Moral health & vigour

IN the article “Portrait of a sick society” (Sept 25) Mr M.S.N. Menon rightly remarked: “....that the American way of life is what is best for mankind,” which we are told and most of us try to follow.

Character is developed in a social milieu. Join a group or band, as the Arabs travel in caravans in the desert. In modern times Auguste, Comte, F. Adler and K. Marx have attempted to establish such societies of like-minded earnest men and women. Character is influenced by the example of a living teacher even more than by the historical record of a dead sage.

Life begets life, in the moral as well as in the biological realm. Virtue can be passed from man to man. Moral growth is a process of suggestion and adaptation, and not of ratiocination. The best way to absorb and assimilate the virtue of the great men and women whose names shine even like Sirius and Canopus in the dark firmament of history is to read of their lives and deeds in connection with the social and political movements that they really represented.

One should endeavour to create an ethical inner environment for one self in which one will gain and maintain moral health and vigour. Our soul must draw its sustenance and cover its nakedness with material gathered from various sources (not from America alone).

AVTAR NARAIN CHOPRA
Kurukshetra

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Mother’s name

This refers to letter “Mother & child” published on September 23. It has been rightly said that a mother (woman) who has a greater role to play in bringing up her child has no identity of her own in society. Her child bears the name of the father everywhere — be it the birth certificate, the school admission form and any other document, legal or otherwise. The woman is relegated to the background.

In fact, it should be the mother’s name everywhere. Times are changing. Women are being considered equal in status, having equal rights in every sphere in society. Therefore, this discrepancy should be taken note of and rectified legally too. This has become essential today when social norms are changing and a number of women are living separately with their children due to various constraints.

SANSKRITI KHANNA
Panchkula

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Why 6-day week in lower courts?

Offices of the central government and those of Punjab and Haryana observe a five-day week. But lower courts in Punjab and Haryana function for six days a week. If a huge pendency of cases is the reason behind the six-day week, then one can say that the number of important cases pending with the government is no less.

Moreover, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana functions on a five-day week basis. This is, indeed, a case of discrimination against the lower courts.

SHYAM KHURANA
Khamanon

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Resentment among pensioners

Widespread discontentment prevails among more than 1.25 lakh Punjab government pensioners against the government’s failure to issue the fitment table pertaining to the revision of pensions. The pension disbursing authorities — treasury officers and banks — cannot revise the pensions without this vital document.

The Punjab pay panel had submitted its report on pensions on 20.2.98. However, the process for the revision of pensions is still in the pipeline. How much more time will the State Finance Department take to issue the pension fitment table?

The Chief Minister should look into the matter so that the pensioners get their revised pension and arrears before Divali.

YASH PAUL GHAI
Ludhiana

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Taxis without meters

“Banning old taxis” (Sept 19) is a step in the right direction. However, in Shimla, strangely, taxis still remain without a meter, often overcharging, specially tourists. Why can’t the taxis have meters?

There are also complaints of rash and reckless driving. In a city like Shimla, there should be trained drivers, who should also be qualified to serve as tourist guides since most of their passengers are on sight-seeing trips.

Why can’t the taxis have the customary yellow and black colour to distinguish them from private cars?

ROSHNI JOHAR
Shimla

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Roads with potholes

I would like to draw the attention of the Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation authorities to the pathetic condition of the roads in the city. There is no proper lighting arrangement. On some of the roads dividing the sectors the street-lights are non-functional, which cause a lot of inconvenience to the commuters. The potholes in certain roads sometimes result in accidents, specially in the rainy season.

Chandigarh which boasts of being the most beautiful city of the region, has been losing its glory due to this factor.

SANJAY KHURANA
Chandigarh

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Lahore Fort

Mr Subhash Parihar’s writ-up “The glory and splendour of Lahore Fort” (September 6) was informative.

Besides constructing the Diwan-e-Am (Hall of Public Audience), the Musamman Burj (Octagonal Tower), including the Sheesh Mahal, the Naulakha, the Khwabgah (sleeping apartment) and many other edifices, Shahjahan made numerous additions and alterations, mainly in marble, in the interior arrangements of the celebrated citadel.

An interesting event about the prodigious prowess of Ranjit Singh, when he was just the Chief of the Sukkarchakkia Confederacy, and had not assumed the title of Maharaja, is connected with the Musamman Burj. Once Shah Zaman, the ruler of Kabul and a grandson of Ahmad Shah Abdali, captured the Lahore Fort, Ranjit Singh, with a handful of his men, thrice rushed upon the Burj, where the Afghan invader used to sit, fired shots wounding some Durrani soldiers, and shouted, “Come on, O’ grandson of Ahmad Shah and meet the grandson of the great and mighty Sardar Charhat Singh.” There was no response from the other side and he had to retire without a trial of strength with the Shah.

BHAGWAN SINGH
Qadian