Illegal reclamation

Illegal reclamation
Apropos ‘Who’s reclaiming this land? BMC has no answers’, (DNA, January 12) the situation is no different in Navi Mumbai. The fact that the Thane-Panvel Creek at CBD Belapur has been brought to the notice of all the concerned authorities but no action has been taken. Entire sea coast is under threat but no body wants to take any action.
—GL Karnani, via email

A good player
The magnificent performance of Ajit Agarkar for Mumbai at the Ranji Trophy finals proves that he still has the firepower (‘We didnt lose faith’, DNA, January 15). He is can be useful to Team India to tame the opposition’s aggressive batting power. He is not only a good bowler but an excellent allrounder.
—KV Satyamurty, via email

Interesting facts
Though parental pressure on students is unnecessary, the parents are not the real problem. The textbooks and teachers are at the root cause of all these difficulties. Students do not find textbooks motivating; they are extremely cold and rigorous. For instance, in the standard 12 physics textbooks there occurs a theorem named after Gauss (Gauss Theorem). The books give the name and proceed to give the statement followed by the derivation and students accept it as it is given.

Do they know that that Karl Friedrich Gauss learned to calculate before he learned to talk? Is it known that he corrected his father’s calculations at the age of three? Such biographical details if included in texts can provide a new perspective and enthusiasm to proceed and if not, teachers should essentially make it a part of their lectures. It will surely make learning interesting.
—Ajinkya Sarode, Thane

Rising prices
Recently when Union Agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar, was asked when will the prices of sugar, pulses, rice and wheat will come down, he said that he is not an ‘astrologer’ (‘Prices will come down, says Pawar’, DNA, January 14). But if Pawar is not an astrologer then how did he predict in September when sugar price was Rs28-30/kg that after Diwali sugar prices will cross 40 Rs/kg. It is very irresponsible statement by a very senior politician.

Pawar never gives assurances about doing something to bring the prices of essential commodities down. One gets a feeling that he is ‘happy’ with the price rise and he is not taking any measures to control them. The Centre and state government should co-ordinate with each other and see that the available food stock reaches the common man.
—Jagmander Goel, Pune