Money down the drain

In 2004, the then Punjab Government passed a law invalidating the Supreme Court verdict asking the state government to complete the SYL canal and share surplus river waters with Haryana. Why did Punjab not consider that there was no surplus water when the agreement to construct the SYL canal was made? Now the crores of rupees that have been spent on this project have gone down the drain as no water has been flown into the canal. Not only this, lots of cultivable land has gone waste, causing another loss of crores of rupees. The then government should have thought about this much before the implementation of the project. Even today, though there is no work on the project, SYL canal staff are being paid salaries.

Sometimes, decisions are taken only for the political motives. For example, Focal Points were constructed in Punjab villages by the then government by spending crores of rupees. But today, no Focal Point is in use, perhaps. All that money has also gone waste.

Raj Kumar Kapoor, Ropar

Punish druglords

We read news reports on the drug racket flourishing in Punjab and people involved enjoying political clout every day. What’s surprising is that no leader has been booked till date and no concrete steps have been taken by the government to ensure that the criminals are behind the bars. Does that mean that the people involved are being given enough time to hide or destroy evidences against them or that the political bosses are going to make a mockery of the judiciary again by finding loopholes in the case?

The people involved in the racket should be booked immediately and interrogated regardless of which party they belong to as drugs are more harmful than terrorism.

Vikas Sharma, Ludhiana

Honour Balbir Sr.

It is appreciable that Hockey India has honoured the living legends of the 1975 World Cup winning team. It is, however, strange HI has ignored Balbir Singh Sr. who had played a pivotal role in the winning of the World Cup. Balbir Singh Sr. prepared the team on the Panjab University campus and made efforts to ensure the win. He is an unassuming person. It is not good to belittle his honour.

Mastan Singh Rana, Chandigarh

Winds of change

If it is not a wind of change, what is it. I have heard the traffic police is giving bunches of flowers to erring drivers. And then, red carpet and glasses of juice were given by the election commission of Himachal to voters at the Kalpa polling station of tribal India. Hats off to the great idea. In a true democratic manner, polling officers clad in the traditional Kinnauri dress gave the first voter of India, 98-year-old Shyam Saran Negi, a red carpet welcome. This is not all, wait for the next idea to woo voters!

Ajay Dutta, Reckong Peo (Kinnaur)

Highway woes

On December 24, 2010, The Tribune published a news item “Tourism Dept to set up 60 wayside amenities on all major highways” (in Punjab), quoting Hussan Lal, Director Tourism, Punjab. More than four years later, there is no sign of any amenity on any highway, particularly the Chandigarh-Pathankot, Chandigarh-Amritsar and Chandigarh-Bathinda highways. As per the plans, the projects were to be in collaboration with Sulabh International and Rs 8 crore was allocated for the scheme. It seems that the proposal was just an eyewash.

There are a number of dhabas on these stretches and they charge helpless passengers as per their will. A bottle of mineral water whose MRP is Rs 20 is sold for Rs 25 or more. The Punjab Tourism Department had proposed to set up milk bars for the benefit of travellers and bus passengers at reasonable rates. There was also commitment to get ATM machines installed and gift shops built on highways. It is never too late for doing a good job. The present government still has three years to go and it will be appreciated if this job is accomplished.

Ujagar Singh, Chandigarh

Terror most foul

It is said that God makes a man and education makes him a gentleman, but it sad in Nigeria where the girls are being molested cruelly (editorial “Terror most foul”, May 14). What re these terrorists going to get by drawing the enmity of innocent girls whose only mistake is to take education for a better life. Such people should be shot down.

Not only India or Nigeria, many nations are under the clutches of these terrorists. The Government of Nigeria should give priority to the girls who have been kidnapped and take appropriate measures for the elimination of this curse. The authorities should focus on making the women of every nation physically strong so that not only terrorism but also sexual harassment and rapes are eliminated because a woman plays a pivotal role in the development of a nation.

Ankita Sharma, Mukerian, Hoshiarpur

 

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