M A I L B A G

Improving work ethos at GSI

The constitution of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) seems to be part of the Centre’s tradition of creating new white elephants rather than managing the existing national nodal agency i.e. the Geological Survey of India (GSI). In August 2004, the Union Home Minister had inaugurated a posh NDMI in New Delhi. I was invited to a discussion on Pareechu disaster mitigation in December last. The Pareechu flash flood on June 26 is the NDMI’s outcome.

The solution lies in recruiting at least the sanctioned strength of 2,500
geologists in GSI through the UPSC’s Geologists’ Examination regularly and creating an environment of scientific training and work ethos within
the GSI by restoring its Director-General’s position to renowned
geologists. At present DGs for several years have to resort to being proxied through slips by their juniors whenever they find it difficult to pronounce geological terms.

Dr ARUN D. AHLUWALIA, Professor of Geology, Panjab University, Chandigarh

Going gaga over Harry Potter TV channels and some Indians from the great middle class, who are master imitators of everything that is phoren are going gaga over Harry Potter’s new book. TV channels showed images of children and even elders buying books from booksellers, who informed with beaming faces that advance orders of the book have been received in thousands. So much hype and hysteria over the book in India gives the impression that there are no worthwhile children books in Indian languages. We have our own Panchatantra, Katah Sarit Sagar, Vikram Betal etc. So why go overboard over Harry Potter? O.P. SHARMA, Faridabad

An eye-opener

The letters on the theme “Why Punjab is lagging behind” (June 27) are an eye-opener. We fail to understand why the Punjab government is not paying heed to Dr S.S. Johl’s sane advice.

Though the Chief Minister is sincere and dedicated, there is all round decay in Punjab. The quality of governance is poor. Nothing moves in government offices without recommendation or money. Health and education systems in the state have almost collapsed.

Industrial development is stagnant because of poor infrastructure and red tape. Water resources are fast depleting and nobody is taking any remedial steps and save our scarce water resources. Corruption and drug addiction have spread to every nook and corner of Punjab.

The common people in Punjab are keen to improve their standard of living, but are confronted with too many hurdles in their way. Punjab can easily become the most progressive state in India, if the politicians and the bureaucrats place the interests of the state above their own interests. A tall order, isn’t it?

Brig DALIP SINGH SIDHU (retd), Patiala

Tackling joblessness

The are no jobs in Haryana. I have a few suggestions to offer. The age for voluntary retirement should be reduced to 15 instead of 20 years. In Rajasthan, if a person retires after 15 years voluntarily and another person is recruited in his place, the new person will be drawing a salary equal to half of what the first person was drawing.

Even after paying pension to the first employee, the government stands to gain in two ways. First, it will save some money. And secondly, it is giving employment to an unemployed youth. The beauty of the scheme is that it is voluntary.

SAROJ MANN, Rewari

Restore the train

During the terrorism days in Punjab, many trains were cancelled. Subsequently, all the trains were restored except train numbers 1NJ and 2NJ which were running between Jalandhar and Nawanshahr. The Railway authorities should start this pair of trains immediately in public interest.

SATYA PARKASH SHARMA, Nawanshahr

Reduce holidays

The Punjab Government’s decision to curtail the number of holidays is highly appreciable. Yet, a lot more needs to be done. Why do we need holiday on Saturday? This can be straightaway scrapped. The government needs to change the holiday culture and improve work ethic. The office timings can be rescheduled from 9 am to 4 pm.

However, I doubt whether the government can do this, because of possible resistance from the bureaucracy and various employees’ unions.

RANJIT SINGH, Dhuri

No PUDA plots

The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) collected huge money from the public in the name of Demand Survey as far back as January 2003. However, except in Nabha, neither the plots nor the built-up houses, as promised by PUDA, have been offered in any of the towns listed by them.

The stipulated period of two years has gone long back. Depositors should take the matter to the court against the PUDA authorities for 18 per cent interest on their deposits since January 2003.

RAVINDER SINGH, Jalandhar

Power tariff hike

Himachal Pradesh is reeling under financial crunch. That is why the government has been imposing various kinds of taxes on common people. The hike in power tariff comes as a bolt from the blue. Instead of harassing common people, the state government should cut expenditure on the luxuries of the Cabinet Ministers.

VISHAL SHARMA, Shimla

Defending offenders

I have read in the newspapers that the Lawyers for Human Rights International have demanded the abolition of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission terming it as a huge financial burden on the state exchequer. It’s true because its members are defending the offenders instead of safeguarding the human rights of the common man.

N.M. HANS, Ludhiana