Israel must show restraint

Because of Israel’s belligerent actions, efforts to secure a lasting truce in the war with Iran have once again become elusive, and the Strait of Hormuz faces renewed disruption (Page 1, June 21). While the U.S. and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire, Israel continues to undermine prospects for lasting peace. It is time for U.S. President Donald Trump to rein in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and insist on adherence to the agreement. Unless Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon and ceases repeated violations of the ceasefire, the hope of a durable truce will remain elusive.

Prabhu Raj R.,

Bengaluru

Ensure Census accuracy

The decadal Census is the bedrock of India’s policy planning. However, recent field observations in my locality raise concerns about the integrity of the data collection process. I witnessed enumerators gathering residents from multiple households in a common area, rather than visiting individual units, and bypassing upper floors of residential buildings. While the hardships faced by our enumerators such as extreme heat and the immense physical labour of climbing floors are undeniable, such shortcuts risk creating systemic data gaps. An undercount in even a single neighbourhood leads to a decade of misallocated resources. I urge the authorities to implement a more transparent monitoring system where citizens can verify whether their specific household has been officially surveyed.

Kota Venkata Yogesh,

Proddatur, Andhra Pradesh