M A I L B A G

India’s recordin exporting corruption

India has been ranked 30th in the Transparency International 2006 Bribe Payers Index with a score of 4.62 (The Tribune, Oct 5). India has now become the most corrupt exporting nation in the world too. This is a matter of serious concern. When Indian business is aggressively scouting to buy out foreign companies, India has been repeatedly branded as one of the world’s most corrupt countries.

The ranking suggests that we have few institutional checks and balances to ensure that business, at home or abroad, is conducted in an ethical manner. Files take a very long time to move, civil servants seem beyond accountability and the judicial system is dogged with delays.

Several international companies have complained that it is difficult to do business in India, as palms have to be greased at every level to get things done. Corruption is not only confined to politicians or the government machinery alone but to entire society at all levels. In short, ends justify the means.

The issues of governance and accountability have to be enforced at all levels to eliminate corruption and ensure rapid growth of our economy. The laws have to be implemented faster and stricter. The President, the Prime Minister and chief ministers should realise the dangers of corruption and take faster and effective action to root out corruption and ensure good governance if India is to achieve faster economic growth.

S. NARAYAN, Mumbai

II

The low ranking given to countries like Switzerland and other European Nations has to be understood properly. So far as their export market is concerned, very large portion is assured because the rest of the world does not have the capacity to substitute. Hence, these countries do not have to work that hard to increase their exports.

Moreover, the West has had almost a colonial like grip over the rest of the world’s market and necessarily it requires great effort to break into it. But countries like India, China, Russia and Brazil, which have a fair deal of infrastructure themselves (especially, India which could not exploit foreign markets before globalisation, but is in a position to do so now) have to work hard to get into the market and work against those already established.

Thus, to displace countries like Australia, the UK, Sweden in areas in which India and China can compete requires very massive effort as against these European countries. This is a Third World phenomenon which has to be understood in that context.

I wish Transparency International had also pointed out which are the bribe takers in the context of this survey.

MADHAV RAJ, New Delhi

III

The corruption index, prepared by the World Economic Forum’s Executive opinion survey 2006, clearly indicates the stage of corruption we have
reached when there is no respect for honesty or law. Interestingly, India has been ranked 30th.

We are not at all surprised at this rank, but we shall feel proud that we also beat the communist nations China and Russia. We hope that after this investigation the ball has been set rolling. The government should adopt more stringent measures to root our corruption.

BIDYUT KUMAR CHATTERJEE. Faridabad

Wider corridor for wildlife General S.F. Rodrigues, Administrator, Chandigarh UT, has rightly asked the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal to make joint efforts in setting up Great Shivalik National Park to restore the bio-diversity of the Shivalik region and develop it as an ideal habitat for wildlife. The states were told that this move would ensure continuity of forest areas and provide a wider corridor for the movement of wildlife from one side to another. Chandigarh’s efforts in this regard have also been highlighted in the communication. The states were told that the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary will be developed further. A large number of water bodies, grazing grounds and good habitats have been developed in the catchment areas of the Sukhna. The Union Ministry of Forests and Environment has been told of the move and its help sought. This Ministry has already sought the comments of the states. Another aspect in which the states can benefit from the experience of Chandigarh is its fight against Lantana weed. Other regions of the Shivalik’s may face this problem if not tackled with a sense of urgency. Dr G.S. DHILLON, Chandigarh

Teachers’ transfer

The Punjab government has decided that only those primary schools having one or two teachers should be brought under the control of panchayats. However, to hand over certain schools of Barnala block to panchayats, the Sangrur district education authorities first under-reported the number of teachers and, then, transferred many of them to make schools eligible for panchayati control. Though teachers have protested against this, no action has been taken.

KULDIP SINGH DHANAULA, Chandigarh