Girl child & public attitude

MERE debates, discussions, speeches and observations of Girl Child Weeks are not going to change the plight of the female child in our society. We need to do something solid, something concrete (“Fate of the girl child”, by T.V. Rajeswar, The Tribune, Nov 12).

Though literacy in India is slowly increasing, with the passage of time we are not becoming more responsible, enlightened and awakened. Our duties towards our daughters are still far from complete; we have to go a long way. Discrimination between a boy and a girl child is still widely prevalent. Female foeticide still continues and other atrocities against girls have not stopped yet.

Mass media should come forward and launch a vigorous campaign to tell the masses that girls are no less useful than boys, and even some have better potential. Achievements of talented girls should be highlighted again and again till the message reaches all homes. We should strive hard to change the attitude of the general public.

SUNIL CHOPRA
Ludhiana

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Octroi collection

The Akali Dal-BJP government, after it was formed in February, 1997, did not lose much time in implementing its pre-election promise of providing free electricity to farmers, although in a manner far below the expectations of the farmers, without much bothering about the health of the State Electricity Board.

But the government has not shown the same determination and enthusiasm in implementing its another popular pre-election promise — of doing away with octroi collection. It is dragging its feet on one plea or another. And instead of doing away with this age-old retrogressive practice, which causes unnecessary delay and harassment to the general public and also interrupts the smooth flow of traffic by introducing some progressive system to generate revenue for the local bodies, the government has begun privatising the collection of octroi with enthusiasm.

Even UP, a backward state as far as economic activity is concerned, has done away with octroi collection for good, and has introduced progressive measures to help the local bodies, more or less dependent on octroi for funds. In this period of transition and great economic upheavals, being a progressive and industrialised state, the Punjab government should do away with the practice of octroi collection, and introduce modern techniques to fund the local bodies. Privatising the octroi collection is no solution.

The new system will help industry, the common man, trade and local bodies. Only corrupt employees and contractors will be the losers.

PUSHPENDER S. GUSAIN
Chandigarh

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Dangerous roundabout

The Housing Board roundabout on Madhya Marg, near Panchkula, appears to be acquiring a dubious distinction. It is a good site where one can see how action and inactions of the police personnel on traffic regulatory duty cause regular traffic hold up, especially during peak hours each morning.

Some among these “guardians of the law” frantically wave down trucks right at the roundabout. At the same time, the other Robinhoods, with carefully cultivated vacant expressions writ large on their faces, turn a Nelson’s eye towards the dangerous movement of cycles, rickshaws, rehris and even scooters, taking short-cuts from the wrong side of the road, towards this roundabout. This results in an absolute chaos, not to mention the inconvenience to law-abiding commuters and the grave risk of accidents.

One is forced to wonder if issuing challans is the only duty worth discharging for traffic police-wallahs. Aren’t they primarily supposed to help, educate, correct and direct traffic when required? But perhaps they wait till an accident occurs so that they can then start to make hay!

VIVEK KHANNA
Panchkula

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Inspiring teacher

In the death of Dr D.D. Jyoti the academic world has lost an inspiring teacher and a well-known educationist.

As the Director of the Regional Institute of English, Chandigarh, Dr Jyoti framed, in collaboration with other experts, a new syllabus in the teaching of English for B.Ed. students, which enhanced the prospective teachers’ knowledge of the language and the techniques of teaching it. A book entitled “Teaching English: Notes for teachers in training” was prepared under his guidance and was published by Oxford University Press.

Dr Jyoti had immense zest for teaching. As a lecturer in English at Government College of Education, Chandigarh, it was my privilege to organise numerous extension lectures by him in the institution. It was a delight to hear him. The students looked forward to his enlightening talks.

Teachers like Dr Jyoti can never die. They continue to live in the memories of their countless students.

A.L. KOHLI
Panchkula

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Article 356

This refers to the letter by Mr Hari Singh on Article 356 of the Constitution (Nov 13). The writer has said that this Article was invoked for the first time by Nehru himself in 1959 in Kerala under pressure from his daughter, Indira Gandhi. But to my knowledge the misuse of the Article, in fact, was done in 1953 for the first time to dismiss the Rarewala ministry of the Akali Dal in Pepsu, then a “B” class state.

MAJOR NARINDER SINGH JALLO ( retd)
Kapurthala

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: It is true that the primary objective of Article 356 is to protect the integrity of the country. It is also true that the Congress party which ruled at the Centre for about 47 years, more often than not, used it against the opposition parties in power in the states.

I recall that in 1982-83 when the Congress was in power at the Centre as well as in Punjab, it was pertinent to impose President’s rule, under Article 356, on Punjab. The volatile situation warranted the imposition of President’s rule in Punjab.

But Indira Gandhi advertently delayed the matter as she didn’t like to dismiss the Darbara Singh government in the state. This point was brought forth by Khushwant Singh in the Rajya Sabha in 1983 (April, 1983).

The Darbara Singh ministry was dismissed later on but it was too late by that time.

MOHAN SINGH
Bathinda

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Hostile neighbours

Mr Guru Dutt’s letter (November 12) seems to suggest that India has only one enemy in its neighbourhood — Pakistan.

Well, what about China? Let us not forget that our Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, is on record having said that the “potential threat” to India is greater form China than Pakistan!

SURENDRA MIGLANI
Kaithal