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Ambala’s water woes

People of Ambala are facing an acute shortage of drinking water supply. As many as 121 tubewells are damaged and those functional are supplying water contaminated with sewage, insects and even bones. And, no one in the Public Health sector seems to be caring. The emails of departments and officers concerned in the Haryana and Central Governments should be made public to enable the over 2 lakh residents of Ambala seek redress of acute life and death problems they encounter routinely.

Suraj Parkash, Ambala

Joy of creativity

Apropos the news item “Students being deprived of creativity joy: Yash Pal” (October 16), Prof Yash Pal has rightly said that children need a scientific temper for the overall growth of their personality. The parents have become ‘high marks-centric’. Creativity and curiosity in young minds are being replaced by targets of high ranks in examinations. Due to this illusion, the tendency of suicides among children when they fail to come up to the expectation of their parents is on the rise.

The children are the future of the nation. We should nourish them properly for their balanced growth. We need creative personalities rather than bookworms. Right education, good health and positive temperament are the mantras of success.

BR Kaundal, Mandi

Exaggerated reports

Apropos the article “Feudal attitude persists” by Justice Nirmal Singh (October 3), there is another side of the picture. Most survey reports are highly exaggerated, if not totally untrue. One should be careful in presenting data. Raising the bogey of Dalit discrimination has become common. If a sweetshop owner, for example, doesn't allow a customer to touch sweets to maintain hygiene, a Dalit customer would make it an issue of untouchability and create a ruckus. If some bias exists against the lower castes, it can be overcome. Dalits are equal citizens of India. They should get rid of the Dalit tag. They should shun the reservation crutches and try to stand on their own feet.

WG CDR CL SEHGAL (RETD), Jalandhar

Hope for Dalits

Apropos Justice Nirmal Singh’s (retd) article “Feudal attitude persists” (October 3), our Prime Minister is popular amongst the Dalits also and he has promised to declare this century for the Dalits. His cleanliness drive is praiseworthy. But cleanliness of the mind and soul is more essential than that of the surroundings. Every Indian should take a pledge for cleanliness.

Jai Dev Singh, Kurukshetra

Make in India

The GoI is planning to take handloom, handicraft and khadi products to the world through a “Handmade in India” initiative. When Mahatma Gandhi spun yarn at his specially made charkha daily, his philosophy was to economically emancipate the village-level weavers and craftsmen. Interestingly, I was once attending an MSME seminar organised by the Minister of Textiles presided over by a secretary-level officer on the martyrdom day of Gandhi. I pointed out to him that we should start the day by remembering Bapu who cared so much for the downtrodden weavers and artisans. But I got a brute rebuttal from the officer as he said: “Look gentleman, there is no room for emotions in the seminar.”

Now, 30 years later, when I find PM Modi concerned about this class, I can’t help but say that one day Modi may prove himself to be ‘Mahatma Modi’ if he remains persistent in getting things done from his ministers and bureaucrats. Fundings by bank, elimination of middlemen and sale realisation are the hurdles which need to be crossed to create a brand ‘Handmade in India’.

Brij B Goyal, Ludhiana

Substance or spectacle?

In his article regarding PM Modi's visit to the USA, BG Verghese has said that “there is more of spectacle and less of substance.” The writer should know that five agreements were signed in the USA. Are they are without substance? Modi addressed the UN General Assembly in Hindi. Was his speech without substance? What about Modi’s address the Indian diaspora at Madison Square Park?

Regular columnists like BGV, KN and S Nehal Singh criticise Modi just for the sake of criticising and we readers are paying for it. Bona fide criticism is welcome, but maligning Modi for the sake of maligning is abhorrent.

Dr RK Rajoo, Mandi

Kudos to Army

The Indian armed forces have done a commendable job in J&K. They undertook rescue and relief operations during the floods. They saved many lives and won the hearts of people.

Kushi Negi, New Delhi

Just desserts

According to medieval English jurist Henry de Bracton, a king may not be under any man, but he is under God and law. At last, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has got her just desserts (“Jaya gets 4-year jail in assets case”, September 28). She has been sentenced to four years of imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 crore imposed on her in an 18-year-old case of amassing wealth disproportionate to known sources of her income. She has had to resign as Chief Minister.

Recently, some shabbily dressed bare-foot girls of Tamil Nadu collecting odds and ends from filthy dumps told me that thousands of people reeling under penury like them had come to Punjab to eke out a living. Had the Tamil Nadu Government provided them jobs, they would not have left their native places. On the other hand, Jaya’s standard of living is said to be of royal spendour. She spent oceans of money on the marriage of her adopted son Sudh Karan. In 1996, following a raid, she was found in possession of 28 kg gold, nine quintals of silver, 10,500 saris, 750 pairs of sandals and 91 watches. Could these things have been acquired by honest means? The punishment meted to her reminded me of Maulana Rune’s verse: As muqaafaat-e-amal ghaafil ma-shau\Gandum az gandum bi-royad jau zi jau (Do not remain unmindful of the retribution for your deeds, for wheat springs from wheat and barley from barley).

Bhagwan Singh, Qadian