M A I L B A G

Need to wage a war on encroachments

The increasing encroachments in our cities including Chandigarh are a result of blatant violation of the bye-laws by the enforcement authorities. The violators are either influential or the poor and unprivileged who draw support from corrupt officials and politicians. In many illegal colonies, markets etc., enforcement officials have grabbed huge properties in benami names. They should be brought to book.

The unplanned and unabated growth of slums and encroachments by migratory labour will breed an unhygienic and deceased society, rising crime rate and other problems. Provision of alternatives sites/ tenements, free water and power to slum dwellers should be discouraged to stop their migration to cities.

In a foreign country, even spitting in public places is an offence. How come encroachments and open defecation do not attract any penal action here? The remedy lies in rehabilitating the slum dwellers in planned colonies away from the city and clearing all encroachments once and for all.

P.C. SANGHI, Chief Engineer (retd) & Councillor, City Corpn., Chandigarh

Devoid of geopolitical wisdom IN his article “Bush declares war for freedom” (Jan 22), K. Subramanyam has rightly brought out the gap between American words and deeds. President Bush is following the footsteps of Woodrow Wilson, who to “make the world safe for democracy” opined “to arm itself on scale unprecedented in peace time”. He believed that “global powers have global interests.” More than one and a half century ago, Simon Bolivar said, “The United States seems destined to plague and torment the continent in the name of freedom.” Now the sphere has been enlarged. Is democracy playing realpolitik or is it geopolitical strategy in action? War for freedom and fighting for democracy are indeed noble ideals, but devoid of geopolitical wisdom, they sound hollow. Sqn-Ldr KRISHAN SHARMA (retd), Panchkula

Restore holiday

The Tribune news-item regarding the cancellation of holiday on account of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary has really brought the actual face of Gujarat Chief Minister Mr Narendra Modi before the people of India. The Tribune has done a credible job by publishing this news-item.

We need The Tribune’s support to prevail upon the Modi government in Gujarat to annul this decision in the larger interest of our country.

GOBIND RAM, Municipal Councillor, Ferozepur Cantt

II

The news-item has deeply hurt me in particular and the Sikh community at large. This action of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is highly deplorable. As it will send wrong signals to the minority community of secular India, Mr Modi should reverse the decision.

RAJINDER SINGH, Ferozepur City

III

The news-item is shocking and unbelievable. Mr Narendra Modi can’t do it to the minorities. What message will it deliver to society? Hope better sense will prevail upon the Gujarat government by rescinding this decision which is not only discriminatory but also unfair.

PAWAN KUMAR MITTA, Ferozepur Cantt

Dirty subway

The underground subway dividing Chandigarh’s busy bus stand of Sector 17 and Sector 22 was built a decade ago. Those making use of the subway are shocked to see its dirty condition and the encroachments all through the subway. The stairs and floors are littered and the walls spoiled by pan and tobacco stain.

Shopkeepers, hawkers and beggars occupy more than 50 per cent of the area in the passage and the staircase. The entrance too has been blocked on both sides. It seems no senior official of the Chandigarh Administration has ever inspected the subway to see its chaotic condition. Is it impossible for the authorities to keep it neat and clean?

T.R. GOYAL, Chandigarh

No basic amenities

‘Nirhar Vatika’ in Panchkula is frequented by most morning and evening walkers daily. During the day time, the park is thronged by groups and families for picnics. It is really sad that there are no basic amenities like toilets in the park.

Courtesy a hotel group, toilets and water filter facility were available here till a couple of months back. However, with the shifting of this hotel, the toilets have been locked. It is now a common sight to see men urinating against the hedges. Will HUDA authorities help restore the basic amenities in the park soon?

D.P. PIPLANI, Senior Citizen’s Council, (Haryana), Panchkula

Jaya’s conduct

I was shocked to notice the stand taken by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in her statement defending her government’s actions on Kanchi Sankaracharya. She has equated herself with the Sangh Parivar by maintaining that “no one wished and expected that the heads of Sankara Mutt, established to uphold the Hindu dharma, would stray from the path of dharma and doctrines of shastras to be arraigned as accused in a murder case”.

With the arguments from both sides turning fast communal, the Supreme Court must direct both the Tamil Nadu government and the BJP to check their conduct and not create civic impediments for justice.

GAURAV DUA, New Delhi