“Vanishing jobs” was a well-timed Cover Story (March 13). C.P. Chandrasekhar’s essay was a shocking summary of the extent of the misery imposed on workers, especially those in the informal sectors. By the government’s own admission at the 42nd Indian Labour Conference in New Delhi in February, as many as half a million people have been thrown out of jobs. However, die-hard loyalists have no shame in singing the song of neoliberalism, which has been discredited in the West.

S.V. Venugopalan
Chennai

THE Vote-on-Account Budget for the coming financial year is bereft of any relief to to any section of society (“Crisis, what crisis?”, March 13). The only positive scheme introduced by the United Progressive Alliance government during its tenure was the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. But it did not yield the desired results owing to corruption and red-tapism.

The Interim Budget is only a futile attempt to mislead the people just ahead of the elections. It is only hoped that the final budget to be presented after the elections will address the needs of the common man.

K.R. Srinivasan
Secunderabad

THIS has reference to the excellent article “Close encounters in the wild” (March 13). My wife and I had the privilege to sight the elusive Nilgiri marten in May 2008 at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala. Or rather, the marten sighted us and found us interesting enough to peer down at us for a fairly long time. The curiosity was abundantly reciprocated by us.

A. Mehra
Mumbai

AS a college student, I had participated in trekking programmes conducted by various agencies in the Western Ghats. But we could not sight the Nilgiri marten. Three cheers for the photographer who took its pictures.

Sajan Chembil
Chennai

CONGRATULATIONS on publishing the unique photographs of the Nilgiri marten. The photograph showing the frontal view of the rare animal speaks volumes about the talent of the photographer.

V. Gopinathan
Thiruvananthapuram

I WRITE to you on behalf ArcelorMittal regarding the article “European winter” (March 13). It appears that you were given some inaccurate information about events in Grandrange, France. The reference to workers smashing up Mittal’s office is incorrect. This incident did not happen. The office of a local site manager was apparently vandalised but the Mittals do not have a personal office at the site.

Giles Read
Head of Media Operations
ArcelorMittal
London

THE Cover Story on Sri Lanka (“What next?”, February 27) presented a wealth of detail on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the abject conditions in which displaced civilians in the island nation live.

Tamils in India should understand the historical irony of Sri Lankan Tamils voting against the interests of Tamils of Indian origin who had migrated to the island nation to work on its plantations.

Rishi Raj
Jabalpur,
Madhya Pradesh

Attack on women

WHAT happened at the pub in Mangalore under the nose of a democratically elected government was a serious challenge to civil society (“Taliban in saffron”, February 27). In a country like India where democratic principles and personal freedom are given utmost importance, self-styled organisations such as the Sri Rama Sene, which are preoccupied with obscurantist ideologies, must be wiped out from society.

Neeraj Kumar
Jha Madhubani, Bihar

IT is unfortunate that awards eluded an illustrious actor like Nagesh (“Tragic comedian”, February 27). However, an award is no yardstick to measure the talent of an immensely gifted actor like him. Though he was influenced by the great comedians of his time, their imprint could not be noticed in his performances.

Bichu Muttathara
Pune

Nagesh was a great comedian. He acted in lead roles in films such as Edhir Neechal and Neerkumizhi, which were box-office hits. His death is a great loss to the Tamil celluloid world.

N. R. Ramachandran
Udhagamandalam,
Tamil Nadu

THE interview with the Australian environmentalist Tim Flannery (“We are winning”, February 27) should be an eye-opener for Indian corporate houses that are responsible for massive emissions of carbon dioxide.
R. Karnad
New Delhi

ANNOUNCEMENT:
Letters, whether by surface mail or e-mail, must carry the full postal address and the full name, or the name with initials