Cloud seeding might help India to fight drought

The Indian government should provide basic facilities to its citizens, readers say. Other topics: parking fee, driving, illegal food stalls, technology

Readers urge the Indian government to provide basic facilities to citizens. Subhash Sharma for The National

It's sad to see the condition of people in Latur (Central Indian district devastated by drought, April 24). Could we not share the cloud-seeding technology with India? After all we made it rain in the desert from January to March.

Randall Mohammed, Dubai

The government of India should provide basic necessities to the common man instead of increasing the defence budget.

Mehrangakhar Mehran, Pakistan

Disgraceful parking fee

I attended the Anzac Day dawn service yesterday at the Westin hotel, next to Mina Seyahi. This is a public and solemn commemoration of remembrance for the fallen soldiers of the New Zealand and Australian armies since the First World War.

The invitation informed us that parking would be available (as it has always been) in the Mina Seyahi parking area. It took 20 minutes to get out of the park and it cost me Dh20 for the privilege of attending this public event.

You might think Green Parking may have waived the fee considering the event started at 5.30am and ended at 6am, well outside the normal commercial hours during the working week. I am appalled at this decision to charge a parking fee.

Peter J Hatherley-Greene, Dubai

How to identify good drivers?

I refer to the news report Rewarding good drivers will have positive effect on roads, Dubai Police hope (April 25). A driver with no speeding tickets, which I'm guessing would be the only measure in identifying "good drivers", isn't necessarily a good driver. It just means they don't speed.

John Paravalos, Dubai

Illegal food stalls cause worry

The unauthorised food stalls near St Joseph's Cathedral Church are worrying (Illegal food sellers irk churchgoers in Abu Dhabi, April 24), I wouldn't risk buying food there at all. I don't think it's appropriate to have it just outside the church or to be selling pork right beside a mosque either.

Julie Ní Arrachtáin, Abu Dhabi

I will never buy food from them, especially during summer time, when you can easily get food poisoning. These things never happened in the past.

Fernadia Kearns, Abu Dhabi

I have been seeing these stalls for many years. Whenever I go to the church, especially on special occasions, I buy foodstuff from them. There are hundreds of people who do the same and nothing has happened to me so far. I agree that they should not sell pork there, but what’s the problem otherwise?

After coming to this country, I have forgotten the taste of street food. I think there is no harm in having a few of these stalls. People buy foodstuff from here at their own risk. As far as street food is concerned, it’s the same all over the world. In most countries, the street-food industry is not regulated by the government.

Dileep Thomas, Abu Dhabi

Future doesn’t look so bright

It's easy to say that the future should be embraced and not feared ('40 to 60 per cent of all jobs will be completed by machines in 2030', April 25). Perhaps that's the case for people such as the self-described "futurist" Gerd Leonhard. As a middle-class person who is raising three young children, I have reason to be afraid. Like every other person, I have dreams and aspirations for my children, whom I want to give the best education.

If 40 to 60 per cent of all jobs are done by machines by 2030, as Mr Leonhard predicts, what will happen to the young generation? Will they find work? Even if it opens up job opportunities, they will be reserved only for people with the background in applied science and technology. What about the rest? While technology will bring solutions to many problems, it will bring about many more complications. So yes, there is every reason for us to be afraid of the future.

Amanda Liezel, Philippines