L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Nepal could have retained monarchy

The write-up “Nepal: Once it was a kingdom” provoked me to mull over the historic transition taking place in this country. It is true that monarchy and despotism have no place in today’s liberated world. And the deposed King of Nepal has earned little goodwill.

But the manner and haste with which the monarchy in Nepal has been done away with generates a tinge of suspicion about the involvement of some trans-border powers. Nepal has very old and strong links with a country like the UK where monarchy is still maintained though in titular form only. The polity of Nepal seems to have learnt nothing from the history of England.

The newly formed constituent assembly could have retained monarchy like the UK and many countries of Europe. It had the power to replace King Gyanendra with any suitable incumbent. In the present times also monarchy can play an important role in promoting unity and continuity. Have the current political forces explored the minds of the citizenry of Nepal before the annihilation of the institution of monarchy?

NEERAJ SHARMA, Sundernagar

II

I read the editorial “Birth of a Republic: New Nepal dumps monarchy (May 29) It is a clear case of tit for tat. King Gyanendra had massacred the entire family of King Virendra, a well-known world figure, merely for the chair.

Now the people of Nepal have shown the reality of life to Gyanendra by throwing him out of power and out of the royal palace, which was occupied illegally. Now Nepal may not remain a backbencher. It is the only Hindu state in the world crying for a leading role.

S. K. MITTAL, Panchkula

PSEB losses

The Electricity Act, 2003, requires the privatisation of state electricity boards. Of the 28 electricity boards, 25 have been privatised by state governments.

Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, however, are dithering. The Punjab government has obtained further extension for unbundling the board.

Chances are the Punjab State Electricity Board will be privatised after the elections because the financial burden is increasing due to free electricity to farmers and weaker sections of society.

At this time the board has about 50 per cent line losses. Sops given by the state government to some sections of society, line losses, theft, the purchase of electricity at high rates, wrong schemes and policies of the board and non-revision of the tariff are key factors responsible for the increasing debt of the board.

Moreover, consumers are not satisfied with the board schemes like the “sevak machines for cash collection, advance billing, the OYT scheme, spot billing etc. So there is need to revamp the board.

KAMALJEET MALWA, Mansa

School principals

It is heartening to note that The Tribune has highlighted the flouting of rules for the recruitment of college principals and the administration has rectified the mistake.

But it is very sad to learn that no eligibility norms are followed for the recruitment of school principals. Anybody can become a principal of a senior secondary school.

It is learnt that the government wants all posts of principal to be filled by promotion, thus denying an opportunity to candidates working in private schools. Previously, the recruitment to these posts was done directly by the PPSC. I request that proper eligibility conditions for selecting principals should be adopted and the posts filled through the PPSC.

RAJESHWAR SINGH, Pathankot

OYT scheme

The Punjab government has stopped the O.Y.T (own your tubewel) scheme for getting tubewell connections without any prior notice to the public.

Farmers who could not arrange the money and apply earlier have been left high and dry. Some in the general category have been waiting for connections for the last 22 years.

BAL KRISHAN TAYAL, Moga