Ban polythene bags

Ban polythene bags
Apropos ‘Go the whole hog, ban polythene bags: Mayor’, (DNA, December 28), the new mayor, Shraddha Jadhav, seems to have started her stint on the right note by advocating a total ban on plastic bags. Environment-friendly paper and cloth bags can be used instead and the plastic manufacturers can switch over to these to ensure that they do not lose their market.
—V Subramanyan, Thane

Serving justice
You have rightly commented in ‘Fight for justice’, (DNA, December 26 ) that the light punishment of six months in jail, given by the Chandigarh court to Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore convicted of molesting a minor girl Ruchika is not fair. Neither our democracy nor the judicial system has any answer for this tragic case which has shaken the national conscience. This is a good time to think of overhauling the laws that deal with the most vulnerable sections of our society at the social or economic level, especially children and women. The editorial rightly concludes that the onus is now on the police force, the government and the judiciary to prove that justice can and will be done in India. 
—Dilbag Rai, Chandigarh

Claims of preparedness
The pitch fiasco at Delhi’s Ferozshah Kotla stadium has completely eroded not only the image of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) headed by BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley, but also that of country as well (‘Referee shows red card to ‘dangerous’ Delhi wicket’, DNA, December 28). Simply sacking the pitch committees of DDCA and/or BCCI won’t suffice. The Delhi episode coupled with the blackout of the electrical system at Eden Gardens, where there was no alternative arrangement to supply power, speaks the level of preparedness and the carefree and negligent attitudes of the cricket administration in our country. 
—Ganesh Sovani, Thane

II
The fifth ODI between India and Sri Lanka had to be abandoned because of the atrocious condition of the pitch which was a veritable minefield. If the authorities cannot even prepare a decent pitch for a one-dayer one can imagine the fate of the Commonwealth Games in 2010 which have already drawn flak from many quarters. One of the main reasons is those in charge are invariably non-sporting persons with little or no knowledge of the games they are supposed to control. Unless the BCCI is clear about its responsibility and goals, there will be no improvement in the way the game is administered.
—Shanmugam Mudaliar, Pune