M A I L B A G

TV’s harmful effect on children

Children today spend too much time watching television or surfing the net at home. This leads to two problems. First, the unfiltered, negative influences that enter their lives: hardness, cruelty, violence, cheapness and sexuality. The second problem is what children miss when they spend too much time with media — they often miss out on vital human interaction.

Television and Internet have a useful role to play in our lives, but they are no replacement for caring and active involvement with other people. Currently, TV has sunk to newer, formerly-inconceivable lows and this is more than proved by the outrageous dance contests like Nach baliye and Jhalak dikhla ja which are nothing short of vulgarity and obscenity and are beamed prime time on our TV channels.

The so-called social elite, which is against any kind of censorship, claims that the onus rests on the parents. However, instead of regulating the kids’ access to TV, parents encourage it citing ridiculous reasons to support their indifference towards good upbringing of their children. 
Sandwiched between these two are our kids who are the ultimate losers when it comes to their health, education, morality and psychological stability.

SERA NORONHA, Mumbai

On the wrong track

Voting has become more of a distraction from dealing with real problems confronting ordinary Americans, than a means to solving them. In their hearts, however, most Americans, no matter who they voted for, know that their nation will most likely remain on the wrong track.

Decades of empirical evidence has proved that neither the Democrats nor the Republicans would ever deliver quality to the US democracy and justice to their economy. Under two-party rule, they have arrived at a sorry state where most Americans believe the nation faces a leadership crisis.

There also exists an epidemic of self-delusion that their country ranks among the topmost in several factors. Being the only superpower is one thing. Being the best democracy is quite another.

SANDEEP GHIYA, Mumbai

Train to Srinagar

Since Independence, we have been hearing about a new railway line  from Jammu to Srinagar. Only 25 per cent of the project had been completed so far.

In sharp contrast, the Chinese have constructed a 1950-km railway line from Quinghai to Lhasa in Tibet, a territory which China claims as its own, and run ultramodern trains which do not harm the fragile ecology of the region. This terrain has hostile weather but ecologically sensitive and runs 4,000 meters above sea level.

The Chinese government had the will to do it. But do we have the same will? No wonder, the Kashmiris are upset with our politicians. Moreover, talking of the creation of infrastructure is a taboo in India. Will our Indians wake up at least now?

R. VASUDEVA, New Delhi

War of words

Sarabjit Dhaliwal’s write-up on the war of words between Captain Amarinder Singh and Mr Parkash Singh Badal is a timely reminder that such accusations, counter-accusations and false publicity are not only a waste of money and energy but also deleterious to the state’s interests.

Mr Badal is the Leader of the Opposition and four-time Chief Minister of Punjab whereas Captain Amarinder Singh is the Chief Minister and Maharaja of Patiala. If both work for the interests of Punjab and Punjabiyat, the funds going into this war of words can be channelised into promoting awareness programmes about AIDS, dengue, Hepatitis-B, TB, superstition, etc.

DALJIT KAUR KHATRAIN, Amritsar

 

Changing contours of warfare The IAF authorities owe an explanation to the nation for the loss of many costly aircraft in accidents during routine flying practices. They cannot afford to enact an errant child who smashes his toys everyday and demands new ones the next morning. What action has been taken against the delinquents? Logistic support notwithstanding, over-dependence for offensive warfare needs re-evaluation in view of the advent of ballistic missiles and rockets. Introduced after World War-I, warplanes are the only long-range delivery system of weapons and bombs. It was an improvement over the artillery guns. But air bombardment could not win wars for the US in Vietnam and for Russia in Afghanistan. Recently, the Israeli air attacks on Lebanon could not stop Hezbollah rockets from playing havoc inside Israel. The future wars would be won only with missiles and rockets guided by satellite surveillance. Will our defence analysts spare some thought for the changing contours of future warfare? S.S. BENIWAL, Chandigarh