Strikes cripple the economy

Strikes these days have become a common place. Like corruption it has engulfed all the departments of the government at the Centre as well as in the states. Union leaders use it as a convenient and easy tool to beat the government of the day with, and the administration wakes up only at the last moment and announces all sorts of absurd promises to look into the grievances of its employees, ostensibly to win them over.

The recent strike by postal employees crippled the already dying economy of the country. This was followed by strikes by nurses, doctors and university teachers.

We resort to strikes even on trivial issues to pressurise the government to give in and dole out additional amounts to them at the cost of other employees, especially private sector employees, because the burden of the additional outflow falls on them in the form of inflation.

All political parties should ponder over the bad effects of strikes on the Indian economy as also the running of the government. Governance is not the responsibility of the ruling party only. Parties sitting in the opposition are equally responsible, and they must lend their helping hand to the ruling party on issues of national interest. They must rise above negative politics and help each other for building an economically strong India.

Like tax holiday, there should be a strike holiday for at least two years in all the departments of the government and private establishments so that the government can run its business smoothly and tackle other pressing problems facing the country. But, at the same time, no employer or the government should be allowed to harass its employees during the period of strike holiday.

T. BHATTACHARYA

Panchkula

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Mother and child

With reference to Mr Harish Khanna’s letter, “Mother’s name” (Aug 14), I wish to state that in a TV serial on August 13 one of the panelists informed that in most other countries (European and American) in all documents the mother’s name is desired. The panelist very rightly put forth that it should be so in India also.

In other countries single or divorced mothers have no stigma in society; so there it is mother’s name which is mentioned in various documents if so desired.

She was right when she said that it was the mother whose sacrifice is much greater than a child’s father. She bears the child for nine months, undergoes pangs of pain, and is exposed to risks of complications.

She has more responsibility in bringing up the child, especially if she is earning and is not dependent on her husband and living alone, divorced or unwed, single or a widow.

Why should a woman not have her own identity? Why should a child not bear her name?

SAKSHI

Chandigarh

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Two-child norm

I read with immense interest the editorial “The population agenda” (September 17) favourably reacting to the Congress’s reported policy decision to enforce the “two-child norm” for the party’s office-bearers and “ticket-seekers”. Well, I am not as enthusiastic about the Congress recipe on the subject as you seem to be. To my mind, the policy in question seems too radical/impracticable to click. In fact, the very implementation of the policy seems difficult.

As an alternative, the powers that be would be well-advised to promote the idea of “voluntary retirement” in a bid to achieve the desideratum. Why unjustifiably block the way of those impatiently “waiting in the wings” to have a glimpse of the romantic world of Clintons & Co.?

To my mind, the suggested course of action,if strictly adhered to , would ensure smooth flow of the perennial “stream of population”, thus dissolving the nagging problem once and for all.

TARA CHAND

Ambota (Una)

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School affiliation rules

The Punjab School Education Board has recently revised the rules for the affiliation of senior secondary schools. For urban schools, the minimum requirement of land has been raised from three kanals to 10 kanals — a steep five-fold increase in one go. It is well-nigh impossible to acquire more land in or around cities.

The endownment fund to be paid has also been raised five times from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1,50,000. Previously this amount could be paid in instalments, but now the entire amount has to be paid in lump-sum.

The sore point is that these revised conditions are not applicable to the already affiliated schools, even though the board’s affiliation is extended on a year-to-year basis. Such harsh conditions for new affiliations and lenient ones for the old schools is a gross discrimination.

The Servants of the People Society, Hoshiarpur, a branch of an all-India body headed by the Vice-President of India, is running schools to serve the weaker sections of society, charging the minimum fee from children. It applied for affiliation of its proposed senior secondary classes in its Lajpat Rai Shiksha Kendar, which is already affiliated upto matriculation and has a beautiful campus of seven kanals donated by a philanthropist, but the new rules have become an impediment.

The board should apply the old rules on humanitarian grounds at least for such institutions as are already engaged in serving the educational needs of the poor sections of society.

BALWANT SINGH KHERA

Hoshiarpur

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Who bothers about passengers?

I want to draw the attention of the Haryana government towards the buses of Haryana Roadways. Passengers have to face a lot of inconvenience because of the deplorable condition of the Roadways buses.

In the rainy season, many buses start leaking owing to small holes in the roof. In winter, passengers feel too much cold because of broken windowpanes.

Despite all this, the government is always ready to increase the bus fares. May I ask: is it justified?

SUNIL KAPOOR

Chandigarh