M A I L B A G

Playing quota politics to woo voters

In her article "Reservation in private sector" (Sept 25), Ellora Puri has enlightened the readers about the American practice of affirmative programmes. Her analysis is in sharp contrast to Udit Raj's article (Sept 7). The affirmative action programme, as in the US, is viewed in the spirit in which we regard the guiding principles of the Indian Constitution. According to Margareta Sykes, it is a set of policies and initiatives developed to help eliminate past and present discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex or natural origin.

President Lyndon Johnson used the term 'affirmative action' in 1965 to give equal employment opportunities to women. As for the industry, it has volunteered to adopt this programme to make industry more competitive and efficient.

The judgement in the year-old US Supreme Court case concerning university admissions, referred to as 'recent' is based on the merits of individual cases. Race, as pointed out by Ellora Puri, is one of the factors considered here. It is not taken as the exclusive or predominant factor in the admission decision. Similarly, anyone benefiting from this programme is required to have valid and relevant job or equal qualifications. It is wrong to presume, as Udit Raj did in his article, that the population factor was considered by the industry.

Nobody will mind if the poor are regarded as poor regardless of their caste, colour or creed and provided the means to educate themselves and compete with others. But the problem in India is that politicians divide the people on the basis of caste for garnering votes.

Dr JAGDISH BATRA, Sonepat

II

Reservations in educational institutions or jobs should be phased out in a definite time-frame. Reservations on the basis of caste go against the basic ethos of "equal opportunity". We should promote meritocracy and instill confidence in the youth that merit, fairness and equal opportunity will prevail. Socially underprivileged sections should be given liberal financial aid. The only criterion for such aid should be economic status.

We should build the nation on the bulwark of merit rather than dividing it on caste lines. All citizens should have equal opportunity to education, jobs and other rights in accordance with their merit.

SHRUTI SHARMA, Palampur (HP)

Honour Mulk Raj

Mulk Raj Anand was a great visionary whose ideas and thoughts mark the beginnings of the making of modern India. He had been associated with Panjab University both in the pre- and post-independent India. It's now Panjab University's turn to pay him an eloquent tribute by installing a Chair in his name in the university. A biennial memorial lecture series on art, culture and literature will also help perpetuate his memory.

PREM SINGH, Noida

II

Mulk Raj Anand believed that "fiction should not live in an ivory tower". The writers should participate in people's movement and play a creative, formative and constructive role. He championed the cause of the downtrodden, yet he wrote in the language of the elite. While R.K. Narayan observed the social milieu with amusement and noted its oddities and Raja Rao turned philosophical in his works, Mulk Raj Anand portrayed social oppression of the disadvantaged, influenced by Karl Marx and Mahatma Gandhi.

VIJAY SHEEL JAIN, Ludhiana

Breakdown in Nathpa units I have read with concern the news-item "Silt causes breakdown in 3 Nathpa units" (Sept 17). At the stage of planning and design, studies are carried out in regard to the size of the silt and the silt load. These studies are communicated to the manufacturer/supplier of the generating equipment of the power plant. The turbines are designed and manufactured taking into consideration the size and the load of the silt. The design is adopted to ensure that no corrosion is caused to the turbine parts. The liability of the damage, if any, caused is that of the manufacturer/ supplier. The Nathpa Jhakri authorities would, I hope, have taken necessary action in this regard. As regards the remedial measures to reduce the silt content, a suitable silt excluding device needs to be provided after relevant model studies to test the efficiency of such a device. G.R. KALRA, Former Chief Engineer, Ranjit Sagar Dam Design Orgn., (Punjab Irrigation), Chandigarh