Kashmir crisis: some suggestions

IN the 1965 Indo-Pak conflict, Pakistan concentrated its efforts on winning the Chhamb sector at the cost of other areas and succeeded. India failed to recapture it even in the 1971 war. Pakistan considers it important because it affects the movement of our troops to the Rajouri and Poonch sectors.

Pakistan lost some of its territories in other parts but those places were of little importance to us. Our troops crossed the international border and reached the bank of the Ichhogil canal near Lahore, but they had to come back because it violated international agreements !

Again, in the 1971 conflict, Pakistan concentrated its efforts in the Chhamb sector and India failed to regain its lost ground. The Chhamb sector is still under Pakistani occupation as a result of which the movement of our troops from Jammu to Rajouri and Poonch is not safe.

A similar situation exists in the Kargil sector. Though India succeeded in capturing a few pickets in Kargil in 1971 after suffering heavy casualties, the only road from Srinagar to Leh is still not safe. The district headquarters of Kargil is near the Line of Control (LoC) and we are always at the mercy of Pakistan. Even if we successfully push back Pakistani infiltrators from Kargil-Dras, there is no guarantee for the future. Our line of communication would always be in danger. This is the result of accepting the ceasefire on January 1, 1949, when our troops were advancing.

To minimise the pressure in the Kargil sector, we will have to identify some weak points of the Pakistan army along with the LoC, and our troops should be allowed to strike these points and even cross the LoC. Why should Indian troops always remain on the defensive?

Meanwhile, efforts should be made to maintain the road which passes through Himachal Pradesh to Leh via Rohtang Pass so that it becomes an all-weather road and the movement of our troops could be possible throughout the year.

ARJUN SINGH CHHETRI
Manjoo (Solan)

Power theft: the truth

I was impressed by the concern shown by your correspondent’s report that electricity worth about Rs 1.5 crore is stolen by illegal colonies through kundi connections every month. The concern of the UT Electricity Department to stop these kundi connections is truly admirable.

At the same time it occurs to me that these people seem to be missing out on the more important and far more extensive instances of power theft by bulk users.

Just to give you an idea, the following are the comparative power consumption figures:

* One illegally installed airconditioner required power enough to illuminate 60 hutments.

* One illegally installed water booster requires power enough for two hutments.

* One illegally installed water geyser consumes power requirements of 30 hutments.

In Chandigarh’s Sectors 7 and 39, in the government houses, there are over 1000 airconditioners installed illegally. In other words the officers of the government are stealing electricity as much as 60,000 hutments would require.

As a concerned reader of The Tribune, I would be grateful if you could do something to stop this theft rather than raise the bogey of power theft in the illegal colonies.

M. RAJIV LOCHAN
Chandigarh

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Haryana pensioners

The government of Haryana has made tremendous achievements during its tenure of three years or so. As per Press reports, the trials have already started to give round-the-clock power supply with effect from June 30, 1999, for which the government needs all appreciation. Haryana had also committed to granting revised pay scales and pension to its employees and pensioners as per the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission, as accepted by the Central government, but the same have not been fully implemented so far in respect of the pensioners.

In Haryana, according to a Department of Finance notification dated March 9, 1998, regarding the implementation of the decision on revised pension and pension-related matters of pensioners/family pensioners, it was stipulated that the arrears of pension where these exceed Rs 5000 should be paid in two instalments. The first instalment was drawn and paid immediately while separate orders were to be issued for the release of the second instalment. More than 14 months have already passed but no orders have so far been issued for the release of the second instalment by Haryana.

The employees have already been paid the full amount of arrears on account of pay revision. Why this discrimination? The pensioners are hard-pressed and are unable to discharge some of their liabilities/responsibilities due to the non-receipt of this amount.

The Government of Haryana should issue the necessary orders for the release of the balance arrears.

K. L. KHATTAR
Panchkula

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Strange situation

The front-page news-item “Fourteen troops missing” (The Tribune, May 26) compels one to analyse the strange human behaviour. On the one hand, the top dignitaries of both India and Pakistan join hands for restoring peace in the region, on the other hand, life on the boundaries of their own countries have become vulnerable. What a strange situation?

Memory of the historic launch of the bus service between India and Pakistan is still alive among the people on both sides. Then why are a few shrewd politicians not allowing harmonious relationships among the two countries?

Neither India nor Pakistan can afford huge defence budgets. Moreover, though both have a democratic set-up, the yearning of millions for peace is not met.

How strange it is that even during a non-war era military officers and jawans of both sides are dying in Kargil. Whenever there are peace talks between the two governments, how would the families of those killed in border areas rate such talks? I don’t feel political big-wigs are so sincere in solving the issues involved.

M.P.S. CHADHA
Chandigarh

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Water problem

This is to express concern for the decreasing water-table and the urgent need to take measures to replete it. I agree with Dr S. D. Khepar that we have to decrease the ground-water draft and increase its charge by taking measures as suggested. Also the public should be made aware of this problem and every drop of water be conserved. All leaking taps be repaired, etc. Otherwise that day is not very far when water would be as expensive as oil.

MANDEEP S. NAGRA
Indianapolis (USA)