The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Letters to the Editor

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More buses needed for Shimla

Earlier, all Haryana buses plying between Chandigarh and Shimla used to go via Panchkula Bus Stand. Not any more. People from Panchkula have to wait on the road and plead with Shimla bus drivers to stop. If a bus does stop, one doesn’t get a seat.

People posted to Shimla but having their families at Panchkula face bitter experience every Monday. It is easier to travel to Shimla from Ambala, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Zirakpur or Patiala than from Panchkula.

A couple of Chandigarh-Shimla buses do pass via
Panchkula but they are no respite at all on Mondays.
Is Panchkula so low on priority that one must travel
to Shimla without a seat?

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

Even in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, one cannot see any district headquarters so poorly connected by road. To rub salt on the wounds of Haryanvis, there are direct buses to Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Beas etc. from Panchkula but not to Rohtak, Bhiwani or Shimla.

The timetable does contain some info but there is nothing on the road to support it. I am sure, this lucrative business corridor has not been kept reserved for three wheelers who are experts in packing humans like sardines. We need more buses for Shimla from Panchkula Bus Stand.

VIPIN SHARMA, Chief Engineer, BSNL, New Shimla

Brutal force

The manner in which Kuldeep Singh was shot dead by the Haryana police showed the brutality of the police force. Earlier, Raj Rani, a guest teacher, was killed in police firing. Police are duty-bound to protect the lives of the common people.

But who will save people when the police has turned killer? Where should we go for security? It has forgotten that it has to protect citizens, not to kill them.

RAJESH KUMAR CHITORIA, Jhojhu Kalan (Bhiwani)

The police force in India is boorish, uncouth, ill-trained and ill-managed. It has justifiably been described as “criminals in uniform”. The policemen and officers who shot dead Rahul must be sacked. The Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra is playing with fire by its covert support to Raj Thackeray.

Dr M.K. BAJAJ, Zirakpur

III

I am stunned to hear from Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil that those taking the law into their own hands deserve to be shot. If so, what about Raj Thackeray and his goons? They are beating up North Indians in complete violation of the rule of law. Are their actions permitted under the law of the land? If the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena are dividing the people, statements made by Mr Patil will exacerbate the problem.

BIDYUT KUMAR CHATTERJEE, Faridabad

Mockery of democracy
The manner in which the Mayor and other members of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation were treated by the local administration and other officials at a drug awareness campaign meeting recently is regrettable. Such discourtesy to elected representatives violates basic norms of public conduct; it also flies in the face of fundamental civic protocol and makes a mockery of the democratic principles and traditions.
As a former mayor of a London borough, I remember I was treated with utmost courtesy at all public functions I attended since the protocol required it so. There may not be a similar code of conduct with respect to mayoralty in India, but the mayor does indeed merit a respectful treatment at public functions.
In the British context, such blatant disregard as shown to the BMC Mayor would be considered a snub to the people of the city and, as such, regarded highly reprehensible.
Dr DEV SHARMA, Councillor, London Borough of Redbridge, Camp: Bathinda

CAT is right

The Central Administrative Tribunal’s decision quashing the appointment of the Maharashtra DGP is welcome. The Chief Ministers should not be allowed to appoint officers of their liking as Chief Secretary and DGP throwing seniority and merit of the officers to the wind.

When Chief Ministers select a junior officer for the cadre posts, his/her juniors are put in the same grade. This creates bad blood among the seniors. If a senior officer is superseded, it implies that he is inefficient. If so, he should be retired forthwith. The Centre should lay down broad guidelines for the states to follow.

NARINDER SINGH, Kapurthala

Lesson to learn

Former US President Bill Clinton has one daughter, no son. His successor George W. Bush has two daughters, no son. US President-elect Barack Obama has two daughters, no son.

Why can Punjabis not love their daughters as Americans do? America is a big example for us. Why should we indulge in female foeticide and kill our unborn daughters? Let us learn from Americans.

Dr HARINDER SINGH, Professor, Pharmacology, Govt Medical College, Patiala

Rabies control

The death of three persons with rabies emphasise the need to control rabies and stray dog population effectively (Oct 18). There is a dog bite every 15 seconds in India. The Dog Birth Control Rules were formulated without any survey of dog population.

Sterilising and immunising less than 70-80 per cent of the stray dog population is meaningless as a dog matures at the age of 10 months and an unsterilised female rears four puppies a year. It costs Rs 550 to sterilise a dog which local authorities find it prohibitive. Moreover, vaccination has to be repeated every year. A person bitten by a vaccinated dog has to go in for post-bite vaccination.

A practical solution lies in sterilising and immunising at least 70-80 per cent of dogs and rehabilitating them as watchdogs in factories, sprawling farmhouses and police stations and as pets in houses. The Andhra Pradesh police had done so.

Dr SOSHIL RATTAN, Amritsar