Letters to the editor

COOMI Kapoor8217;s 8216;Verified fact8217; Inside Track, IE, June 17, does signal service to those who apply for a passport, and give tidy sums to thepolice in the name of verification.

Policing passports

8226; COOMI Kapoor8217;s 8216;Verified fact8217; Inside Track, IE, June 17, does signal service to those who apply for a passport, and give tidy sums to thepolice in the name of verification. Some years ago, the son of a friend of mine applied for a passport while residing in Central Delhi. As it happened, his house was just a stone8217;s throw away from the neighbourhood police station. The SI in charge of the job gave him time for 8216;verification8217;, and the applicant duly took leave to be available for the purpose. The SI expected to be fed and given a respectable amount by way of a tip. The following day, on being told of what transpired, my friend8217;s boss, a very highly placed officer, jocularly offered to swap his job with that of the SI handling passport verifications! Now will someone in the police department or the MEA enlighten us why police personnel need to turn up at the door of the applicant for verification? Why cannot

RWAs be contacted to do the job of verification?

8212; M. Ramakrishna, M.N. Saudamini, Delhi

Pyre wood

8226; A LOT is said about global warming in the media. It may not be possible for India to

reduce industrial and vehicular emissions, which are unavoidable for economic growth. But we can certainly change some of our practices, like cremation, for instance. It needs to be realised by religious and political leaders that the practice of cremation by firewood was started when no other means were available. Why should it be continued with in 21st century when more cost-effective and environment-friendly technology is available for the purpose? A majority of India8217;s 100 crore population 8212; Hindus and Sikhs 8212; must be using nearly 360 lakh quintals of firewood every year to

cremate their dead. Besides reducing forest cover, the traditional method of cremation also sends up a lot of carbon dioxide. The tenets of a religion may be fixed but religious practices must change with time and circumstances. Incidentally, the Bishnois of Rajasthan, who are Hindus, bury their dead, as the geographical conditions lend themselves to this form of disposal of the dead.

8212; Dalip Singh Ghuman, Chandigarh

Mob control

8226; IN your editorial, 8216;No raj in Rajasthan8217; IE, June 5, you criticise the police for inaction and then let them off the hook by observing that by observing that it is public criticism of

police high-handedness that has resulted in the force having lost its ability to respond effectively in riot situations. Instead of alternately accusing and defending the police force, you should have demanded legal immunity for the police 8212; like that enjoyed by the army 8212; in responding to rioters, who are enemies of the nation. In my considered opinion this is the only way to save India from becoming a 8216;mobocracy8217;.

8212; A.T. Thadani, Pune