Why grow more?

India's food-grains stock is dwindling. We are looking at importing huge amounts...

8226;India8217;s food-grains stock is dwindling. We are looking at importing huge amounts of grains. Our agricultural output is going down. It is just a matter of time before the Indian government goes around the globe with a begging bowl to feed its population.

This is a man-made scenario, for which our governments alone are responsible; the uneducated poor farmer has nothing to do with it. If farmers cannot make money from their produce, they will not grow more food crops, since growing more of them would send them deeper into debt. Those who fail to understand the illogic of it all continue in the 8216;suicidal8217; debt trap.

8212; Ajay Date

Pune

New economy

8226;Our agriculture-based economy is in a very critical condition, thanks to all-time high prices of essential commodities, particularly of food-grains. This is due to the fact that the dispensations at the Centre since 1990-91 have concentrated solely on 8216;sowing8217; liberalisation, globalisation, cars and computers in the name of economic reforms, resulting in neglect of our backbone, namely, agriculture. Consequently, they have reaped for their countrymen what was sown by them.

I totally agree with the demands by the CPM for ban on forward trading in all the agricultural products, extension of the public distribution system and for the toughest steps against hoarding of food-grains.

8212; Hansraj Bhat

Mumbai

Karat stick

8226;Your analysis that the Left is holding the Manmohan Singh government ransom over the Tibet issue is disturbing 8216;Historic blunder8217;. The other day, while addressing the Ukrainian delegation, Somnath Chatterjee threw the speaker8217;s neutrality to the winds and admonished the US for policing the world. Now why is he quiet over the police state of China?

8212; Wasoo Kamulkar

London

Flame and protest

8226;Bhaichung Bhutia has become the first Indian to drop out of the Olympic torch relay, showing his solidarity with the agitating Tibetans. Bhutia should not forget that while the Tibetan cause must be recognised, it should not be at the expense of the iconic flame, initially lit from the sun8217;s rays at an ancient temple from where the Games originated.

8212; Bidyut K. Chatterjee

Faridabad

Action on pitch

8226;Ten thousand runs and still counting. This is another feather in Rahul Dravid8217;s cap. Dravid is the sixth player in the world and the third from India after Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar to accomplish this. This is no mean achievement. It is not for nothing that he is called the 8216;Wall8217; and is the backbone of our batting line-up.

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However, the Chennai Test match was a 8216;dead8217; one, and preparing lifeless pitches would kill Test matches, which are already threatened by 20-20 cricket as far as popularity goes. Test matches in England, Australia and the West Indies produce results because the pitches there have 8216;life8217; in them.

Also, Virender Sehwag should be honoured with a special award for his record-breaking triple-ton. One hopes this mega knock would win him an ODI berth.

8212; S.N. Kabra

Mumbai