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

Water scarcity staring in our face

The concern of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a law to regulate the use of groundwater needs serious consideration at the users’ end (“Misuse of groundwater”, April 12).  80% of world’s population lives in areas with threat to water security.

Water is becoming a cause of concern at the global level and Benjamin Franklin’s words, “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water” forewarns us to solve water-related conflicts without any further loss of time and also to avoid water wars in future.

To fight scarcity, management of river water is necessary at the global level.  The mismanagement of Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, a 214-km long heavy freight canal in India, in the name of sharing water is a glaring example, otherwise floods could have been avoided easily in Punjab and Haryana. Rather, SYL could have been used for transporting goods through small ships. However, the proposal met obstacles and is pending in the court of law.

Construction of waste water treatment plants and reduction in overuse of groundwater can help solve the problem.

In view of low level of water, crop diversification is needed. Simultaneously, the government must make arrangements for marketing new crops in the state otherwise the farmer is likely to switch over to the old crops.

HARISH K. MONGA, Ferozepur

Pak’s addiction

The US has understood the mindset of Pakistan within a decade or so, but the Indian government is fixed on appeasing Pakistan, despite half a century-old experience with Jinnah and Pakistan. In the news item “US: Pak addicted to using militants against India” (March 30) it has been mentioned, that Michael Sheehan, Assistant Secretary of Defence has stated that Pakistan has an “addiction to playing around with militia groups, particularly vis-à-vis India”, and US has “virtually given up its efforts to change the mind set of Pakistan with regard to India”.

Our generous leaders, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri committed diplomatic blunders and now our secular rulers are busy in creating friendship with Pakistan by various means, completely ignoring the fact that Pakistan continues to export terrorism to India as it official policy.

ANAND PRAKASH, Panchkula

Bureaucratic lapses

Right to Service Act brought in by SAD government would induce efficiency, help tame corruption and enhance accountability of lower echelons of administration.

A similar enactment is needed to rein in bureaucratic hierarchy which is increasingly becoming callous and insensitive to larger public good. Due to dearth of vision and commitment in political hegemony, bureaucracy is fast turning into babudom.

A classic example is one of the reported losses due to food grain pile-ups. The complacency continues unabated. The wheat/rice stacks are awaiting to be lifted out of the state.

Is it not incumbent on the part of respective departments of the government machinery to work closely in liaison with central agencies to prevent loss of precious food grains? The higher echelons of bureaucracy must be tamed for lapses caused due to their apathy.

Lt Col BACHITTAR SINGH (retd), Mohali

II

Lord Krishna had once said that every single food grain is precious and must be utilised properly; the same thing has been expressed in the editorial “Grain drain” (April 11). Tonnes of food grains rot due to insufficient  storage capacity. The food grains are a fruit of the hard labour of farmers who work relentlessly to reap a good produce. They grow the crops by caring for them like their children taking care of all their requirements.

SHRIBHAGWAN BAWWA, Rewari

Priceless asset

Tea gardens of the beautiful Kangra valley are its priceless assets. These gardens hold special attraction for visitors and add to the aesthetic delight of the valley. With so many gardens already sold, the foothills of the Dhauladhar and small towns like Dharamsala and Palampur would turn into ugly jungles of concrete. It will not just be a setback to the tea industry but would also destroy the beautiful locales.

RC KATOCH, Chandigarh

II

It is heartening to know that a regional centre of the Tea Board will be set up in Palampur to revive the Kangra tea industry and Rs 1crore will be spent on setting up a tea museum at Palampur. There are a few other steps the government can take to revive the dying tea industry in Kangra, like training labour, opening tea auction centres and discouraging coarse plucking.

ANJALI SHARMA, Dagshai Cantt

Child-teacher rapport

Close relationship between the teacher and the taught should be accorded highest priority in and outside classrooms (“Teachers want stronger sanctions to improve classroom discipline”, April 10). A teacher should shower full affection upon the students and the students should look up to the teacher as his/her greatest benefactor.

The behavior pattern of a youth is always governed by rewards and punishment. A teacher should be allowed to use reward and punishment to maintain good classroom culture and an amicable environment. The ultimate aim is that a teacher teaches with passion and a student learns with interest and dignity.

Dr S KUMAR, Panchkula