cinema goers have forgotten one of the worst fire tragedies in 1997 in a first day show of the film Border at Delhi's Uphaar Cinema leading to the death of over 50 people and 100 others were seriously injured. The filmmakers and actors have been promoting the film, RRR, all across and it is sad that they have not taken the steps to appeal to the fans and cinema goers to watch the films safely.

N Nagarajan, Hyderabad