On merger of registered post with speed post
The decision by India Post to merge the Registered Post service with the Speed Post system is bound to cause inconvenience to the general public—particularly regarding the Acknowledgement Receipt (A/D), which serves as critical proof of delivery. If the upgraded Speed Post system issues such receipts, well and good. But if not, how will senders—especially in legal or official contexts—confirm that their letters have reached the addressees? According to recent reports, the Registered Post service will be phased out starting September 1, with all operations absorbed into the Speed Post system. While the move is intended to streamline services, improve tracking, and enhance operational efficiency, it raises several concerns that need to be addressed. One major issue is affordability. Speed Post is generally more expensive than Registered Post, which many rural and economically weaker users rely on. Additionally, while the department is rightly focusing on efficiency, systems must be in place to issue delivery acknowledgements. Without this key feature, the transition risks undermining the very purpose that Registered Post has long served—especially for communication with government offices and courts.
Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora-Nagoa
Tread with caution on sound rules
The Goa government will reportedly explore the possibility of relaxing the sound restriction beyond 10 pm for tourism-related events and businesses, local weddings, and other functions, while staying within the legal framework and without violating the Supreme Court verdict. The Supreme Court of India has issued various orders and directions to address noise pollution, emphasising the right to a peaceful environment and regulating noise-generating activities. Noise pollution can have harmful effects on human health, wildlife, and environmental quality and can cause digestive disorders, stress, and insomnia in people who are exposed to high decibels of noise. It can affect infants and schoolchildren bound to take exams. On the flip side, nightlife in Goa, which is a party destination, has surely taken a hit with the sound restrictions. Relaxing sound restriction timings beyond 10 pm is also crucial to promote Goa’s image as a wedding destination. Hence, there needs to be a balancing act. There need not be a blanket relaxation of the time limit. Permission needs to be granted on a case-by-case basis. The volume of the music that is being played should also be taken into consideration and kept within predetermined decibels, which should be monitored by the concerned authorities. Playing loud music within closed doors should not be an issue, unlike playing music at open-air venues. One should not confuse noisy DJ clubs or EDM events with music played at Goan weddings. Nevertheless, any type of music can rob one of a good night›s sleep. Adopting a middle path seems necessary.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Promising lion population
As per statistics, approximately 20,000 lions are left in the wild globally. In India, the Asiatic lion population has steadily risen in Gujarat’s Gir sanctuary and the adjoining forests—to 891 at the end of 2020 from 523 in 2015. Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in the state has been developed into a secondary lion habitat. Barda alone, according to a 2023 census, is said to have 17 Asiatic lions. Scaled grassland rejuvenation and wildlife tracking, apart from strengthening the prey base for the lions, is said to have worked in Barda. Modern techniques like GPS, georeferencing, and videography are proven lion trackers. That said, the ‘direct sighting’ method to count lions has been widely hailed for its accuracy. Spotting their unique identification marks to avoid overlapping is critical. Preservation of lion habitats and corridors, control of sand mining, and limiting train speeds have obviously helped. India’s initiative to help seven global big cats flourish through the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is laudable. August 10 is ‘World Lion Day’.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Ease Gill’s workload
Absolutely, there is no doubt that the Anderson-Tendulkar Test series against England was a very successful one for our captain, Shubman Gill, both as a captain and a batsman. He was the top run-getter during the 5-test series and was rightly awarded the Man of the Series. To be frank, even Mohammad Siraj, with 24 wickets, could have shared the award. Anyway, coming to the selection of Gill for the Asia Cup Tournament, we feel he should not be stretched and should be rested. We have plenty of talented players like Sai Sudarsan, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and KL Rahul, followed by captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, and, if selected, Sanju Samson, to bolster the middle order and finishing roles. Hence, it would be better if the selectors took into account Gill’s workload too before including him in the squad for the Asia Cup Tournament next month. If he is selected, he may be denying a place to some of our budding youngsters.
N Mahadevan, Chennai
