Essar isn’t refusing to pay
We refer to your editorial ‘IDBI’s bailout’ (Aug 24). You refer to our Group and state that the Essar Group’s profit making companies are refusing to pay the institutions. We have to point out that the statement is incorrect.

The Essar Group’s three profit-making companies viz Essar Shipping, Essar Power and Essar Telecom are meeting their financial commitments and hence there is no question of ‘refusing to pay’. We are surprised that you have expressed an opinion without possessing full facts of the case and without giving an opportunity to the Group to present its case.

The company which is having difficulty is Essar Steel which is suffering from the severe downturn in the steel industry the world over. This has nothing to do with the operational efficiency of the company. This is reflected in the results of the steel companies in India and also the steel companies in the US.

In order to improve the profitability of the companies, the various group companies continue to negotiate with all the lenders for reduction in interest rates and improve in terms of facilities availed. This is a part of their normal operating business activity.
—Jacob John K, Vice President, Essar Group, Mumbai

End DU strike
I appeal to the vice chancellor of Delhi University and president of Delhi University Karamchari Union to find an amicable solution to the 15-day long strike. More than three lakh students of Delhi University are suffering on account of non-provisioning of minimum essential facilities like food to hostelers, library facilities, certified forms for bus passes, library cards, and identity cards besides other day to day requirements of the students. The strike is also affecting the career of students who have earned their graduate or post graduate degrees as they are unable to procure their mark sheets, provisional certificates and other relevant documents.

Moreover, a continuous strike like this right at the beginning of the year is affecting the prestige of the university, nationally and internationally. In case the university authorities are unable to reach an amicable solution, they should make necessary alternative arrangements.
—Saurabh Agarwal, Student, Shri Ram College of Commerce
Delhi University

Can’t clone a soul
A debate is raging over the issue of cloning. Hindus believe that the body may die, but the soul can neither be killed nor destroyed by any thing. Man, with modern technology may clone a person, but he can never clone the soul. Just as no two persons are alike in terms of their behaviour, similarly we may be able to create two clones, but we can never make them behave similarly as their souls will be different.
—Manish Garg, on e-mail

Amend Saral
Apropos the news story ‘New I-T forms likely to apply to assessees with over Rs 1.5 lakh annual income’, the best course of action would be to withdraw Saral. If not, then all MPs, MLAs and public servants must be made to file their returns vide this form. Additionally, this form should apply to assessees with annual income in excess of Rs 10 lakh; and the exemption limit should be Rs 1.5 lakh. The IT department should focus on the biggies.
—Mahesh Kapasi,
on e-mail.