Letters to the editor: Chinese entrepreneur turns scratching an itch into 100,000 yuan business

Costly itch Sir — An itch on an unreachable spot on one's back may be one of the most uncomfortable feelings of life. But is it worth 100,000 yuan? In China, an entrepreneur has turned the simple act of scratching an itch into a business and is earning an estimated 14 lakh rupees per month from it. A one-hour-long session costs about 300 yuan or Rs 4,200. This might seem like something to laugh at but it highlights a crucial problem. Getting an unreachable itch scratched is usually something one asks a close friend or relative to do. But in an increasingly lonely world, even such an intimate act has to be outsourced at a cost. ADVERTISEMENT Tapas Sen, Hooghly Health risk Sir — The food safety drive being undertaken by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation is laudable ('KMC tightens food safety checks', Sept 4). The amount of rotten, stale and adulterated fish, meat and sweets being recovered from the storage facilities of various restaurants, eateries, canteens, and food markets at different locations in the city is shocking. Food safety should be a priority of the state government, alongside education, health, drinking water and so on. It must also be ensured that during strict inspections, food safety is not compromised by under-the-table transactions. Mihir Kanungo, Calcutta Sir — Reports of stale food, adulterated eatables and unlicensed food items being sold in large quantities appear frequently in the media. This is in spite of the fact that there are departments staffed with qualified officials to ensure strict adherence to specified norms. But the absence of regular checks leaves people vulnerable to serious health risks. A.G. Rajmohan, Andhra Pradesh Sir — Rumours and reports often circulate about rackets collecting animal carcasses from municipal dumps to sell to restaurants. Yet, food safety drives like the one being undertaken now are not regular affairs. If regulatory oversight was periodic, transgressions would not take place. To truly deter offenders who violate food safety standards, the authority must enforce strict penalties with absolute regularity. Salil Karmakar, Calcutta Recurrent disaster Sir — Sanjoy Hazarika's article, 'Nature's fury' (Sept 2), highlights the unprecedented devastation in Assam. While governments aggressively track ghuspaithiyas, they ignore the recurring floods that drown Assam and North Bihar every monsoon. To break this cycle, fiscal policy must evolve. A dual-budget framework is a must: a National Climate Resilience Fund for year-round engineering solutions and an emergency relief fund. Policy measures should focus on long-term safety mechanisms. Mohammad Arif, Dhanbad Sir — The recent catastrophic floods in Assam devastated the lives of many migrant workers, leaving them entirely destitute. Two dairy farmers, Rishiram and Vinod, for example lost their livelihoods after the sudden surge of water submerged both their fields and homes. The disaster destroyed their crops, washed away their cattle, and swept away their vehicles, including motorbikes and scooters, leaving them in a truly desperate situation. The government must immediately provide rehabilitation and support to workers like them. Non-governmental organisations need to help them rebuild their lives after this devastating incident. Iftekhar Ahmed, Calcutta Sir — Early warning systems are desperately needed around the world to save thousands of lives from natural disasters aggravated by climate change. The devastating floods in Assam and the flash floods in Nepal recently destroyed entire communities and the livelihoods of many, not to mention took hundreds of lives. In Nepal, the water's sheer force and swirling motion even caused heavy concrete structures to float away like straw. Northeastern states in India will face a similar predicament unless ameliorative steps are taken. Diganto Sanyal, Calcutta Iconic figure Sir — Gloria Steinem, a prolific writer and one of the best-known faces of the women's liberation movement, died last week at the age of 92. She was a journalist, activist, political organiser, and speaker. She battled alongside other stalwarts of the movement for the Equal Rights Amendment in the United States of America, while advocating for reproductive freedom, raising awareness about violence against women, and co-founding Ms., a magazine run and staffed entirely by women. Khokan Das, Calcutta Sir — The death of Gloria Steinem, an iconic American writer and a leading light of second-wave feminism, marks the end of an era of the American women's liberation movement. Her relentless campaigns redefined women's rights globally. She was also involved in the Vinoba Bhave Bhoodan movement in India. Jayanta Datta, Hooghly