After the fire, Mumbai's urban planners need to take stock

Readers discuss tragedy in Mumbai, Skype, mobile phones and waste

A general view of the restaurants destroyed in a fire in Mumbai, India on December 29. Reuters

In reference to your online story Huge fire at Mumbai restaurant kills at least 14 (December 29), it is horrendous that so many people lost their lives.

The accident underscores the deteriorating infrastructure in Mumbai.

Some decades ago, the mills in central Mumbai, where the fire took hold, were closed due to overcrowding. These plots should have become public gardens. Instead, they were converted into shops, restaurants and offices.

Today, that area of the city has become an urban jungle. The expansion in business and residential facilities has not been supported by any improvement in infrastructure.

Unless the government can upgrade the neighbourhood, it is best not to build more offices or restaurants in the mill areas. We are risking human lives with unplanned expansion, as the fire showed, costing 14 lives.

Rajendra Aneja, Dubai

Skype needs to split its two services to avoid disruption

I write regarding your online story UAE users complain of disruption to Skype (December 29). Skype video calling isn't banned, only landline calling. If Skype could use two different websites for the two different services, it wouldn't be an issue. The best advice is to complain to Skype.

Name withheld by request

I know how consumers could be compensated for slow phones

In reference to Apple faces fraud lawsuits for slowing ageing iPhones (December 28), I think we should all be given free phones by way of compensation.

SR, Dubai

Monday will bring the blues, frustration and price hikes

Regarding your story Poor mental health can quickly lead to poor financial health (December 29), when VAT arrives on Monday, get ready for more frustration and mental stress and be prepared for big price hikes.

Matthew Litty, Dubai

A timely message for the wasteful among us

Why is it so hard for the community to support the Abu Dhabi Municipality’s recycling scheme? As an individual, it is not difficult to follow the recycling guidelines as shown on the waste bins provided. Yet, so many people simply do not make any effort to recycle.

Recently I watched a woman and her toddler take two bags of household waste and place them directly into the green bin for recyclables.

Almost every day, when I open the green bin, I am greeted by the sight of used nappies and household waste. When I open the black bin, I invariably find cardboard pizza boxes, plastic milk bottles and lots of other materials that should be in the green one.

Do members of the community really care so little for the world they live in? Is it really so difficult to get into the habit of separating refuse into recyclables and non-recyclables?

Let’s take positive action and support the municipality in managing the waste we create.

Adrian Nichol, Abu Dhabi