Your article “Plight of the elderly” (THT, June 26, Page 8) clearly focuses on the increasing number of the elderly in India that find themselves away from their younger kins, thanks to modern developments.

It is shocking to see how unwanted the old really are. We have to reconcile and plan our old age accordingly. Financial independence, good health and a positive attitude will help us lead a fruitful old age.

These do not come overnight and have to be planned and nurtured at younger years.There are cases where no one visits neither them nor do they respond when informed about the death of an inmate. If we observe the culture of the West we find that elders live alone. Brothers meet up only on occasions. Cousins do not know one another.

When there is an emergency, the elders call the ambulance, not their children. When there is a death, the funeral service is intimated. Only then are the children informed. If this is the culture that is slowly pervading in our country, should we not gear up to face the reality? The exciting childhood and exhilarating youth naturally lead to old age with all its challenges. Nature’s law is irreversible. Apart from the physical illnesses, one of the key issues about old age is combating loneliness.

Whatever the case may be but people are living longer these days and are more active and healthy. Getting older does not necessarily mean ageing. The aged should not indulge in self-pity. Again, the senior citizens who are economically independent and healthy should realise that old age is their last opportunity to do whatever they have liked to do all along. Here I would like to point out that what we do today for the old we will find ourselves doing the same tomorrow.

Vinod C. Dixit, Ahmedabad

Tragedies

The report of massive landslide in China’s Sichuan province and a Pakistan oil tanker truck explosion in Bahawalpur have awakened the world. Safety always comes first. These two incidents have brought in huge numbers in terms of death toll. The landslide in the mountain village of China  has a strong message to all: “It is time to protect our earth and environment.” There are various reasons and factors behind the cause of a landslide. We might have come across such rudiments in subjects like geography. Just imagine the gigantic strength of Mother Earth. The Earth withstands everything like people, rivers, mountains and seas. However, the exploitation of the resources of Mother Earth will lead to catastrophic results.We should be thankful and grateful to Mother Nature. Planting trees and keeping the surroundings clean are all the right steps in the direction of safeguarding the earth. The countries across the world should come forward and come up with strong strategies to protect the earth so that the volcanic/catastrophic nature of earth can be tackled to a greater extent.

P. Senthil Saravana Durai, Mumbai