Welcoming Pak engineers

  IT is customary for educational institutions to hold annual meetings for welcoming their old students, but the one held by Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, on March 7 was with a difference: a high dignitary of the rank of Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University was invited to preside over it and honour eight of its old students from Pakistan.

Not only this, the worthy Vice-Chancellor killed two birds with one stone; he also made use, of this occasion to convey to his counterpart in Lahore the desirability of opening at least some channel of communication between the two universities, and as a token of his friendship he even sent a memento to him through the leader of the old students.

A day earlier, an equally warm welcome was accorded to them by the members of the Institution of Engineers (India). Besides these two public functions, the visitors were entertained as guests of honour by their class-fellows in Chandigarh.

These were no ordinary engineers from Pakistan. All of them were over 70 in age and had attained excellence in their respective lines. One of them had retired as Major-General, two as Brigadiers and one as Colonel in the Pakistan army. Whatever the reason for showing so much of respect towards them, the congenial climate generated by Prime Minister Vajpayee’s historic bus journey to Lahore was the main motivating factor.

The engineers as a class belong to that segment of society which keeps on serving it without the distinction of any caste or creed. Whatever be their drawbacks, and these are many, they possess a scientific outlook and temperament and are trained in the art of making bridges where none exists.

The Indus Water Treaty of 1960, which they hammered out to resolve the river water dispute between India and Pakistan, is a shining example of this trait of theirs. It goes to the credit of its authors that the treaty has survived two wars.

The remaining disputes between India and Pakistan are multi-dimensional and hence very complex in nature. Can the engineers of the two countries inspire confidence in their respective sides once again to lend a a helping hand to solve at least some of the problems.

S.P. MALHOTRA
formerly Engineer-in-Chief,
Irrigation Deptt, Haryana
Panchkula

Strikes and banks

Nine bank employee unions have threatened to go on an indefinite strike from March 17. This challenge should be accepted.

As bank strikes in Eire, Italy and Sri Lanka a few years ago have shown, such a development will not lead to any disaster. Since the Indian economy is still partly on barter, and also currency preference-oriented, people can manage their affairs. Let the union leaders and employees face the wrath of pensioners, industrial workers and others whose salaries are paid through the banks.

Since the strike will be illegal, it will give an opportunity to clean up the banking industry once and for all by taking the following steps:

(1) Cut eight days’ salary for every day of the strike under the Payment of Wages Act.

(2) Treat the strike as a break in service and re-hire only good and loyal staff. The long-time commitment of the industry will be considerably reduced.

(3) Derecognise bank unions, whose leaders at various levels are being looked after by the banks/without doing any bank work.

The firm, though belated, action taken against Air Traffic Controllers has conclusively shown that firmness in public interest always pays in India.

The bid question is: will the banks, Finance Ministry mandarins and politicians have the courage and competence to defend public interest?

M. R. PAI
Mumbai

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An ideal teacher

On receiving the news of Mrs Champa Mangat Rai’s demise, my husband and myself rushed to her house. She lay among the flowers she always loved so much.

In character, in manners and in style the supreme excellence is simplicity — this is what we all at GCW, Srinagar (Kashmir), learnt from her. We all loved and respected her and she loved us too. The warmth of her affections will always remain fresh in our minds for the days to come.

She was elegant, polite and humane. She was always busy organising debates, declamation contests or a fete for the Red Cross, and directed several English plays. Her activities kept us busy too. She loved to play table tennis. We had a table tennis club in our college, where we used to get together in the evenings.

I remember how we all had felt on hearing the news of her divorce, but she faced it bravely though she was never the same again. Finally, she decided to come back to GCW, Chandigarh, to resume her duties. We all missed her at GCW, Srinagar.

That day looking at her serene face and her body lying so still, I felt as if a multi-act play, directed and enacted by her, has come to an end. The numerous flowers and bouquets showered on her gave the message that she played her role to the best of her spirit, with matchless dignity, humility, courage and excellence. How efficiently she concealed her loneliness.

On behalf of the old students GCW, Srinagar, I take the privilege of paying our heartfelt tributes to our most loved teacher — Mrs Champa Mangat Rai.

KULDIP JOHAL,
Ex-Head of the Botany Dept,
KCW, Sidhwan Khurd
Ludhiana

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Cheers and tears

The editorial “Hinged on hope” (March 11) focused ample critical light on the Himachal budget for 1999-2000. By and large, I share the views expressed therein. Candidly speaking, the budget seems to be a mixed bag of cheers and tears, with tears predominating.

The reduction in sales tax on some items, albeit welcome, is not likely to bring any tangible relief to the common man. For experience shows that the money-hungry trading community seldom allows the benefits in the matter to percolate down to the harried consumer. The hike in tax on diesel, on the other hand, would certainly have a “cascading effect” on the general price situation, thus making the existence for the common man all the more miserable.

An operation, pruning of the painfully bulky administrative set-up is, of course, an imperative of the financial health of the state, as the editorial points out. Sadly, however, the budget is absolutely silent on the vital point.

Whether the Centre would come to the rescue of the financially starved state with liberal special assistance is a moot point. I, for one, am not very optimistic about the matter.

The formation of four new public sector undertakings may, however, be hailed as a welcome “employment-oriented” step. It would also help the powers that be adjust at least some of their favourites as Chairmen/Vice-Chairmen of the corporations.

TARA CHAND
Ambota (Una)