The winners of Rs 3,000 are...

With an iron hand

TSI's investigative report on the Delhi High Court blast (TSI, Nov 27) shocked me to the core. After reading this, one big question remains “Why don't these terrorists let us live in peace?” These terrorists have the audacity to kill innocent people, wreck homes and destroy cities. The need of the hour is to curb these terror outfits with an iron hand and to crush them so badly that nobody would dare again to spill blood on Indian streets. If Pakistan would put even a fraction of its efforts that it puts in disturbing our country in developing its own self, then the socio-economic conditions of its people would be much better. The world is sick and tired of terrorism. 
Richa Vermani
Una, H.P

Stop misusing RTI

It refers to a thought provoking article by Prasoon Majumdar in Musings, “Right to Irritate” ( TSI, Nov 20 ) in which he, while resenting over the RTI being misused blatantly by some people, has rightly said that there are innumerable cases wherein we as a nation have always found a better way to abuse a law than to put it in the right use. There are alarming reports that in several cases the privileges given by the RTI Act are being used by some citizens to harass or blackmail government officials. Hence, the very tenets of transparency, natural justice and fair play mooted by the RTI Act have been defeated by its misuse. On such nasty developments, the Supreme Court has said that while the right to information (RTI) is a formidable tool to fight corruption in governance, it should not be allowed to be misused or abused, to become a tool to obstruct the national development and integration, or to destroy the peace, tranquility and harmony among its citizens. Nor should it be converted into a tool of oppression or intimidation of honest officials striving to do their duty.
Vimal Kukal
Kalka

Eradicating poverty

This refers to the editorial “If we want a poverty-free India...” by Arindam Chaudhuri (TSI, Nov 20). The positive aspects of decentralisation are to be utilised and commitment to the poor has to be retained literally. Liberalisation should be planned carefully to experience the strides in growth and lift people out of poverty. Planning should be made at the micro level. Rapid development in the manufacturing and service sectors could be achieved by this. A new beginning of entrepreneurial freedom should be ensured. The nation should be made one among the most sought-after investment destinations. Investments in infrastructure, education, and other sectors should be increased. Alleviation of poverty leads to development of agricultural sector. Farmers can make their own economic decisions when they come out of the vicious cycle of poverty. There will be no beggars and no slums. “Food for work programmes” should not be littered with corruption.
T.V. Jayaprakash
Palakkad