Sir — The move to increase the price of petrol is outrageous (“Petrol price baptism for new govt”, May 15). Soaring inflation has had an adverse effect on ordinary citizens, especially on the poor who have been hit the hardest.

The rise in petrol prices will have a cascading effect on the economy and increase their sufferings further. Enhanced petrol prices would undoubtedly increase transportation costs as well as the prices of essential commodities such as vegetables.

The government should therefore announce a partial rollback of petroleum prices. It should also desist from implementing the recommendations of the Kirit Parekh committee. After all, public sector oil companies are paying dividends and still reaping profits.

The increase in petrol prices has proved to be the proverbial last straw on the common man's back and is outrageous to say the least.

Soaring inflation has left ordinary people in dire straits with the poorer sections the worst hit. The unprecedented rise in theprices of onions and other vegetables has made it almost impossible for the common man to think of purchasing them. And if it diesel prices too are hiked, will have a cascading effect on the prices of all essential commodities.

So why burden the common citizen and make life miserable for him.

The increase in petrol price has proved to be the proverbial last straw for the common man. The soaring inflation has already left ordinary people gasping.

This new price rise will hit people harder and will have a cascading effect on economy. A rise in petrol prices is followed inevitably by increase in transport costs and food prices. This decision needs to be amended.

Sir, Yesterdays increase of petrol price has proved to be the last proverbial straw on the back of the poor masses and is outrageous and atrocious. Soaring inflation has left ordinary people gasping which will hit poorer section hardest and will have cascading effect on economy further this massive price hike will swell the sufferings of an ordinary person to infinite proportions. and who are struggling to survive and and Already Unprecedented prices rise of common ingredient of Indian house hold is has made these things things out of reach of even lower middle class this increase in petroleum prices instantly increases all round transporters charges of all commodities/vegetables.

Today the common man’s woes are endless as his very survival is at stake who is already unable to meet both ends.

Hence Government should, therefore immediately rollback at least partially the decision of price hike of petroleum prices.

Also Government should not go blindly on Kirit Parekh recommendation on deregulation regime and show some political maturity as still PSU oil companies are paying dividend and are still making profit.

SIR, ~ The Rs 7.50 per litre increase in the price of petrol is the steepest thus far. This is outrageous and is bound to fuel the inflationary spiral when a large section is struggling to make ends meet.

Indeed, the survival of the common man is at stake. The hike is rooted in the UPA government’s wrong economic policies, the plummeting rupee and the general economic slowdown.

The government should immediately effect a rollback without thoughtlessly implementing the Kirit Parekh committee’s recommendations on deregulation. The PSU oil companies are paying dividend and are still earning a profit. The Centre and the states should work out a formula to help out the common man.

Sir, The government’s faulty economic policies are responsible for the steep rise in petrol price, the depreciation in the value of the rupee and the economic slowdown in general. The government should immediately roll back the hike in petrol prices.

The Centre and the states should work together to bring some relief to the common man.

I am writing with reference to the news story, ‘Soaring prices hit wallets of consumers’ (KT, Dec 21). It is both disheartening and disturbing to see the skyrocketing prices of common man’s irreplaceable vegetable, onion that is most commonly used in all types of cooking in Indian households. In Bangalore and Chandigarh it is being sold at Rs70-80/- which is much beyond the capacity of even middle class.

So this heavy increase of onion prices will prove to be last proverbial straw on the back of common man (consumers) who are suffering great misery due to skyrocketing of all round prices of everything including petrol which is already Rs63/- Furthermore, it is pertinent to note that the prices increased due to the onion crop getting damaged because of unseasonal heavy rains which lashed most parts of onion producing regions of India like Nashik Rajasthan and other places in south India.

The government should take effective steps to bring down the prices as only stopping the export of onions may not bring much relief as only 10-12 per cent of the produce is exported. Government’s decision to import from Pakistan is welcome. It should be done on a large scale on emergency footing as one full load of goods train of onion from Punjab in Pakistan can reach within 18 to 48 hours to any part in India. Even shiploads of onions can be brought in from the global trading hub of Dubai.

Besides, strong action must be taken against hoarders.

Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Vegetable shocks” (August 15). Despite what the editorial states, one really wonders if the Congress-led UPA regime has actually woken up to the hardships that the common man is having to undergo every single day of his life. Given the state of our economy and the spiralling cost of the most basic of food items, the time is not far when the aam aadmi will perforce have to subsist on one meal a day.

The Government should not just ban export of onions but also warn hoarders and black marketeers of stringent action if they are found hoarding and selling the vegetable at exorbitant rates. It is the Government’s bounden responsibility to mitigate the sufferings of the people. But will the UPA rise to the occasion?

Sir,In order to stabilise the price of onion, which has skyrocketed, the government should immediately start its import, for the prevailing rates of Rs 70-80 per kg is too high and unrealistic for the common man. Huge disparity in wholesale and retail prices indicate that it is middle men who are taking advantage of the supply shortfall while poor farmers are not getting any benefit out of the price rise at all.

The Center's slow pace in mitigating the effect of soaring prices show its apathy towards people.

It is disturbing, to see the prices of something like onions, so widely used by Indian households, shooting up. In Bangalore and Chandigarh, it is being sold at Rs 70 to Rs 80 per kg, which is much beyond the capacity of even the middle class.

This abnormal increase in onion prices, may prove to be the last proverbial straw on the back of the common man who is suffering due to the increase in prices of almost everything including petrol which is now Rs 63 per liter.

A mere ban on onion export, may not suffice as only 10 to 12 per cent of our production is exported.

Sir - The prices of essential items, such as pulses, vegetables, especially tomatoes, which are widely used in Indian households, are increasing by the day. This is distressing. In Bangalore, tomatoes are being sold at Rs 80 per kilogramme, dal at Rs 200 per kg - all this is much beyond the capacity of the middle-class consumer. Not just in Bangalore but in other parts of country too the condition is the same. There is an urgent need to control the rising prices of these household items.

The government should sell tomatoes at Hopcoms. As a short-term solution, dals must be imported, and as a long-term measure, farmers should be encouraged to go for pulse cultivation. One of the reasons why the prices of vegetables and pulses are going up is that agriculture has been neglected by successive governments. The government's agriculture policy is in need of an urgent revamp. The other reason behind the rising prices is that agricultural lands near the cities have been converted into special economic zones, causing agriculture to suffer badly. Unfortunately, the Opposition is silent on the issue of price rise.

It is more interested in taking up issues that do not concern the daily lives of the common man.