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

Shameful act

It is a shame that the Sikh community has to endure this infamy in this age when the world is connected and everyone knows everything. It is sad that extremists are able to hijack the agenda and bring disgrace to the Sikh community and India. There are plenty of accomplished Sikh professionals, but unfortunately either they are unwilling to take on leadership roles or are blocked from doing so. Ill-educated leaders hold the sway. In Islam, the extremists have hijacked the religion and the results are there for the whole world to see. I pray and hope that moderate Sikhs will not let that happen to the Sikh religion.

Daya Singh, Texas, USA

Save ecology

We are quickening the collapse of our delicate ecosystem and ignoring such warning signals as global warming, faster melting of snow caps and glaciers, rising sea levels, tsunamis, floods, landslides and hotter summers.

Our cities are overcrowded and choking without adequate water and electricity supplies and poor sanitation and roads. There is massive unplanned growth and urbanisation all around. We are destroying the green cover, polluting rivers and the air. Our cities stink.

We need to wake up, raise awareness about these issues and initiate steps to reverse this nosedive to collapse.

Subhash Kaura, via email

A family budget

Most of the states are fixing minimum wages for workmen, but the wages are very low. No finance minister can draw a family budget with this income. The finance minister of each state must be made to draw a family budget and then ensure that workmen are paid wages within those limits. He must ensure that the workmen get work during the whole month with some days off. There is something wrong with the present wage structures and most of the workmen suffer because of rising prices and cost of living. We should ensure that each workman also contributes towards old age benefits. The employers should also join in this contribution.

Dalip Singh Wasan, Patiala

Fixing MLAs’ pay

In the absence of any procedure to fix the pay, perks and pension of legislators in our Constitution, there is daylight loot as far as the pay, allowances and other facilities are granted to MPs and MLAs. The Himachal Pradesh government raised the emoluments of ministers and MLAs on the penultimate day of the budget session in April, 2013, by 65 per cent. A commission should be appointed to curb the brazen loot of the exchequer. The commission should fix the pay, allowances and pension and codify the duties of MPs and MLAs. There should be a provision to recall such persons who fail to perform their duties.

Rikhi Dass Thakur, Palbhu (Hamirpur)

Work culture

It is heartening that many offices under the new Central Government have started working six days a week. The Punjab Government should also take a cue and resuscitate the dying work culture in the state. It is also time to think whether declaring holidays is the right way of paying homage to our national heroes or gurus who sacrificed for the sake of the country and humanity. We feel pity for the people who take pride in going late to their workplace or gossiping around.

Dr Dinesh & Aujasvi Sharma, Pathankot

Quality education must

The future of our country depends upon the quality of education our children receive today. The educational institutes must focus on developing the minds of students by making them think creatively and overcome barriers. Quality education provides every individual a chance to realise his full potential.

Ravinder Prashar, Amb (Una)

Military woes

Dinesh Kumar’s article “Military Woes: What Modi govt needs to fix” (June 4) is a warning for those empowered to decide the destiny of the defence services. The country's defence is not in good health and needs immediate surgery to make it strong and stable.

The corrosion of the defence services has shaken the sense of pride a soldier had earlier. Now, the defence services have become merelya military exchange for the employment of those who don’t get a job elsewhere.

Modi should immediately appoint a person of clean image, calibre and courage as defence minister.

Multan Singh Parihar, Hamirpur

No war, only peace

There have been two wars after Partition in which there was a huge loss of Army personnel, equipments and property. Pakistan and India should go for a no-war agreement and treat the present Line of Control as final. Both the countries should faithfully stick to the agreement and reduce their defence budgets. This money should be spent on the uplift of trade between the two countries and to remove poverty.

PS Cheema, Amritsar

Differently abled

The news item “Don't transfer employees with differently abled kids” (June 11) is a commendable step taken by the Central Government. Only the parents of such 
children can appreciate the pangs of frequent movement from one place to other.

Dr V K Anand, Patiala

Will FM keep promise?

Income tax payers have a reason to smile because Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, during his election campaigns, had assured the people that the IT limit would be raised to ~5 lakh if the BJP came to power. Let’s see if Jaitley keeps his promise.

Roop Singh Negi, Tranda (Kinnaur)

Conserve energy

The North is reeling under extreme heat conditions, with the mercury touching 49°C. Power cuts are making the lives of the people unbearable. The NDA government has not come out with any solution to the problem. During my recent visit to Delhi, I came across criminal neglect with halogen lights on roads at on 1 pm. The government must take the offending officials to task.

Prof Dhiraj Trikha, Bhiwani