M A I L B A G

Spread ‘water literacy’

This refers to many news items on water , SYL (politics) and available water resources, ground water depletion etc. As per the law of diminishing returns, water has already become the most important limiting factor and even the biggest threat in sustaining increased growth rate in agricultural production in Punjab.

In fact, under the highly irrigation-intensive agriculture followed in the state the water balance scenario, worked out way back in 1993 by Prihar et al., has shown a net deficit of 12.5 MAF of irrigation water (39.7 MAF of total normative water requirement minus 27.2 MAF of available fresh water resources), because of which the existing water resources have been stressed beyond their limits. The problem is getting further accentuated due to increasing unplanned agricultural-intensification, cultivation of water-intensive crops like rice, sugarcane, etc., pumping of groundwater faster than the aquifers are replenished and increasing urban/industrial needs.

But in spite of such a factual deficit, huge quantities of water are being allowed to get lost (evaporation, deep percolation, etc.) or wasted (excessive irrigation, rising watertable/waterlogging) at farm level, mainly because of negligible awareness/realisation (water illiteracy) of the farmers to properly adopt the recommended site/crop-specific water management practices, which in turn results in rather low water-use efficiency (production/unit of water).

Surprisingly, while we are fighting for generating additional water resources (by putting in huge expenditure), hardly any concern is expressed about the conservation of existing water resources and necessity of their efficient utilisation at the farm level.

Dr. M.S. BAJWA, Ludhiana

Power sector

Power engineers have been rightly criticising the westernised ideology of market forces being promoted by the Haldeal Committee appointed by the Punjab Government to suggest reforms in the power sector. The Word Bank-sponsored privatisation of the power sector in Punjab will not only destroy the agricultural economy of the state and make electricity beyond the reach of the common man but also cripple the state industry .

One must learn lessons from the experiences of others and should not commit the same follies. Vertically integrated electricity boards are the best suited for India provided they are insulated from political interference.

V.K. GUPTA, Ropar

Verka milk supply

I have all the praise for the person who has taken the pains to expose the malpractice indulged in by the Verka Milk Plant. This corruption is being done in a very systematic and well thought of manner. After every couple of days/weeks and in very irregular period, the pouches are filled with un-noticeable less quantity of milk. For example say by 20 to 25 ml (gms). In a city like Chandigarh, where lakhs of milk pouches are sold in one day, they save thousands of litres of milk on that day. This fetches them thousands of rupees by selling this unaccounted for milk on the black market. This corrupt practice has been going on for long.

I have had similar personal experience of underweight milk pouches many times in the past many years. I settled in Chandigarh after retirement in 1979. At that time, milk was sold in glass bottles of 500 ml capacity.

Once I noticed a dead fly sticking inside the bottle. It appeared the milk plant was not washing and sterilising the bottles in the prescribed manner before refilling. I was very upset and after contacting the Manager on the telephone, I told him that he was playing with the health of the people by supplying unhygienic milk. He appeared to be very sorry for the lapse. I did not pursue the matter further.

D.R. SINGAL, ex-Chairman, Punjab State Pollution Control Board, Chandigarh.

Asia’s first?

We have Asia’s largest grain market at Khanna, Asia’s largest gobar gas plant at Jamalpur, near Ludhiana, and God knows how many more firsts in Asia are in India. The latest addition to this list is brought by a front-page report “Asia’s longest ropeway by year-end in Gulmarg” (Jan 7). I doubt if there is any Asian body which verifies such claims and issues certificates in case they are found correct.

MANJIT INDER SINGH JOHAL, Mandiani, Ludhiana

Sehajdharis’ right to vote

Mr H.S. Mattewal has very wisely put the legal and historical perspective in his article “Should Sehajdharis have right to vote in SGPC elections?” (Jan 5). But the situation in the present context is very different. Now there are more Patit Sikhs than ever before who trim their beard, take alcohol, opium, tobacco or other intoxicants and are not eligible as Sikh voters. Should they be enrolled as voters in the guise of Sehajdharis?

BALDEV SINGH, Amritsar

Castrate dogs

The population of dogs is increasing at an alarming rate as the killing of dogs by poison baits has been banned. Many road accidents take place due to stray dogs. The dogs should be castrated so that their population goes down. I think there is no need to take the permission of President Bush for castrating dogs nor any foreign exchange is required.

SURJIT SINGH, Ludhiana

Waiting for pension

Capt Amarinder Singh has announced that government-aided school teachers (retired) will get the pension and other facilities equal to the government school teachers. Our cases are lying with the DPI office and we are waiting for a favourable decision.

SAVITRI SONI, Kotkapura

English stenos

Though unemployment cannot be eradicated on all fronts, there is a wide scope for matriculates, undergraduates and graduates to enter the field of English stenography.

Pick up any day’s newspapers or employment notices, you will find vacancies for English stenos, PA & Private Secretary, having a good command over English and well versed in handling independent correspondence. Now, elementary knowledge of computer has also become essential. A large number of vacancies exist but candidates are not available.

T.S. PHULL, Patiala