Atmanirbhar Bharat: Letters to The Editor

Buying the right pair of shoes has always been difficult for Indians due to the sizing system which is largely based on sizes of UK and US. I remember my mom measuring my feet with a thread before she went to buy shoes for me. But gone are those days as the CSIR and CLRI (Central Leather Research Institute) are jointly conducting a pan India survey of feet scanning. The survey results will be used to define footwear size standards in India.

The same data will also be shared with the shoe manufacturers for them to design shoes according to the Indian sizing. India has never had its footwear sizing system and was more dependent on the UK-based system but now it is soon going to have its footwear sizing system. Another step to an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Noopur Baruah,

Tezpur.

Illogical step

The State government has suspended inter-district movement from May 23 to stop the spread of coronavirus. At this hour when the lives of the citizens are at stake any restrictions or curbs imposed by the government or the administration should be followed. At the same time, the government machinery must impose the orders strictly leaving no stone unturned. One thing I have failed to understand is that the government has allowed train services to continue. Now, on one hand, inter-district travel is restricted but scores of people are travelling in overcrowded trains. If one sees the overcrowded passenger train shuttling between Bongaigaon and Guwahati it may stop heartbeats for a while. It exposes the sincerity of the government in controlling the pandemic. If the train service is allowed to operate unhindered then coronavirus spread will be impossible to control. Thirdly, how long the government will continue with the restrictions on inter-district movement?

Pratuljyoti Buragohain,

Guwahati.