Express Your Voice

n P Chidambaram has hit the bull’s eye with his piece Law and commerce: The twain shall meet, The Sunday Express, Oct 26. I would like to emphasise that it is impossible to do modern business, especially finance, in a country where civil matters remain undecided for decades and criminal cases are conducted with caprice. While we are feeling good it is time we focused on efficiency in legal process. A few months ago, The Financial Express carried an article that incremental expenditure (I would term it investment) one time of Rs 2000 crores and annually Rs 700 crores would eliminate the backlogs permanently. I do not know if this is well grounded, but if so, the money would be well spent. Else all our hopes for India will founder.

Nandan Maluste

n With regard to P Chidambaram’s October revolution, 2003 (The Sunday Express, Oct 19), let’s not forget the other ‘E’s: environment, energy efficiency and equitable development, each intertwined with the other. It is entirely possible to achieve the desired levels of development while making sure that we do not leave a big mess to clean up afterwards, or cause irreparable damage to the ecosystem. This is especially true in the tourism sector. The government has a major responsibility in protecting, and, in many cases, reclaiming, not only the natural beauty, but also our ancient architecture. Improving sanitation around tourist spots — including temples — while good for tourism, is also good for locals. By careful management, tourism could be made into a win-win proposition.

Ramkumar Perumal

n In October revolution, 2003 (The Sunday Express, Oct 19), P Chidambaram’s goes on and on about the power situation in the erstwhile USSR. I don’t know about his sources of data, but a Google search is enough to know that electric supply in USSR was pretty erratic. Even hospitals went without electricity for days. Their electricity boards were as bad as ours. Power loss was rampant and losses were terrible.

M Patel

n This is with regard to Tavleen Singh’s White hand on our nuke button? (The Sunday Express, Oct 19). I live in USA and lament the fact that I can never become its President. I labeled it as an American xenophobia. But what Americans do should not always be a standard for the rest of the world. Electing a foreigner as a prime minister will not make India look a stupid nation but the most open minded one. However, that depends upon the reasons for which Sonia will get elected. If it is for her excellent performance and concern for the nation of her deceased husband, it would be great. If it is solely because Congress does not find a better Indian worthy of that post, it will be a shame.

Gajanan