The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

I have a special regard for Mr Siya Lal, who worked for my company as a foreman long ago and now runs a small labour contract company responsible for the bread of about 15 people.

I know the norms and culture of this city will not like me to raise such uneasy questions for the heartless elite of this city. Somehow this city has no place for workers, farmers and villagers. They must suffer at the hands of the urbanites.

S. K. GARG, on e-mail

Medical seats on sale

The Haryana Government has done something, which no other state in the country dare even think of. This year for admission to the M.B.B.S. course in Medical College, Rohtak, the state government has earmarked 15 per cent of the seats as an N.R.I. quota. Each seat will be sold for about Rs 35 lakh.

The state has only one medical college and seat availability for each student is probably the lowest in the country. All general category students seeking admission on merit will compete for only 41 seats, which also include the sports quota. The government must reverse this decision, which is not in the interest of hard-working, economically poor students.

ALKA SINGHAL, Faridabad

SYL project

Thousands of employees are posted at the S.Y.L. project in Punjab and they draw huge salaries, but for what? Crores of rupees have been spent on the S.Y.L. canal project by Punjab, but for what? Machinery for the project is lying waste. Every year the Punjab Government spends a few crores on maintaining the incomplete S.Y.L. canal before the monsoon but still we face floods.

If the S.Y.L. project is completed, it will boost the economy of Punjab. We can be richer in power generation because two power houses are to be built across the S.Y.L. canal in Punjab.

It is for the first time that Haryana farmers have approached Akal Takht for the completion of S.Y.L. Canal Project and I hope Akal Takht will issue “Hukamnama” directing Mr P.S. Badal to complete the project.

Dr NARESH RAJ, Patiala

“Maha Punjab”: I have read the news given by Varinder Walia about the Haryana farmers’ appeal to Akal Takht. They have also threatened to launch a movement for “Maha Punjab”. If “Maha Punjab” comes into existence, all disputes like the SYL canal, inter-state river waters, transfer of Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas will automatically be solved.

But this will not be possible unless Haryana kisans unite the kisans of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab also. I assure them that the public in general of the three states will give kisans its full support. But political parties, especially those in power, will oppose them.

B. S. SHARMA, Amritsar

Haryana claims: Apropos the editorial on the SYL canal project (May 28), Haryana wants to get a share of the waters from the Yamuna river (Ganga basin) and the three eastern rivers of the Indus Basin i.e. the Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi. How can this be possible?

The controversial issue had led to the shedding of blood by many innocent engineers engaged in the task assigned to them.

Dr G. S. DHILLON, Chandigarh

Ordnance performance

This is with reference to the letter of Lt-Gen S.S. Sandhu (retd) (May 22). I can well imagine the anguish and feelings of the General for he has been probably the best Dy DOS & DOS, Army Ordnance Corps, has had since Independence. He drove everyone at Army Headquarters and depots hard and himself still harder to keep up the good name of the Corps.

I still remember with nostalgia how we worked and burnt proverbial midnight oil at Army Hq when others slept, preparing agenda points, data, notes and talking points for the meetings with the DGSD, DGOF, Secretary (Defence production) and Secretary (Supply) to whip up the tempo for expediting supplies.

However, the system, unaccountable as it is, takes its toll. How long can human beings fight it? The lesser mortals could not sustain the tempo and it is with dismay that we the veterans find the low ebb the Corps has landed into.

Brig K.P.S. DHILLON, Chandigarh

Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Let us celebrate the bicentenary of the coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh by (a) undertaking repair and renovations of the Bathinda Fort. All the weaponry, relics and art collections be housed here. Let us all donate generously and undertake this task as a “kar seva”

(b) making a replica of the Zuma-Zum guns by girting our brass and bronze utensils as was done by the Muslim clergy for the Mughals.

(c) opening a Khalsa school and a college at Bathinda named after the Sher-e-Punjab to serve as feeder institutes to our defence services with the curriculum of military history and information technology.

(d) renaming the Jodhpur-Jammu Tawi Express by which a large number of soldiers also travel as Ranjit Fort Express to link the forts at Jammu, Bathinda, Bikaner and Jodhpur and (e) installing a full-size statue of the Maharaja on a horse at the Fort main gate with the Zuma-Zum guns on both sides.

Lt Col DAYA SINGH (retd), Bathinda

Curbing corruption

Here are a few ways of curbing corruption:

Although the department/section in-charge is supposed to give a clean administration and be in the know of acts of his subordinates, he closes his eyes to the misdeeds of his subordinates either to get cheap popularity or in league with them at times. If we hold the in-charge responsible for all acts of his immediate subordinates, i.e., if a person is caught in corruption his immediate superior would also be hauled up and questioned, corruption is expected to decrease appreciably.

There is a general perception that although a large number of bureaucrats are corrupt, only a few are caught as we do not have adequate and honest vigilance machinery. To overcome this deficiency, it is proposed to carry out investigation/raids in a random manner.

A master list of all bureaucrats up to the Cabinet/Chief Secretary inclusive of vigilance personnel needs to be prepared and names for investigation/raids are to be selected on the basis of random numbers generated by a computer or a similar mechanism.

The names of personnel who have been investigated should be retained on the master list, lest one should feel free to venture after being investigated. The fear of such random investigations/ raids would force people to be honest. These investigations should be in addition to the ones undertaken be the vigilance cells routinely.

Air Cdr K.J.S. SOHANPAL, Chandigarh

Policy of appeasement

Apropos the editorial “Throwback to Nazi era” (May 24), India too is indirectly responsible for the barbaric outrage of Taliban against Hindus. It is only our policy of appeasement towards our neighbours that has encouraged even small countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and now Afghanistan in their acts of hostility towards us.

VED GULIANI, Hisar

Ban on tuitions

The recent Haryana government ban on tuitions by lecturers may prove counter-productive. With competition for medical and engineering seats increasing, lack of coaching is sure to affect students’ performance in the entrance exams.

Some school teachers have become greedy and they intentionally don't reach well in the class so as to compel students to take tuitions.

If such a ban has to be applied, the quality of education and teaching in schools should be improved first.

Instead of college teachers, it would be better to ban school teachers from taking tuitions. At least this will make them teach so well in the class that children don't need any extra guidance. Moreover, it should be made obligatory for schools to impart coaching for entrance exams.

Another alternative is that entrance tests should be banned and admissions should be made purely on merit.

ARSHIA BHANDARI, Panipat

Education shops: The ban on tuitions by teachers is a step in the right direction. It will help shut down "education shops" where students are easily swindled in the name of competitive examination.

AKASH GHAI, SAS Nagar