M A I L B A G

Cruel animal transportation

The photograph of animals inhumanely herded and mercilessly tied on a rehri, in one of the issues of The Tribune shows clear violation of the Transport of Animals Rules, 1978. Everyday thousands of animals are cruelly transported without the slightest consideration for their comfort and freedom of movement.

As many as 70 or 80 sheep or goats, double the permissible number of cattle and thousands of poultry birds, are packed in trucks, exposing them to lacerations, fractures and other injuries. These birds hung in groups, upside down on cycles, rickshaws or wagons make a horrifying sight. There seems to be no end to this deplorable practice. The Prime Minister, in June last year, wrote to all Chief Ministers about the manner in which animals are transported for slaughter. Nothing substantial has so far happened in this regard.

SOSHIL RATTAN, Amritsar

Recruitment test

The Punjab State Electricity Board advertised a number of posts of Assistant Engineers about a year ago. A test was to be held in December, 2000. Subsequently, for reasons best known to the board, the test was postponed indefinitely. Now the board has decided to hold the test in April, 2001. This date should be extended further so that newcomers who will pass out in May or June, are also able to appear. This will help the board to have a wider choice besides giving a chance to the fresh graduates to apply for the posts.

R.K. SINGLA, Patiala

Amnesty plea

Mr Kuldeep Singh Wadala, president of the SAD (Democratic), has pleaded for amnesty to Sikh militants. Never did these persons represent or fight for the Punjabis. They only killed, looted and sabotaged the harmony in our society. They had no respect for law. It has been the government’s failure to catch these persons and bring them before the law. Their victims have not got justice. It is the government’s duty to bring the guilty to book.

The government should try to get those militants who are absconding from the law deported from the countries they are now living in, and try them in courts of law.

RUPESH JAIN, Jalandhar

Unfair practices

To enable our manufacturers and traders to meet global standards, the globalisation and liberalisation process was initiated by the then Finance Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh. A number of items were brought under the OGL and the free pricing system was introduced.

The intention of the government was to enable the manufacturers to keep the prices competitive and cut input costs to compete with the established houses with regard to quality and price.

Of late many local manufacturers have entered the fray and they produce sub-standard goods. Taking advantage of the free price strategy, they fix the prices on a par with those of reputed and quality products. Thus the price tag allows a big margin to the shopkeepers.

At the same time, the markets are full of foreign goods. Here, in the absence of a price tag, the traders charge at will.

These are unfair trade practices. Norms should be set for fixing sale prices after leaving a certain margin for the manufacturers and traders.

A.P. BHARDWAJ, Chandigarh

Refresher courses

In the past two years, most of the college and university lecturers have been attending refresher courses for eligibility to C.A.S. In government colleges of Haryana which are understaffed, some lecturers have attended two or even three refresher courses in a year, unmindful of the loss to the students.

What have the teachers gained from these courses? The resource persons and their lectures have remained the same. The lecturers have only wasted their time and public money on TA and DA.

Keeping in view the interests of the students, the gap between two such courses should be at least five years and only lecturers appointed after 1.1.96 should be sent to these courses. Some written work should be given to the old lecturers in place of these courses. Such work should be completed along with their teaching work, without leaving the college.

P.S. MALIK, Hisar