Govt is responsible for the sorry state of MTNL
MTNL was a goldmine once upon a time but bureaucracy and corruption killed this company which today is languishing in the doldrums. 18K employees opting for VRS literally means that the company is on the verge of closure. Communication is the key to path of progress and today hardly anybody uses the services of this company except for address proof. Government is responsible for the sorry state of MTNL today as it was badly managed inspite of having the top infrastructure as well as the required manpower.
However, MTNL still owns huge properties in prime locations of the country the value of which runs into billions. There is a fear the company may be sold to some business house which is close to the government for a penny. MTNL as a company should be closed down and it’s value should be monetized by sale of it’s properties. Closed Mills in Mumbai fetched their promoters billions of rupees in the real estate market and the same story can be exploited by the government when it comes to MTNL. The court should monitor MTNL sale so that there is no foul play.
S.N. Kabra
Fire at chemical unit in Boisar
In yet another fire accident at a chemical factory in Boisar property worth lakhs of rupees was lost. While no casualties were reported in the blaze, two workers sustained injuries. The blast took place during mixing of few chemicals and the unit was gutted. It is one more case of serial fire in the state that is causing loss to property. The fire at Harshal Chemical alarmed employees of neighbouring factories causing panic.
Nikhil Akhilesh Krishnan
Hang Nirbhaya rape convicts
The four convicts in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case Mukesh Kumar Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Kumar Sharma and Akshay Kumar Thakur should be hanged to death at the earliest so that men who keep treating women like sex objects may learn a lesson from this incident. It’s a shame that some men keep treating women like sex objects only to play with them. When will our men learn to treat women with dignity? Weren’t they born from a woman’s womb?
Jubel D’Cruz
Harnessing of solar power a right step by railways
The recent budget announcement to help railways tap solar energy extensively through various innovative schemes is welcome. Solar power generation on vacant unused lands will prove to be a game changer under the ambit of India’s National Solar Mission. The announcement comes at a right time when economies like India otherwise should be leading at the forefront to mitigate climate change and reduce carbon emissions. As complete electrification of entire railway network was announced recently by Hon’ble Railway Minister Piyush Goyal- the budget announcement to harness solar power along the railway network will only help Indian Railways to become a completely self-sufficient and a sustainable organization by 2030.
The other ministries and departments should now be at the forefront to take cue from the Railway Ministry to adopt sustainable solutions and rely on solar power to harness energy. National Solar Mission launched should extensively promote and create an awareness to tap solar energy across all levels. The positive step will help India become a sustainable and low-carbon emission nation atleast by 2030.
Varun Dambal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
