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

Rating netas, babus will check graft

I welcome Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal’s suggestion for setting up a creditable agency for the rating of politicians, bureaucrats and those holding positions in public offices. He has suggested a system to do the rating of all those who hold positions in the public setup.

He should know that the politicians and bureaucrats have nexus and politicians ever pressurise the intelligent officers to work under their orders, leaving rules and instructions behind. He also favored “zero tolerance” to eliminate corruption which is difficult, if not impossible.

The administrative secretaries of the departments engaged in constructing roads, bridges and irrigation-related works and power projects have been directed to make the system of inviting bids and allotting tenders transparent, but the politicians favour their own men to get their ‘share’ of public money to line their pockets.

SAHIL GARG, Chandigarh

II

This suggestion, if implemented, will help weed out the corrupt elements from the public administration. The Punjab Finance Minister’s statement exposes the lack of transparency and accountability in governance which is the cause of increasing corruption and miserable governance.

Corruption in judiciary I read Chitranjan Sharma’s letter on the subject (Oct 9). His observations on the category of honest, corrupt and opportunist judges in 10:10:80 ratio is correct and interesting. However, I would further like to state that honest judges value time, are efficient and take quick decisions. The next 10 per cent are in ‘now or never’ category in decision-making. The rest 80 per cent, who tend to remain honest, are inefficient and slow and it is this category of judges which delay the cases and deny justice. While introducing reforms in the judiciary, Chief Justice of India Justice K.G. Balakrishnan should make provision to check inefficiency in the performance of the judges. The Punjab and Haryana High Court is full of cases which, with the change of roster, are merely shifted from one Bench to another for years without taking decision. An opinion poll on the Internet will bring truth on the extent of corruption in the judiciary. V.K. KAURA, Panchkula

Defending Tatas

One cannot assume that the Tatas had the eternity to resolve the dispute and be at the mercy of growth-stinting parties to delay an internationally prestigious project. The opposing parties for their own ulterior motives let the Tatas sink thousands of crores of rupees in the Nano project at Singur.

They should have stopped the West Bengal government from acquiring the land in the first place. And at any place, thousands of acres cannot be purchased by a private person since it involves hundreds of people, title verifications and skyrocketing of land prices till the process of land purchase is completed.

The most the government can do is to ensure a fair market price for the land by involving some creditable realtors. The suggestion for a promise share of future gains with the farmers etc. is laughable. Any company is owned and governed by shareholders who sink their money for their own benefits. Once a seller is paid a fair price for his merchandise, how can he stake claim in future benefits? What if a project fails, will he or they be ready to share the losses?

A Governor is an inconsequential post. If the Chief Minister can’t resolve a crisis, the Governor’s efforts can’t be expected to be fruitful. The Tatas have done the right thing in moving to Gujarat to keep their promise of delivering Nano which shall fulfill the dreams of millions of Indians to own a car some auspicious day.

RAJ KUMAR GOEL, Moga

Poor quality milk

The quality of milk being served to 2 million plus population of the Tricity and its suburbs by the government and private agencies has gone from bad to worse. Why should the people, even after paying Rs 24 per litre, be denied good quality milk? It compares very poorly with the milk being offered by Amul and Mother diary in Delhi. Again one is not sure what sorts of additions are being done.

The government should sample all varieties of milk being distributed very frequently and publish the report for the benefit of the consumers.

BHARTENDU SOOD, Chandigarh

Repair the road

The APK Road on the Pathankot-Batala route is the lifeline of those who travel to and fro daily. But the condition of this road is very bad. People are forced to use this road in the absence of an alternative. It is common to see vehicles breaking down and the passengers suffering from back ache because of the bad stretch.

Successive governments have neglected the Majha area. Roads are normally considered as the indices of development of an area but in the case of this region, roads have turned out to be hazardous. The authorities should get the road repaired.

VINEY KUMAR SHARMA, Pathankot

Laughing stock

I was flabbergasted on reading the news report “Indian seeks ruling on open air cremation in UK”. It states that one Devender Kumar Ghai has challenged Newcastle City Council’s decision to deny him an open air cremation when he dies.

On the one hand, Indian scientists working in world’s largest particle collider in Geneva, are making a name for themselves and for India. On the other, persons like Ghai are becoming a laughing stock abroad. Instead of stopping the immigration of doctors and teachers, the UK authorities should close their doors to such obscurantists and fundamentalists.

K.S. BHALLA, New Delhi