Disparity in benefit

By increasing the retirement age of teaching faculty to 62 years, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has taken only half a step in fulfilling the University Grant Commission regulations which stipulate the age of superannuation for the teachers serving in universities and colleges at 65 years. The government has created a disparity among teachers of universities and colleges. A large number of teachers serving in colleges are unhappy as the age increase benefit has not been been given to them.

JM Behl, Jammu

Email ID, cops?

The Punjab Police control room should have an email address for the public, with the control email under the unified command of the DGP, as is done by the Punjab Electricity department. Hence, any information or complaint can be given on the email. Such information or complaint is a registered document.

This will help curb crime and also improve police functioning.

Dr Ranbir Singh Pannu, Amritsar

Removing governors

This refers to the news report “Pressure mounts but Guvs dig in their heels” (June 18). Article 155 enshrines that the governor be appointed from amongst persons of high status with eminence in public by the President of India. He is elected neither by the public nor by any constituted electoral body. He occupies an independent office since he is not under the control of or subordinate to the government. Rather, he is a nominee of the Central Government.

Article 156 says that the governor will hold office during the pleasure of the President for five years. He may be removed any time by the President on the advice of the Cabinet. The governor has no security of tenure and no fixed term of office. Simultaneously, the governor is not a mere agent of the government. He is vested with certain discretionary powers and by dint of that, he is neither required to consult the President nor the state chief minister. In addition, he is vested with executive, financial, legislative and judicial powers.

Such is the stature of governor, but on account of political interference, this gubernatorial post has been devalued. On assuming power, the successive governments dismiss governors appointed by the previous government to appease their own men. Resultantly, these new governors act as agents of the Centre. In May, 2010, a Constitutional Bench of five judges held that a governor cannot be removed unless there are compelling circumstances. Today’s situation warrants the SC to take suo motu cognisance of the issue.

Hari Chand Shanker, Ambala Cantt

Conduct smart checks

Apropos the news item “14 officers found absent during Punjab CM’s surprise check” (June 30), the method used by the CM to check public servants looks more like a publicity gimmick than an intent to mean business.

In this era of CCTV cameras, he need not go to each office personally. Offices should be equipped with electronic door locks that open with special cards issued to employees which record all operations.

The Deputy CM who makes tall claims of introducing e-governance is aware of these tools for administration. But the devices would also record his and other ministers’ movements in the Secretariat, which they themselves seem to dread. The politicians start shaking the bureaucrats when their own chairs start shaking with dwindling votes.

This reminds me of the Emergency days when Indira Gandhi coined the slogan: “Baten kum, kaam ziada.”

KS Dhami, Fremont (California

Librarians are teachers

The Tribune deserves compliments for the column “On this day….100 years ago”. The judicious selection of excerpts of news is commendable. The news “Private Candidates and University Examinations” (July 2) mentions in the explanatory note that the “term bona fide teacher is held to include the librarians of affiliated colleges and the university library.” At present, librarians of private colleges are designated as teachers while those of government colleges and universities are put in the category of non-teaching staff. Will the university authorities take note of the anomaly?

Dr VK Anand, Patiala