M A I L B A G

A serious threat to wildlife

THIS refers to the news item “Poacher kills tiger in zoo” (The Tribune, October 7). This time Wildlife Week will record many firsts in the world. During this week, the unfeeling poacher killed, dragged out of the cage, slit the head, peeled off the skin, removed the nail and threw into the pond the carcass of the 13-month-old tiger on the night of October 4.

Strangely this gory killing was masterminded and executed in a zoo where round-the-clock vigil is to be taken for granted to safeguard the prestigious wild animals. Had there been a video tape of the gruesome killing, no feeling person could bear it.

History will condemn poachers and those aiding and abetting killings as humans devoid of compassion, sanity and vision.

The worst casualties in the history of zoo the world over within 36 hours (from July 5) is a record of its own nature which is perhaps fit to find a place in the Guinness Book of Records. One can conclude from the deaths of wild animals during these days that the zoos in India are not safe and fit place for them.

One laments at the uncongenial conditions in the zoos. The animals in captivity need extra care in heeding, feeding, breeding and treatment. It is strange that those who have not been taught about wild animals, in veterinary colleges, are required to treat them well. Their expertise is through experience and not education. Vets who have attained super speciality through research and advance education should only be allowed to give medical treatment to zoo animals.

SOSHIL RATTAN
Amritsar

Unfair to LPG consumers

THE proposed rise in the prices of petroleum products once again brings into focus our dependence upon other countries. We have accepted this rise to share the burden of our country by paying Rs 38 more per cylinder on domestic gas along with an increase in other petrol products. But the LPG consumers of Kotkapura town are being forced to pay more cost due to the wrong fixation of the rate as compared with the adjoining towns. For example LPG is being supplied to the Faridkot consumers at the rate of Rs 243.60 per cylinder and at the rate of Rs 243.15 per cylinder to the consumers of Jaitu town, whereas the Kotkapura consumers are charged at Rs 254.60 per cylinder — Rs 11 per cylinder more.

Kotkapura town was previously having depots of all the four oil companies . Now it is paying a huge sum of Rs 25 lakh annually and forcibly to Indane and Bharat Gas on account of this extra charge. Is this a new millennium gift or a favour for old relations of Kotkapura with oil companies?

There is absolutely no justification for charging Rs 11 per cylinder more as Kotkapura is situated in between Faridkot and Jaitu towns. Moreover, Kotkapura is located closer than Faridkot and Jaitu from all the bottling plants located at Jalandhar, Nabha, Lalru and Bikaner. A little rechecking of the rate fixed by the companies itself will reveal the discrepancy, and more than 20,000 consumers of Kotkapura will be benefited. To help the consumers the cylinder rate should be fixed in a round figure to remove the problem of change.

RAJ AGGARWAL
Kotkapura

Problem of plenty

The editorial dated October 7, “Paddy is not for burning”, rightly points out the failure of the government to deal with the bumper crop and overflowing stocks. What for is the “support price” when the government agencies refuse to accept paddy on a pretext which is clearly “an afterthought” and flimsy.

This problem is not going to end with this year only but will be repeated year after year until some alternative is offered to paddy sowing. It calls for a long-term policy on two fronts. Dealing with the excess stock on the one hand and providing an alternative to farmers to paddy sowing on the other.

The Food For Work programme of the midday meal scheme may be initiated again to “dip into the stocks to fight poverty”. An alternative to paddy sowing can only be provided by the agriculture universities of the state.

DARSHAN KUMAR
Sanghera (Barnala)