Letters to the editor: Bengal sees bumper lotus harvest amid growing demand

Precious bloom

Sir — The lotus has bloomed across Bengal’s landscape — literally and politically. Lotus farmers are reporting a bumper harvest amidst rising demand for the flowers owing to Durga Puja. Wholesale prices have nearly doubled compared with last year. This is encouraging after last year’s crisis, when heavy flooding devastated key lotus-producing districts in Bengal, including Birbhum, Bankura, East Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly. The damage forced wholesalers to import nearly 30% of their supplies from outside the state. One hopes that the government which cannot stop boasting about the lotus having bloomed in Bengal at last will pay special attention to the plight of lotus farmers.

Krishnakali Bose,
Calcutta

Impressionable age

Sir — The Supreme Court has said that children have the fundamental right to access the internet. Children need reliable internet access to benefit from online learning. A household with one shared telephone cannot always meet the needs of several schoolchildren. Public libraries and schools should provide computers, dependable connections and supervised study hours. Teachers should offer printed alternatives when families cannot afford data or devices. Assignments must account for these differences. Local authorities should ask families what prevents access before buying equipment.

A.K. Sen,
Calcutta

Sir — Schools should teach children how to judge what they encounter online. Lessons could explain how to check a source, recognise advertising and question messages that demand money or personal information. Pupils should practise these skills through examples suited to their age. Teachers also need regular training as online services change. Children should feel comfortable asking questions about confusing material. Knowing how to open an application is insufficient preparation for deciding whether its content deserves trust or should be shared further.

Vinay Asawa,
Howrah

Sir — Technology companies should make their services safer for young users from the outset. Accounts intended for children should have clear privacy settings and restrictions on unwanted contact. Reporting a problem should take only a few simple steps. Companies should explain what happens after a complaint is made and provide updates within reasonable deadlines. Independent checks could assess whether promised safeguards work. Parents cannot examine every feature of every service. Companies that design these products should accept responsibility for reducing foreseeable risks themselves.

Dimple Wadhawan,
Kanpur

Sir — Parents need practical support to guide their children’s internet use. Schools could hold short sessions explaining account settings, online purchases and ways to discuss uncomfortable experiences. Household rules should reflect a child’s age and allow time for sleep, study and recreation. Adults should explain the reasons for limits and review them as children mature. Constant threats to confiscate devices may discourage honest conversations. Children should know that seeking help after an online mistake will bring patient attention and appropriate support.

Brij B. Goyal,
Ludhiana

Sir — Protecting children online requires careful treatment of their personal information. Services should collect only the details needed for a specific purpose and explain how long those details will be retained. Checks intended to establish age should avoid unnecessary collection of identity documents. Families need straightforward ways to request deletion and challenge mistakes. Schools should examine the information practices of educational applications before recommending them. A safety measure deserves scrutiny when it creates additional records about children without a clear necessity.

Avinash Godboley,
Dewas, Madhya Pradesh

Sir — Online bullying needs a response that children can understand and trust. Schools should identify a trained adult whom pupils can approach privately and explain how complaints will be handled. Staff should help preserve relevant evidence without circulating humiliating material. Children accused of bullying also need fair procedures and clear explanations of unacceptable behaviour. Support should continue after an immediate dispute ends. Removing the affected child from online activities can leave the harassment unresolved and unfairly restrict that child’s friendships further.

A.G. Rajmohan,
Andhra Pradesh

Stay neutral

Sir — India should maintain constructive relations with both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party as the United States of America approaches its mid-term elections. Diplomatic engagement should involve legislators, officials and state governments, alongside the presidency. Personal warmth between leaders cannot guarantee agreement on every issue. Regular discussions about shared interests would help manage disagreements when political control changes. Indian representatives should explain national priorities consistently and avoid appearing to favour particular candidates. A durable relationship requires cooperation that can survive an election.

Bal Govind,
Bengaluru

Sir — Indian exporters need practical preparation for possible changes in US trade policy after the mid-term elections. Smaller firms should receive clear information about tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods, and assistance in finding additional markets. Industry associations could explain how proposed measures might affect particular products. Government support should prioritise businesses with limited resources to adjust.

Aranya Sanyal,
Calcutta