Letters to The Editor — September 7, 2026 - The HinduPublished - September 07, 2026 12:24 am ISTDangers on highwaysA series of accidents on national highways has drawn attention to the serious problem of illegal parking along highways. Even a seemingly minor instance can lead to devastating accidents. The recent accidents seem to have drawn the government’s attention to the issue and highlighted the urgent need to take effective measures to reduce the number of accidents and casualties. Strict action against illegal parking, along with improved road safety measures, can play a significant role in preventing such tragic incidents (Front page, September 6).Salman,Kozhikode, KeralamSpurious rabies vaccinesThe seizure of spurious rabies vaccines and the failure of such vaccines at a private laboratory recently expose a critical breach in medical safety. Rabies has a near-100% case fatality rate once clinical symptoms manifest, making timely, potent post-exposure prophylaxis the only defence against an otherwise almost invariably fatal disease. A fake vaccine creates a lethal illusion of security. Regulatory authorities must enforce strict track-and-trace systems and batch verification across the supply chain.Dr. Vijaykumar H.K.,Raichur, KarnatakaPrice relief must reach the hillsThis kind of news amazes me. It is certainly welcome that the government releases buffer stocks of onions and takes measures to moderate prices. Such interventions can provide considerable relief to consumers. But there is another India that often remains invisible in these announcements — people living in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand.For many of us in the hills, these measures rarely translate into actual relief because the commodities being released often do not reach our towns in any meaningful way. Getting them at the announced prices is a different matter altogether.When I read local newspapers reporting that vegetable, cereal or other food prices have increased, I often find it strange because we in the hills may already have been paying the same price — or even more — for quite some time. The national price increase is sometimes simply our existing price.The problem is not simply one of supply. It is also the structure of the local market. In many places, vendors have considerable control because consumers have very limited alternatives. Lower-grade or poorer-quality produce is brought in and sold at prices determined largely by the seller. People cannot simply refuse to buy when there is no other source nearby. They buy whatever is available, at whatever price is demanded.There is also an important factor that perhaps gets overlooked in national policymaking: demand in the hills is much lower than in the plains because of smaller populations and lower consumption volumes. Therefore, the commercial incentive to send subsidised or buffer-stock commodities to these markets may itself be weak.This creates a peculiar situation. A policy may be perfectly sound on paper and may even work in large urban and plain-area markets, but its benefits can evaporate before reaching the hills.And while many people may not feel the pinch because overall consumption is lower, for those who do, it hurts considerably. For a household already operating on a tight budget, paying a little extra for every essential item, every day, becomes a significant burden.Perhaps the government needs to stop measuring the success of price-control measures merely by national or metropolitan prices. The real test is whether a consumer in a remote hill town can actually buy the commodity at a reasonable price.Otherwise, buffer stocks may be released, prices may be moderated on paper, and headlines may announce relief — while the hills continue paying a completely different price.Aditya Das,Bhowali, UttarakhandPublished - September 07, 2026 12:24 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }