‘Mini Tibet’ in India

The continuing presence of Tibetan refugees at a township near Dharamsala can pose a serious problem for India.Their number has grown to a staggering figure of over one lakh in the last over 50 years. The occupation of a place for a long period is said to bestow certain legal rights to the occupants. What if one day the Tibetans lay claim over the township, which looks like a “mini Tibet” and refuse to vacate it? The Karnataka High Court order may further complicate the problem (news item 'Court opens doors to Indian citizenship for Tibetans' August 28).

WG CDR CL SEHGAL (RETD), Jalandhar

Use oil sparingly

The advice contained in the editorial ‘Oil on the boil’ (September 3) is timely, clear and positive that we should exercise restraint in the use of oil which is getting costlier every month and likely to get costlier in future. We should restrict the use of motor bikes and cars at personal levels. All ministers, their secretaries, heads of government departments, institutions, public and private undertakings must use oil sparingly. Car pooling can be a significant factor in this regard. Let us save oil for our own and nation's well-being.

GURMIT SINGH SAINI, Mohali

Moral education

In her excellent write-up 'Imparting value based education to students' (Education Tribune, September 3) Rajesh Gill has rightly pleaded for imparting moral education to students. Maybe the lack of this factor is responsible for the continuous deterioration of human values among students resulting in frustration.

Moreover, the best of infrastructure, world-class faculty, state-of-the-art laboratories, excellent sports facilities in our schools and colleges cannot groom a good human being, if moral and ethical education is not part of the teaching and learning process. It is indeed an irony that immediately after Independence, in all the schools, the morning prayer followed by a sermon by the school headmaster or a senior teacher used to be an integral and indispensable part of the schools' daily routine. It is sad that this noble part is fading from schools. Our policy-makers and educationists should see to it that moral and ethical values should be a part of the curriculum at the school, college and university level.

DR V K ANAND, Patiala

Country of scams

The rise in scams and looting of resources of the country by influential people in connivance with the ruling party has dented the country's image and prospects. The upcoming 2014-Lok Sabha elections have prompted some states and the Centre to woo the common man, especially the minorities by offering freebies like subsidised foodgrains. Politicians are willing to go to any extent to satisfy their lust for power. They fail to comprehend the damage they are doing to the country's economy, which will have far-reaching implications. The countrymen should rise above all political gimmicks and reject opportunistic politicians.