The e-trucks chargeApropos, ‘A roadmap for electric trucks’ (July2). India’s persistent dependence on imported crude oil remains a strategic and economic liability, with the diesel-intensive freight sector accounting for a significant share of petroleum consumption.Expediting the adoption of electric trucks is therefore an economic imperative, not merely an environmental objective.The government must accelerate charging infrastructure, incentivise domestic battery production, and facilitate affordable financing.A robust transition to electric freight transport will curtail oil imports, strengthen energy security, improve logistics efficiency, and reinforce India’s long-term economic resilience.N Sadhasiva ReddyBengaluruThis refers to ‘A roadmap for electric trucks’ (July 2), which correctly identifies the chicken-and-egg problem holding back truck electrification. Charging operators will not invest without guaranteed volume, and fleet operators will not commit without reliable charging.The proposed solution, using long-term power auctions to lock in low tariffs for charging hubs, seems sensible and deserves quick implementation.Government-anchored demand through public procurement and toll incentives for electric freight carriers could also break the deadlock faster than subsidies alone.Further delay will only add to the strain on oil imports on the external account.Swathi SenthilkumarCoimbatoreGovt’s regulatory cautionThis is with reference to ‘Govt asks Meta to pause WhatsApp user name rollout over fraud risks’. The government’s concerns about WhatsApp’s proposed username feature are not necessarily unwarranted, given the risk of impersonation and phishing.At the same time, the feature offers privacy benefits by allowing users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers.The overall fraud risk will depend on how effectively Meta prevents deceptive usernames and detects abuse. The government’s review is a precautionary step.PV PrakashMumbaiEl Nino disruptionApropos ‘Super El Nino threat, unseen since 1950 taking shape’ (July 2). June passed without any significant rainfall, heightening the anxiety of farmers, particularly those in the plantation sector, who depend on annual crops but lack a corresponding debt repayment mechanism during years of crop failure.The coffee sector has faced a double blow this year due to inadequate blossom showers and backing showers.The concerned Ministry should extend timely financial relief to growers by deferring both interest payments and loan repayments on plantation credit.It should also consider waiving interest, as growers’ finances have been severely affected not only by the poor monsoon but also by the disruptions arising from the West Asia crisis.Rajiv MagalHalekere Village (Karnataka)Published on July 2, 2026