Protecting rhinos
Globally, there are approximately 27,000 rhinoceroses or rhinos. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed the one-horned rhino under “vulnerable” category in its red list (IUCN Red List). Nearly 70% of India’s rhinos are housed in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, with the animals numbering 2,600 officially. Manas, Pobitora and Orang national parks in the state are also home to them. Rhinos are found in West Bengal and at the Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh as well. The whole Northeast and the northern part of West Bengal are on high alert. The threat to rhinos is alarming because the country is home to approximately 82% of the world’s rhinos, predominantly the greater one-horned rhino among the five species of the animal. Therefore, the theme for the World Rhino Day 2026 on September 22 is titled ‘Keep the five alive’. Rhinos need to be protected from human activities, climate changes and floods, major causes of their habitat destruction.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Water woes
With reference to the news report ‘State has enough water reserves to see through summer: Shirodkar’ (NT September 21), I would like to comment. People in Goa hear similar statements every year at the end of the southwest monsoon, even when the dams are full and overflowing. Yet, panic sets in whenever water levels drop during the summer months, and the state remains unable to control high evaporation losses caused by excessive heat. Although Goa is blessed with abundant annual rainfall, it fails to take advantage of nature’s largesse due to faulty planning and poor maintenance of the distribution system. Frequent leakages, pipe bursts, pilferage and illegal water connections have also resulted in losses of crores of rupees for the Goa government. Consequently, people are starved of drinking water and have resorted to digging illegal borewells for their daily needs, leading to the depletion of the groundwater table. It is time to set priorities right and take corrective measures instead of relying on false assurances.
A F Nazareth, Alto Porvorim
Porvorim corridor
As authorities evaluate safety measures for the six-lane elevated corridor in Porvorim, it is learnt that two-wheelers are likely to be banned from using the flyover, which connects to the Atal Setu Bridge where two-wheelers are already banned. The question that arises is why should two-wheelers be banned? Two-wheeler owners pay road tax and contribute to the transport system just as other motorists do. More importantly, a two-wheeler is the primary means of mobility for students, workers and small business owners who cannot afford a four-wheeler. A policy that allows a six-lane public corridor to be used by cars while excluding two-wheelers, therefore, has consequences beyond traffic management. It risks creating a road system in which mobility increasingly depends on the ability to own a more expensive vehicle. A two-wheeler ban should also be viewed through the lens of equitable access to public infrastructure. Forcing two-wheelers back onto service roads does not necessarily eliminate the identified black spots. What accident data demonstrates that two-wheelers are inherently unsafe on flyovers and bridges? How many accidents involving two-wheelers have occurred on flyovers? What evidence shows that banning them is safer than providing a dedicated lane for two-wheelers? Goa has other major bridges, including the Zuari bridge, where two-wheelers have historically been part of the traffic. Imagine a six-lane Porvorim corridor not having a dedicated lane for two-wheelers. Are we designing roads around the needs of all road users, or are we designing them only for those who can afford four-wheelers?
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Control inflation
The Congress on Monday stepped up its attack on the Narendra Modi government over “skyrocketing prices” of essential food items, with the Prime Minister totally silent on inflation. The rising prices of food items, pulses and cooking oil are putting pressure on household budgets. The skyrocketing prices of food items in the country have broken the backs of the middle and poor classes. The prices of several daily-use commodities have risen sharply, making life increasingly difficult for consumers. Why has the government remained silent on inflation? The government must take immediate measures to contain uncontrolled inflation and provide relief to the common man.
Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai
