Jai! Jai! Operation Vijay

THIS refers to the article:"Jai!Jai! Operation Vijay" by Prabhjot Singh (July 31). The historical background of Kargil town as traced by the author was quite informative. Its religious importance gives it the status of a holy city and a place of pilgrimage for Sikhs in particular as Guru Nanak Dev had made a halt at Kargil. One must appreciate the patriotic gesture of the local organisations of Kargil which provided tea and snacks free of cost to the troops. It is heartening to note that the people of Kargil expressed complete solidarity with the defence forces.

Kargil has been under unabated shelling since April 1997. There is a need to pinpoint failure at intelligence and other levels. The article also highlights the need to strengthen our external/internal security. One significant aspect of the Kargil crisis is the extensive coverage of the battle by the media, both print and electronic. More than 500 newspersons went to Kargil as war correspondents and reporters.

ONKAR CHOPRA
Ludhiana

II

The world of media has undergone a dramatic metamorphosis since the inception of satellite T.V. Not only has it given as unparalleled impetus to television coverage but has also propelled the print media into hitherto unchartered territories. Nothing exemplifies this more aptly than the coverage of the recent Kargil crisis.

War will never be the same for any Indian again.Thanks to the whole-hearted involvement of both the press and T.V., war news was served piping hot, along with heart-rending images of dead bodies of brave soldiers being cremated amidst an unprecedented outpouring of grief. These exclusive shots had the undivided attention of the entire nation and rightfully so because never before had the citizens been exposed to such gruesome scenes of the Army engaged in battle.

The reporters themselves acquired a semi-heroic status, rubbing shoulders with the real heroes. The relentless gaze of the camera generated a never-before-witnessed solidarity and patriotism in every Indian. However, while congratulating the electronic media, one can’t overlook the commendable efforts of newspaper journalists and magazine reporters. There were editions dedicated to how it all began, the chronology of failures and successes, political game plans, photographs from the heart of the battlefront and of body bags and coffins, bereaved but brave families and wailing widows and children.

Nationalism is at its peak right now and we owe a great deal to the media for engendering such an upsurge of emotions. Let us hope the efforts do not go in vain.

SHIVANI SINGH
Chandigarh

Protect wildlife

Apropos of Saikat Neogi’s write-up "A flourishing illegal trade" (July 24), in fact illegal trade in wildlife is global in character and is second only to drug traffic in magnitude. India is the home of many rare species of flora and fauna which are sought after by people indulging in illegal trade. Our conservation efforts have not brought the desired results and many species are on the verge of extinction.

A multi-pronged enforcement strategy would consist of efforts to create an awareness amongst the general public and to enlist the cooperation of the local population living in and around the forests and wildlife sanctuaries. Physical security arrangements in many of our protected areas leave much to be desired. The field staff is neither adequate nor trained to deal with criminal elements who are now equipped with sophisticated modes of transport and weapons. There is no systematic approach to patrolling and hardly schemes to respond to emergencies. The need to establish a central task force and a wildlife crime data bank has been stressed often but unfortunately no headway has been made in these directions.

Enormous delays by the courts in dealing with cases involving crime against wildlife have failed to induce the fear of legal action in the criminals. There is need to establish special courts to deal with such cases.

K.M. VASHISHT
Mansa

Don’t worry

The write-up "Don’t worry, be happy" by R.C. Sharma (July 3) describes methods to avoid worrying.

There is hardly a person on this earth who is free of worries. Happiness is the only antidote against stress. However such happiness is rare in today’s materialistic world. Various methods have been suggested by the author to remain happy i.e. appreciate yourself, remain calm, develop a sense of humour and will power, cultivate inner happiness. How can a young person achieve success and happiness without adequate money or good contacts? How can an elderly person come out of the cocoon of solitude without the society coming to his rescue? Ultimately distressed people surrender to their destiny and accept worry, pain, sorrow and suffering as a part of their lives.

Surely such advice impractical on how to evade worries cannot be a panacea for human woes.

TILAK LAROIYA
SAS Nagar

Give and be happy

Apropos of Chitleen K. Sethi’s article "Give and be happy" (July 24), it is stated by the writer: "To feel the pain of others and to make their anguish your own, even for a brief while, brings the peace and calmness of mind many of us have paid thousands to attain".

Pain, as understood by most people, is mainly physical and only sometimes mental pain. Ultimately pain of the mind may also lead to physical pain. According to medical science sensations of pain are carried by different nerve fibres in our body. Pain is nature’s warning that all is not well. Though pain can be felt in almost all the areas of the body, in some parts it is likely to be severe.

Some one has beautifully said:

If life is a sorrow, overcome it,
If it is a struggle, accept it,
If it is a tragedy, face it,
If it is bliss, taste it,
If life is beautiful, worship it,

Life is a mixture of pleasure and pain. There is no pleasure in life without the tincture of bitterness. So let us accept this fact.

O.P. SHARMA
Faridabad.