Opinion Building safely

November 17). It’s unfortunate such a large number of lives has been lost,apart from injuries to more than 100 in the collapse of an unauthorised building in New Delhi. A significant part of MCD areas — commercial and residential — is illegally constructed with the connivance of municipal corporation staff and local police. It’s almost impossible to get a building plan approved without greasing the palms of corrupt officers. This ill-fated building was just one of them. Let’s not forget that the demolition campaign against illegal structures in the capital was discontinued because the Delhi government had started feeling the heat. The officers responsible should be caught. The government should formulate transparent but simple rules for the approval of building plans; applications should be received at

specially constituted “public service centres” and approval should be granted within a specified time. There should be no interface with the concerned employees.

— S.K. Gupta Chandigarh

Responsible for Raja

The report of the CAG on the spectrum scandal contains a very damaging indictment of former Telecom Minister A. Raja (‘ADAG Raja’s most favoured: CAG’,IE,November 17). Raja apparently managed to hoodwink the whole cabinet,including eminent legal,financial and administrative luminaries.

Further,in his defence,Raja says he had involved the prime

minister at all stages of decision-making. The entire cabinet should have been jointly responsible for such a huge deal as the spectrum allotment. Allegations of corruption in the spectrum deals had been made by the opposition parties and the media for quite some time. The government had been denying any wrongdoing all the while. It did not really go into the matter and investigate.

— K. Venkataraman

Mumbai

Will he,won’t he?

While Manmohan Singh will be remembered for his landmark achievements of opening up the Indian economy (as

finance minister) and the Indo-US nuclear deal (as prime minister),he arguably presides over a very corrupt government,despite his clean personal reputation. Corruption is the worst malaise afflicting the nation and the public is looking for changes. Now is the opportunity for the prime minister to rise to the occasion and take the bull by its horns.

— Arvind Bhaskar

New Delhi

Nab them now

Apropos the editorial

‘Alphabet soup’ (IE,November 16),it is correctly emphasised that a firm political will against corruption can lead to stern action to nail the culprits and help root out this evil. Our general financial rules are quite exhaustive and simple. The present law has enough teeth to punish the offenders. Law enforcing authorities should not have political leanings,and they should be upright enough to quickly bring all financial criminals to justice irrespective of their position.

— S.C. Vaid

Greater Noida