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

Govt should not bail out erring banks

Exhaustive regulations and control cannot prevent global economic crisis in future (Jayshree Sengupta’s article
‘Still struggling with debt’ February 5). On the contrary, complicating things further, it will only help the unscrupulous elements in the financial sector cheat the unsuspecting general public even more easily.

As long as governments keep bailing out the delinquent banks for their own reasons (to garner votes from people who believe they are being provided relief or to get funding from the bailed out banks for their political parties), there is no way the banks can be deterred from indulging in similar misadventures again and again.

The best solution, even if it may not be a panacea, would be not to bail out erring banks or financial institutions and let people running them be answerable to the shareholders. The inevitable collateral damage that the general public will have to face is absolutely essential for building the pressure necessary to bring in discipline in the banking community.

KESHAV SACHDEV, Panchkula

Uneven progress

It seems that the Badal government is only concerned about the development of Bathinda belt comprising Muktsar, Faridkot, etc and is least bothered to undertake similar initiative in the rest of Punjab.

The neglected part of Punjab comprising Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Batala and other neighbouring districts is lagging far behind in matters of development. Pathankot was declared a district headquarter recently (perhaps under pressure from the local populace including advocates, business community and others) but no sign of it becoming a district is practically visible at ground zero.

UJAGAR SINGH, Chandigarh

KARNAIL SINGH, Kharar

II

Kashmir lost its only all-girls rock band on Monday as its three teenage members decided to call it quits, a day after the Grand Mufti issued a fatwa terming singing as un-Islamic and asked them to abandon it. If this is the case, the Grand Mufti should stop Pakistani singers from coming to this country to take part in singing competitions. 

He should also issue fatwa against Katrina Kaif dancing to ‘sexist’ music, and against Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Kthan, etc dancing with scantily-clad girls and openly resorting to intimate kissing scenes. Utterances and beliefs of the Mufti and others supporting him clearly smack of hypocrisy and double standards. 

HARISCHANDRA PARASURAM, Mumbai

III

Reports that Kashmir’s first all-girl rock-group was disbanding should have dampened the spirits of liberals who believed that the Indian society was now being forced out of an approach that had all along been described as gender-biased. But the fact remains that with a patriarchal approach that still defines the universal outlook in a male-dominated society, one would be hard-pressed to explain the sudden fondness for exhibiting an open-minded attitude that is favourable to progress or reform.

PACHU MENON, Goa

Innovation technique

Kudos to Nauni researchers for shortening the apple nursery production period to half by making use of polyhouses (news item ‘Technique to raise apple plants in a year developed’, February 6). Thousands of polyhouses have come up in the state during the past 2-3 years which do seem to have been put to much gainful use.   

I would suggest scientists to try apple cultivation in polyhouses. There is a great possibility of getting two crops in a year, as is done in Indonesia. Apple trees, if grown in a winter-free environment, continue growing incessantly if there is no dormancy. This condition can be achieved in a polyhouse.

The growth is so fast that the trees come into flowering during the second year of orchard life.  The farmers at Batu in Jawa island of Indonesia which lies in the equatorial belt, grow apples and obtain two crops from their trees in one year.  Their annual yield is 65 tons per hectare compared to 6.5 tons obtained by HP growers.  After the crop is harvested, they remove the leaves by hand and the trees flower again in a few weeks.  Defoliation by hand induces trees to flower and fruit at the time of their convenience. It sounds unbelievable but is true. 

Even innovative farmers from low and mid-hill areas can use this technique and try apple cultivation in polyhouses.

Dr CHIRANJIT PARMAR, Mandi

Supplementary concepts Are faith and reason conflicting? Human life is a blend of faith and reason. Faith should be founded on reason and reason should support it firmly. Faith seeks solace while reason finds resource. Faith and reason are as heart and brain in the human body. They are never in conflict, rather they are supplementary to each other. SUKHDEV SINGH RATTAN, Kalanwali ( Sirsa)

On a mission

Great achievements build a kind of a virtual monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold (Pritam Bhullar’s middle ‘It’s nature’s Law’). So, like the last electron stored in a charged battery, we have a purpose, designed by God till the last breath. So, we must raise and enlighten ourselves spiritually. Nothing can bring one back from death. As a couplet beautifully depicts it , “ If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane , I’d walk right up to heaven and bring you home again’’.

BALAK RAM DHIMAN , Hamirpur (HP)