Half-hearted appeal

In view of power shortage, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has made an appeal to the general public to conserve electricity and restrict use of ACs or at least cut down their use by 50 per cent till the arrival of the monsoon.  This appeal seems to be meant for public which includes industrial, commercial and domestic consumers.

But who will haul up the state government officials including those working in PSPCL, who misuse electricity in offices and homes because the bills are paid with the public exchequer’s money. 

To tackle the unprecedented situation, government should issue strict orders to its officials and political leaders to restrict the use of ACs. It is not out of place to mention here that during the mid-sixties, when there was serious food shortage in the country, the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri passed an order that no food stuff would be served after 3 pm on every Monday and the order was complied with by all hotels and restaurants meticulously across the country.  There is a great need to  follow this spirit first by our politicians and bureaucrats in the state and then they should expect it from the “aam aadmi”.

SK KHOSLA, Chandigarh

II

Can the PSPCL chairman confirm and explain to us how many officers of the PSPCL are following this appeal? The public is going through unwarranted long power cuts and it is well known to everyone how power is mercilessly wasted in government offices and residential areas.

There are many illegal ‘kundi connections” across the state, why is the PSPCL turning a blind eye? There is huge wastage of power due to defective termination faults, use of excessive load than the sanctioned limit, power thefts and inefficiency of the PSPCL workforce. If there had been an efficient and sustainable contingency plan to deal with this situation, things would have been better. It is foolish to dig wells to fight fire.

Capt AMAR JEET KUMAR, Mohali

The elderly need care

Blessed are the parents, who are loved, respected and looked after in a befitting manner by their sons and daughters in these days when there is terrible decline in the traditional moral values (Rajbir Deswal’s middle “Loving and losing parents”, June 29). When parents sing paeans of thanks to God and distributing sweets on the birth of a son, little do they know that he will leave them in the lurch in their twilight years. More than 70 per cent of parents, who own houses and lands and get pension, are abused by their sons and daughters-in-law.

Gone are days when sons took care of their parents with filial devotion. One of my teachers regarded his parents as divine beings. Taking a cue from him, many people who thought little about their parents started loving and revering them. Sons must take care of their parents particularly in old age when they lose mobility. About an undutiful son, a bard has rightly said:

Hai baap ko ye fikr ke beta ho kab jawan,
Betey ko fikr baap ka kab intiqaal ho.

Bhagwan Singh, Qadian (Gurdaspur)