Deteriorating law and order situation in Pune

Social orgs shut shop as BMC fails to deliver
Strange are the ways the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) works. While they provide a sum of Rs 2 crore every year to be disbursed to social organisations, reports suggest that they haven’t done this in the last 3 or 4 years. Since social organisations depend on such grants, 50% of the total 74 applications had to shut shop. For the current year, that annual provision has been scaled down to just about 40%. An amount of Rs 8 crore is available for disbursement. It is ironic that while we have social organisations that help the needy, our lackadaisical corporation which, despite earmarking resources, is in no mood to disburse the amount.
—Deepak Agharkar, via email

Deteriorating law and order situation in Pune
It is a matter of concern that the law and order situation in Pune has considerably deteriorated in the last few months. Warring groups are wrecking havoc on the streets of Pune.  Chain-snatching is rampant in all parts of the city and seems to be the order of the day. Criminals pose as cops and loot the public, while robbery is being committed by inter-state gangs of criminals, adding to the discomfiture of the cops. The escape of undertrials in the Nayana Pujari murder case from Sasson Hospital also points to the suspected connivance of police. All this proves beyond doubt that the beat marshals and foot patrols are missing from Pune’s streets, either to help the criminals do their job or they are busy in giving ‘pavtis’ to bikers. How can the Punekars sleep in peace? The police commissioner is urged to swing into action.
—Yash P Verma, Pune

‘Volume Kam Kar’ at election rallies
I congratulate the DNA team for the ‘Volume Kam Kar’ initiative  and keeping Mumbai pollution and noise free this Diwali. I would like to request you to take the same initiative during elections. We all know that during the elections our politicians burn tonnes of crackers during at rallies and later, to celebrate their victory. Please take up this matter urgently with the election commissioner, and ensure that no politician should be allowed to light crackers. This way, we will be able to control the decibels levels at elections rallies and after results are declared.
—Vijay Bathija, Mumbai

7 billionth baby is no reason to rejoice
Notwithstanding the celebrations over the birth of Nargis —the seven billionth baby, there are enough reasons to worry because a growing population means more pressure on the world’s depleting resources. India with its population 1.24 billion will overtake China in 2025, and its population will only decline by 2060. Union health and family welfare minister Ghulam Nabi Azad would also do well to stick to the national population policy that actually lays down some innovative strategies to achieve the intended target. Other related ministries must also set up a coordinated strategy to tackle this problem. After all, a productive population is in our national interest.
—J Akshobhaya, Mysore

II
In a country set to overtake China as the world's most populous in 15 to 20 years, and the newborn baby Nargis will face many challenges, such as not getting nutritious food, clean drinking water, medical care and education. With the world's population nearly quadrupling in the past 100 years, basics like food and water are more precious than ever. Therefore, providing for an additional 2 to 3 billion people in the next 50 years is a serious worry.
KN Raghavendra, Bangalore