By letting these pollutants rise so high without taking any measures to tackle them, our government is putting people's lives at risk. By doing nothing in the face of evidence that correlates visibility to loss of life, it is being negligent.

The latest report shows that an additional 70 people die each year due to high levels of pollution in Hong Kong ('Revealed: the deadly threat from our bad air', January 20). Had these people died in, for example, an airliner crash, ferry disaster, or terrorist attack we would want to know what happened and would have a full investigation. At the very least, we would expect measures be put in place to prevent another tragedy and expect justice to be served to those whose deliberate action or negligence caused loss of life or injury.

Without a vote, how can we force our politicians to implement measures that adequately address the problem? How can the worst polluters be punished and the system of crony capitalism that is behind them be attacked?

Perhaps we can declare a day when every resident sports a mask and news agencies report globally, with accompanying photos, that pollution here is so dangerous that every Hong Kong resident is concerned about it.

Admittedly, shaming the government into action may be a desperate effort but we can show it that the smell of money stinks.

Catherine LaJeunesse, Sai Kung

We must act to clean up bad air

It is clear from reading the article ('Revealed: the deadly threat from our bad air', January 20) that we face a grave problem.

A study has found that for 'every kilometre of reduced visibility, an additional 70 deaths occurred every year over a decade' in Hong Kong.

I agree with Anthony Hedley, of the University of Hong Kong's school of public health, that 'the higher the pollutant concentrations, the lower the visibility'.

This idea that loss of visibility can kill people seems unbelievable, but it will become a reality if we do not take action now to tackle our air pollution problems.

I believe that it is time we had an in-depth investigation on the issue and that something was done to bring things under control. The main causes of our pollution are exhaust fumes and smoke from vehicles and emissions from factories which go directly into the atmosphere. The situation is exacerbated by decreased visibility.

Laws can be strengthened to force drivers and manufacturers to take environmentally friendly measures so vehicles and factories cause less pollution. The government could plant more trees in urban areas and has to make a real effort to teach citizens about the importance of protecting the environment.

Winnie Chan Ka-wai, Tsuen Wan

Incinerators are the best option

I refer to the letter by Julia Brown ('Incinerator will not solve our waste problems', January 20).

Some of your readers may have concerns over the impact on their health of emissions from waste incinerators. The older-generation incinerators, notably, our Kwai Chung plant commissioned in 1978, emitted hazardous compounds such as benzene and dioxin which are highly toxic and can cause cancer after high and long-term exposure.

The advanced waste incinerators are now equipped with a state-of-art fuel gas treatment system that can meet stringent European emission standards. Many European countries have been using them for more than a decade, and in the region, countries such as Japan, Singapore and Taiwan all have incinerators to tackle their waste problems. As Hong Kong produced 6.45 million tonnes of waste in 2009, of which 3.27 million tonnes ended up in landfills, our landfills will sooner or later become full.

I have strong reservations about any extension of the existing landfills. Apart from the offensive odour, they could contaminate the soil and groundwater by leakage, and emit methane, a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide. Many countries have banned landfills altogether.

Given reduction and recycling efforts will still fall short by about 8,000 tonnes of municipal waste by 2015, the government should have the political will to actively push ahead with the installation of two 3,000 tonnes-a-day waste incinerators without delay.

This will not only help relieve pressure on Hong Kong's soon-to-be-depleted landfill site capacity but generate nearly 1,000 million kWh electricity per year, adequate for 200,000 families, without burning any fossil fuel. This can also help reduce Hong Kong's carbon footprint.

C. W. Tso, Tai Po

Village protest went too far

Last week construction workers clashed with residents and members of a concern group in Tsoi Yuen Tsuen village, who are opposed to the building of the high-speed rail link to Guangzhou.

However angry the villagers and concern group members are about what is happening, they should not have reacted in such an emotional way. They ought to bear in mind that these people have been employed to work on the site. They had nothing to do with plans to demolish the village.

Concern group activists and villagers were hurt, but so were these workers.

I understand the villagers' feelings over the loss of their homes, but they must put forward their arguments in more peaceful ways.

Alison Lee, Kwai Chung

Sevens ticket sales chaotic

On Saturday, tickets for the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens went on sale, by phone and internet, through HK Ticketing.

I tried both channels from 10am. Every time I called the hotline, the call was terminated. The website was so slow I could not get to the relevant page. I finally got through at 12pm only to be told all the tickets had been sold.

Before the official sales date, I found that people were already selling Sevens tickets on HK Yahoo Auctions. How were these tickets obtained? This is an issue that needs to be investigated. The transparency of the ticket-selling process needs to be improved.

I love watching this tournament and feel let down by HK Ticketing.

The Sevens attracts tens of thousands of rugby fans from all over the world, but tickets are limited. The problem of ticket sales must be solved.

Rachel Wong, Yuen Long

Skewed kind of parenthood

There has been an uproar over the book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua. Mothers like Ms Chua can be found all over the world.

Their parenting style has some common features, such as not letting their children relax and enjoy social activities and making them focus only on their homework.

I understand that mothers want their children to be successful, but they are going too far by demanding absolute obedience.

These young people could grow up lacking creativity and independence and not knowing anything about the world.

They can learn important social skills from sleepovers, parties and extra-curricular activities. The tiger mothers overlook this and forbid their children from taking part in such activities.

Youngsters need to be able to learn these interpersonal skills so they can integrate into society. We are fed up with self-centered superhuman individuals who have high IQs, but nothing else.

Parents must give their children freedom to explore the world.

Iris Chung Ka-wing, Ngau Chi Wan

Let children play with peers

I wonder if the approach of the so-called tiger mothers is efficient or effective in the long term.

Parents who are intent on their sons and daughters being super-achievers may give them too heavy a workload.

They can face a schedule filled with swimming, piano lessons and tutorial classes and no time for rest and relaxation.

Under the tiger mothers' approach, the children's feelings are overlooked. They are expected to follow a set timetable.

Childhood should not be like that. Children must be given time to play with their peers and appreciate nature. Tough parenting is not suitable for the present generation of children.

Chong Wing-yan, Kwun Tong

Pragmatic PLA

I was amused to observe that the 'Amethyst Block' located in what used to be the old HMS Tamar naval base still bears that name despite the People's Liberation Army having occupied the base as its headquarters in Hong Kong for the last 13 years.

Given HMS Amethyst's exhilarating escape from the clutches of the PLA down the Yangtze in 1949, while under almost continual fire from Communist forces, and the memories of Britain's imperial past that the name must kindle among PLA veterans, this seems an almost unbelievable oversight. But perhaps it is merely another indication of well-documented Chinese pragmatism - albeit stretched to the limit.

Christopher Lavender, Mid-Levels