Letters to The Editor — April 28, 2025

India’s responses

The Pahalgam incident is tragic. There has to be a full-fledged inquiry and the persons responsible punished. However, there needs to be focus on some of India’s retaliatory measures; for example, to send away Pakistanis who have come to India for treatment and, in some cases, asking Pakistanis who have been living in India for decades and who have repeatedly applied for citizenship, to leave India cannot be justified. All this amounts to coming to conclusions even before the investigation is complete. Pakistan is our neighbour and we should foster relationships by positive means to build ever-lasting bridges.

N.G.R. Prasad,

Chennai

Trump and Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump has suddenly said that he is sceptical about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desire to end the Ukraine war (‘World’ page, April 27). If Mr. Trump ever thought that Mr. Putin was willing to end the war, Mr. Trump has only been living in a make-believe world of his own. He has proved that “America has no friend or enemy but only interests”. One has to wait and see what happens next.

C.G. Kuriakose,

Kothamangalam, Kerala

An overlooked hazard

The recent incident, of an explosion at a fireworks unit in M. Pudupatti village near Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, which led to fatalities (April 27), is a painful reminder that fire risks in this sector remain dangerously high. While investigations focus on chemical handling, we must also address an overlooked hazard: extreme rooftop heat. In Sivakasi, tin and asbestos factory sheds often reach very high temperatures at midday, increasing the volatility of stored materials and worker vulnerability. There is a simple solution that does not require major structural changes: raising rooftop albedo.

Applying high-reflectance cool-roof coatings can lower surface temperatures by 10°C–18°C and indoor heat by 3°C-6°C, offering a vital safety margin. Such coatings could significantly reduce ignition risks and protect lives. I urge the authorities to mandate cool-roof treatments in fireworks manufacturing zones and integrate thermal audits into routine safety inspections. Preventing tragedies is not just about emergency responses. It is about smart and preventive cooling from above.

Benedict Gnaniah,

Chennai