Sir: Right now Tamil Nadu has almost [Tamil Nadu is an Indian state] become the battleground for various reasons and on many fronts. First of all, the vacuum created by the death of Tamil Nadu former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is yet to be filled, resulting in administrative failure and attracting protests almost from all quarters. The fact is that Tamil Nadu is in dire need of strong and good leadership. To begin with, the continuous attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen while fishing in the Bay of Bengal are only adding to the woes of the fishing community. The recent killing of a Tamil Nadu fisherman is the reflection of the untold agony that the fishermen are grappling with on a daily basis. Besides, the latest protests of the fishing community highlighting the various demands near Rameswaram have unfortunately not attracted the attention of the government and the authorities. Secondly, Tamil Nadu is now in the grip of acute water shortage, once again highlighting the importance of rainwater harvesting/water conservation. In particular, the state’s southern districts of Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari are now battling against the drought caused by monsoon failure. And the farmers and the working community in these areas are finding it difficult to wade through the trouble caused by drought. Above all, sincere and urgent steps are required to create jobs and increase industrial activities in the areas like Tuticorin, Tiruchendur, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Marthandam and Kanyakumari, all located in southern Tamil Nadu, India. Finally, it is the responsibility of the government and the authorities to take serious steps to resolve issues facing the farmers and the fishing community as their contribution to the well-being of the people is immeasurable. P SENTHIL SARAVANA DURAI Mumbai, India Published in Daily Times, August 4th 2017.