LJS Panesar, via email

Govt to blame

It is surprising that Punjab Chief Minister and his deputy have demanded from the Prime Minister a waiver of the Rs 1.02 lakh crore debt as the state’s financial position is in a mess due to mismanagement of successive governments. The editorial “Make it reasonable” (September 24) rightly says that if the Akali leadership is serious, it should acknowledge the problem of the rising debt. In such a sorry state of affairs, why is the government giving subsidy to such farmers who are well settled and can pay easily? Also, why are there dozens of chief parliamentary secretaries who have no utility except to spend crores of rupees on their post and position?

Subhash C Taneja, Gurgaon

Punjab’s debt

The Punjab Government repeatedly blames the militancy period for the debt crisis. Actually, the debt is the result of government’s ‘khao te khan deo’ policy and the heavy salary bill of Punjab Government employees.

Gurpreet Singh, Tarn Taran

Misuse of funds

Compliments to The Tribune for bringing out the facts regarding the extravagance of our leaders, unmindful of the financial crisis staring the state in the report “Rs 1 lakh daily fuel bill of cavalcade accompanying Badals” (September 12). The money spent by the VIPs is earned by the public with whose votes and support they have occupied high positions. Why do they get scared of the same voters and need police guards/escort vehicles once in power? It is a sheer wastage of public funds, misuse of position and utter disregard of the public.

JS Dhillon, Chandigarh

Health vs Mars

We are proud of surging ahead of other countries in spacecraft technology. But it is a sad commentary that we are lagging behind many countries in the matter of health. The editorial “Indians die early” (September 23) is an eyeopener. We perform niggardly low in the area of premature deaths. Availability of nutritious food is out of reach of many people. A huge amount is spent on mid-day meals, but its results are not known. The government sometimes starts programmes without ensuring their follow-up. There is a need to increase expenditure in the health sector. We can make a beginning with the mid-day meals. Healthy students can alone deliver.

Dr S KUMAR, Panchkula

Misplaced jubilation

There is jubilation in the country over the Mars mission and success of ISRO scientists. Jolly good, jolly good show old chaps. It places India in the club of nations which are conquering space. But let us ponder on whether this achievement will benefit the country in basic needs. Over 60 per cent of our population is poor and there are thousands who do not get a decent meal a day. Similar is the case in health. It is a curse to be born poor in this country.

After Independence, our leaders were eager to project the country as a modern industrial hub, whereas China was busy solving its food and population problem as priority. The results are obvious today. For India, the priority should be to meet the basic needs of every citizen and when that phase is done, other projects can be taken up.

JS Duggal , via email

Shocking death

Shockingly, there seems to be no discipline, no rule, no law, no check, no proper implementation of laws in my country. Everywhere, there are loopholes in the system. Always there is laxity in duty. All work is going on ‘Ram bharose’. It was shattering that a young man could not be saved from a white tiger in a zoo of Delhi due to the negligence and carelessness of the zoo management.

KK CHAWLA, Kurukshetra

Fight back

The death of a youth at the hands of a tiger in Delhi zoo is more sad than tragic (news report “White tiger mauls 20-yr-old to death at Delhi zoo”, September 24). The way the youth is seen crouching in a corner shows he had lost the fight before it even began. More shocking is the callous attitude of the cowardly onlookers and zoo guards. Had they jumped into the enclosure, they may have succeeded in overpowering the tiger. That he slipped into the cage shows inadequate safety measures. The zoo administration should be held answerable.

Soldiers, when ammunition gets exhausted, fight with bare hands and survive to narrate the story of their bravery.