Telangana CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s announcement of free water supply in Hyderabad ahead of local polls is another example of cynical politicians making freebies a staple in elections. Politicians must deliver civic infrastructure in cities and seek votes on execution, not sops. The spectre of urban blight is too real.
Kerala right to put Police Act on hold. But political instinct to curb social media free speech is disturbing
The Kerala government responded rightly to criticism and decided to put on hold the controversial Police Act ordinance. But the political instinct across the ideological spectrum to curb social media free speech is disturbing and can have a chilling effect. Democratic freedoms are especially tested in times of polarised politics.
AZ-Oxford vaccine at 70% efficacy bigger than Pfizer-Moderna’s 95%. Because cost, logistics vital
The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine with 70% efficacy is a bigger headline than Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA-based shots claiming 95%, because costs and logistics are vital when rollout to billions of people is involved. Finally, a buffet of vaccines is coming. We just need patience and mask-discipline for a few more months.
Social media should remain a lively, irreverent, iconoclastic space. The only exception I can think of is the ugly threatening messages women – especially journalists – receive. These should be scrubbed clean by the platforms, with their own monitoring and promptly when complaints are received. In a few high profile cases, the police should step in, to act as a deterrent. 2. Mrs Gandhi told K Natwar Singh, when he joined politics, that more than a wardrobe of khadi, he needed to grow a thick skin. That is good advice for governments all over the country. 3. Police ko aaj kal kuchh zyaada hi free hand diya jaa raha hai. A touch of arthritis would be welcome.
Being able to store the vaccine in a refrigerator is a huge advantage over chilling it to minus 70 degrees Celsius.
All municipal bodies in India need to be making large, long term investments in augmenting water supply. To provide for growing populations and higher per capita consumption. There is in some cases an unsustainable reliance on ground water. Coastal cities will need to set up expensive desalination plants. Also a need to recycle waste water. Providing water free of cost undermines these efforts. In distant suburbs like Nalla Sopara, barely middle class families rely on costly tanker supply. None of them would mind paying reasonable rates for reliable, metered water supply. The citizens of Delhi and Hyderabad are not indigent to require free water supply.