Close on the heels of reports about high levels of air pollution in Delhi, the revelations of the Bureau of Indian Standards about the quality of piped drinking water supplied in 13 State capitals has created panic in the city residents and the public. When people are deprived of pure air and water, how can they lead a healthy life? When the water supplied from rivers are highly polluted, how will people get pure drinking water? It is the responsibility of State governments to ensure that water supplied is suitable for drinking. First, they must take measures to clean the water sources. They must also take proactive steps to control pollution and make compliance of quality standards for piped water mandatory across the country. Prosperity of a country depends on the health of its citizens (Front page, “Delhi has the most unsafe tap water,” Nov. 17) .

Venu G.S.,

Kollam, Kerala

It is a shame that even after seven decades of independence, our governments are failing to provide basic necessities such as drinking water to the people, not to talk about giving employment, world-class infrastructure, double-digit GDP growth and making India a superpower. Instead of wasting huge amounts of taxpayers’ money on providing subsidies, freebies and loan waivers, governments should invest in health care, education and skill development.

Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,

Hyderabad

Of late, Delhi is in news for all the wrong reasons. When the National Capital City of a country is engulfed in smog; compromising people’s ability to breath; there is nothing worse that can happen, right? Wrong! The front page article hits you in the head with a brick. In order to take the bull by the horn, Delhi has to take notes from other capital cities of the world like Vienna, and Copenhagen. Not only have they advanced treatment technology for their tap water but also an elaborate system of water management in place.

Gangotri Kaushik,

Bengaluru