M A I L B A G

DAV colleges and the law

THIS refers to the news report “DAV colleges above the law” (The Tribune, July 10).

Unfortunately, the deep-rooted problem of maladministration of various affiliated-aided DAV colleges in Haryana and other states is not only due to the high handedness of the self-styled management in New Delhi but also due to the indifferent and apathetic attitude of the government concerned and the university authorities, mainly the Dean of Colleges. Consequently, the teachers and other employees working in these colleges continue to suffer as there is no coordination between the government and the university authorities.

Surprisingly, the Vice-Chancellors are subservient to the satate bureaucracy, and the teaching community by and large is docile and ignorant about its lawful rights and duties. As per the Security of Service Act and the University Rules, a post of lecturer/principal in a non-government recognised college is a “selction post” by way of direct recruitment on an all-India advertisement basis.

There is no provision for the appointment of a lecturer or principal by way of promotion or arbitrary transfer. Further the governing body of each affiliated college is the appointing authority of its staff. Thus any advertisement, selection, appointment or transfer made by the DAV Management, New Delhi, in a DAV College is illegal and the same can not be approved by the Director, Higher Education, Haryana, and the Vice-Chancellors of Kurukshetra University and MDU, Rohtak.

UMESH KUMAR
Faridabad

Honesty in police uniform

In these dark times when easy lucre is fast becoming the goal of all and sundry, and the reputation of the police is equally (if not more) tainted, and incident involving us should serve to rekindle the hope that humanity is still alive and honesty in police uniform exists.

On July 2 I and my family were returning back to Rohtak from Delhi after a period of vacation and marriage in the family. Thus in my purse I was carrying ornaments worth over Rs lakh and some hard cash.

En route we stopped at a car-audio repair shop near the Liberty Cinema hall. As it was a mater of minutes, I got out leaving the purse in my son’s custody. However, he also decided to follow me out and in the hurry of getting back, forgot the purse on a scooter parked nearby. It was only after sometime that we realised that the purse was missing.

In a city like Delhi, and that too a public place, logic clearly indicated that it would be impossible to get the purse back. However, placing faith against logic, we immediately drove back. As things would be, the purse had been kept lying on the scooter for quite some time. Then a Home Guards man handed it over to the traffic policemen on duty. On our reaching the spot, the purse was handed over to us, completely intact with all its contents.

Such an incident today can be termed as nothing less than a miracle and should definitely serve as a faith reinforcer. It also shows that conscience-driven people are still there in our midst, more so policemen though society at large has no faith in them.

I would like to end with the names of the policemen concerned. They were ASI Akhtar Khan, constable Vinod Kumar and constable Satender Kumar, posted at the Karol Bagh Traffic Circle. There was also a Delhi Home Guards jawan, whose identity we could not note down.

HARNITA CHOWDHARY,
Director,
Shri Baba Mastnath Institute of
Management Studies & Research,
Asthal Bohar (Rohtak)

A no-party democracy

Uganda, which has witnessed all kinds of political systems in its tumultuous history since its independence from Britain in 1962, is the only country in Africa to have adopted a unique system of governance — no-party democracy or a “movement system”.

It must be stated at the outset that the “movement system” in Uganda, also known as the National Resistance Movement, is not at all the same thing as the one-party form of government. The movement is not a party because one does not need to register as a member. You, therefore, cannot be expelled from the movement. One is also free to express one’s opinion openly at any time.

The present Head of State of Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni, who seized power in Kampala 14 years ago through a revolutionary takeover, is the ideologue of this system. According to him, Uganda is “not reinventing the wheel as far as democracy to improve on it”.

Ugandans claim to have a free press and an independent judiciary. They are proud to have started a universal primary education programme in 1996. There is also free health care.

ATTAR CHAND
Delhi

Unwanted speed-breakers

On a narrow road in Phase-I, Urban Estate, Dugri Road, Ludhiana, two speed-breakers have come up quite recently opposite house Nos. 223 and 224. There is absolutely no justification or utility at all of these speed-breakers in this residential area as there does not exist any VIP or VVIP bungalow, hospital or school on either side of these road obstacles. Nor is there any busy crossing also. These are a source of nuisance and noise pollution for residents.

In fact, these obstacles are peace-breakers for them. Street lights in the area function rarely. Those who travel frequently on this road depend on their memory while for those new to the area, these structures are dangerous, more particularly, in the absence of any visible or invisible reflectors to warn them of the speed-breakers ahead.

Besides damage to the engines of many vehicles, there have been instances of physical injuries to the public. Recently, a motorist, new to the area, fell prey to these obstacles and had to be hospitalised for serious injuries to his head as his vehicle failed to slow down at the site.

Under the circumstances, the sooner these obstacles are removed the better it would be in public interest.

TARA CHAND
Ludhiana