It is disturbing that vaccine vials, in crores, are lying unutilized in some states and union territories (inside pages, “Private Vaccine Stock Nearing Expiry Date”, November 25). Just last year, India was virtually on edge due to a severe shortage of vaccines. While most states and union territories are still far away in terms of total coverage of both dosed vaccinations, it is regrettable that precious vaccine stocks are close to ineffective. The central government and the states concerned are required to vaccinate the eligible persons on a war footing. If vaccines are nearing their expiration date, how viable is the plan to export them?
Chennai
Farmers are the backbone of the country and when most of them waged a unified struggle, the government should have reacted immediately. It is true that the government of that time has a huge majority in the Parliament, but according to that, it cannot give water to the people’s hopes or exhaust them. About one thousand farmers lost their lives in this process. The real test of democracy is to quickly reverse a decision if the people oppose it – which the current majority government chose not to do. It is only because elections are near in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, so the government, which is keen to come back to power, decided to withdraw the laws. It shows that the primary interest of the people is not its main concern. When the situation improves, it is natural that the farmers want the government to address their other legitimate demands.
However, what is equally unfortunate is that the judiciary should have immediately addressed the challenge of agricultural laws as it involved the constitutionality of the laws. When governments fail to rise to the occasion and are guided more by political justification, the judiciary must step in.
Chennai
Rainfed areas in the southern districts (Madurai, Ramnad, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi) are ready for sowing of cotton, bajra, pulses and oilseeds. Among oilseed crops, sunflower is the most important for culinary reasons. Farmers are short of both sunflower seeds and urea fertilizers. Therefore, despite the favorable monsoon, the season for rainfed farming is likely to be missed. Like their counterparts in the delta regions, these farmers also contribute to the national exchequer.
Eruvadi, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
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