Towards peaceful co-existence

 APROPOS of “Even the Dawn’s tone has changed” by Mr Inder Jit (Newsreview, March 18 and the editorial “Lahore begins to pay” (The Tribune, March 22), it must surely be spring in the air. That alone can explain the melting of ice and the refreshing air of reconciliation prevailing around, even among the branded traditional enemies like India and Pakistan. How else can one explain the hitherto impossible and unimaginable Amritsar-to-Lahore bus and buggy ride, and the subsequent goodwill gestures emanating from either side?

Have we finally managed to overcome the inertia of half a century of “Tu tu main main”! If we are upto seizing the proverbial bull of opportunity by the horns, both countries must now pragmatically begin rolling on the kinetic energy and momentum gained through sincere goodwill. Let us hope and pray that this much-celebrated historic trip is remembered as such, and not just another step!

Peaceful co-existence is in the greater interest of everyone. The majority population of both nations favours it. I say if the politician still cannot see the reality of the future and rise accordingly to fulfil what the occasion demands, perhaps due to domestic political compulsions (even those, afterall, are his own creations!), let him now take the back-seat. Given half a chance at the driver’s seat, the common man, I am sure, will be better qualified to cover greater ground, more smoothly, without breakdown, or even red-taped bureaucratic barriers. The reason being that it will be done straight from the heart!

Let us reconcile to the fact that we are destined for a life of togetherness. History has had us as one for centuries. Contemporary times are looking ahead to a future that just cannot be possible separately or constantly, pitting against each other in the fast emerging concept of a global village.

Like many who believe that we should not have been partitioned in the first place, I strongly feel that “reunification” should be seriously considered by the parties concerned. I am positive a great number of people on both sides would actually be happy to reunite the two countries. After all, we are fundamentally one people, aren’t we?

Look at the example Europe is setting. It began with Germany, and continues with the ways of trying to unify the rest of Europe. To keep us apart is to the advantage of the Western nations. The Western news channels gave hardly my importance to this event. Compare this to the fact that every lurid and sordid detail of the US President’s sexual escapades got boringly extensive and tiringly detailed coverage. How can there be any doubt about their areas of concern even now?

VIVEK KHANNA
Panchkula

* * * *

A death-trap

Two fatal truck accidents, claiming six precious human lives and leaving several other pilgrims seriously injured, marred the annual Hola Mohalla at Dera Baba Badbhag Singh (Una) the other day. As per The Tribune reports on the subject, both accidents took place near the truck-parking area at the mela site.

The road leading to the truck-parking area, it is reported, is “kutcha and poorly maintained”. The report adds that some money was collected last year in order to give the accursed road a good shape but, curiously enough, the much-needed exercise has yet to be undertaken.

Under the circumstances, would it not be reasonable to conclude that the tragic accidents were avoidable? I, for one, have a hunch that the neglected accident-prone approach road acted with a vengeance and thus proved a veritable death-trap for the hapless pilgrims. Anyway, would anybody who is somebody in the district/government take the public at large into confidence about the gloomy matter?

TARA CHAND
Ambota (Una)

* * * *

Amritsar needs local buses

Amritsar is a widely spread-out city, but there is no such thing as public transport here. The less said the better about the civic amenities in Amritsar, but the city does deserve a public transport system at least in the name of development.

Whenever I return from my trip to Bombay or Delhi, it gives me great depression when I have to affront illiterate and sometimes difficult rickshaw-pullers and strike a bargain with them. The other way to commute is to hire costly and unorganised three-wheelers. Both modes happen to be very primitive and can only be seen in small cities like Amritsar, where the authorities are not very effective and also because of lack of funds and absence of political will.

We can’t blame the system either or say that Punjab is an agrarian economy, for the simple reason that in the private sector the latest technology is available, ranging from luxury cars to electronic goods and cellular telephones — the list is endless. The problem arises when the government agencies are asked to carry out projects especially when they are state governments and the cities are not metropolitan cities.

Twenty years ago Amritsar proudly boasted of a local bus service run by the Municipal Corporation. But today for those who do not own cars and scooters, especially the members of the fair sex, it is sheer agony to commute from one part of the city to another, being totally dependent on the unorganised sector.

Bombay runs a very efficient bus service along with its famous local trains. The same is true about Delhi and Chandigarh, but things are slightly different there. The city of Amritsar is lagging far behind, and God knows when the authorities will take appropriate steps, if not to start a local train service, at least a good bus service, which covers all major destinations and runs at frequent intervals.

RAJESH KHOSLA
Amritsar