Adopt Thathal Chaunta

Following the PM's directive, MLAs and renowned people are adopting villages of their choice. But will anyone adopt 'Thathal Chaunta' village of Bilaspur district? The residents of the village are suffering a lot. If anyone gets hurt or falls sick, he or she has to go more than 5 km for first aid. There is no dispensary in the village. The only government high school does not have a proper building or ground. Regarding the basic necessity of water, it comes only once every three days and just for three hours. There is a lot of water in front of the village in the Bhakhra Dam, but no scheme to get it. As far as the other basic necessity of food is concerned, due the nearest government depot is 5 km from the village.

And though, there is a road to the village, no government bus plies bus through it. 

SANJEEV KUMAR, Thathal Chaunta

 

Funds lapse

While Himachal Pradesh boasts of competing with J&K in tourism, the reality is that the state more often than not fails to utilise the aid given by the Central government. Himachal was allotted Rs 5 crore for the beautification of Paonta Sahib as part of the inter-state tourism circuit comprising Yamunanagar- Sirmaur-Panchkula. The first instalment of Rs 75 lakh was released for half a dozen parks, multi-stage parking areas, high mast lights, paths for walkers with benches etc. Surprisingly, the government assigned this work to the municipal committee and did not even care to monitor the project. The MC lacked technical knowhow and manpower. It also did not care to initiate any action nor did it report its inability to take up the assignment. After about two years when this issue came in the public domain, the district administration casually admitted the funds being lapsed. 

Likewise, the Archeological Department of India developed a rare Shivalik Fossil Park near Nahan comprising dozens of huge fibre glass models of pre-historical animals. It also set up a museum comprising fossils of livestock of the ancient period and displayed allied written record. Hundreds of students and scholars from all over India visited the area. Unfortunately, it became nobody's baby after it was handed over to the state.

RM Ramaul, Paonta Sahib

 

Doling out subsidy

This is with reference to the news item “LPG subsidy for rich may go”. The subsidy being given in the name of poor is being siphoned off by the rich influential. Subsidy given in other schemes which is grossly being  mis-utilised should also go. The government should also strengthen its monitoring system so as to ensure the proper utilisation of subsidy. The schemes should be realistic in case of agriculture and horticulture.  

Dr K D Lakhanpal, Bilaspur

 

No subsidy for rich

The Finance Minister's proposal that the LPG subsidy for rich may go (November 22)  is an appreciable suggestion. Any individual or family whose children go to public school, travel in business class, stays in big hotels or have palatial bungalow, should not be entitled for any subsidy in any form. 

Dr V K Anand, Patiala 

Middle class hit

Why can’t the government have one simple policy? First, it restricted the number of subsidised cylinders per year, then revoked it and then it went back on it. Now, it wants to do away with subsidy for the rich. Who is going to decide the status and classification of a person? ‘Achhe din ayen ge’ is becoming a farce. The worst hit by any change in policy will be the salaried middle class. Let us hope that the government does not end up in digging deeper holes in theit pockets.

COL BOBBY GAREWAL (retd), Mohali 

Autistic kids’ parents

Apropos the news item “Don’t transfer employees with autistic children” (November 18) , the guardians of mentally challenged children are beholden to the government for including autism spectrum disorders in the category of disabled children. A child suffering from any type of disability is a matter of great concern to the family. The whole family is worried about the plight of their ward when they would not be alive to look after them. These unfortunate innocents 'gifts of God', cannot speak about what ails them, and suffer in silence.

BSSaini, Gurgaon

 

Queue for elderly

Senior citizens suffer at the railway stations in Amritsar, Jammu and Ludhina as they are not allowed to form special queues to buy tickets. At the Ambala cantonment railway station, the senior citizens are given preferential treatment at all windows. They don’t have to suffer the inconvenience of standing in queues for hours there. The Railways must make this facility available at all stations.

Sudesh Sharma, via email

 

Fatal bouncer

Apropos the news item “Hit  by  boucer  2 days  ago, Oz  cricketer  dies”, it is really  sad  news  for  the  cricket  community  around  the  world  as  Phillip  Hughes, a  25  year-old  cricketer  of Australia, hit  by  a  bouncer  on  the  head  never  regained  consciousness  in  the  domestic  match. Measures to  make  this  game  more  safe  to  play are needed.

KIRANDEEP SINGH, Barnala

 

Pale of Sikhism

Recently, the Sikh Students’ Federation demanded that Navjot Singh Sidhu be summoned at Akal Takht Sahib for misquoting Gurbani. A former Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib, Joginder Singh Vedanti, countered that since Sidhu trims and colours his hair, he is a 'patit' or 'fallen' Sikh and hence he does not qualify to appear before the Takht. Vedanti is excluding Sidhu from the Sikh fold, unmindful of the implications. If his logic is followed, legions of Sikh youth will have to be placed outside the pale of Sikhism. 

In my view, a 'patit' Sikh is one who reneges and backs out after undergoing baptism or taking amrit. In the Hindu tradition, a Brahmin or Kshatriya, who had renounced the world after due initiation, could not return to society except as a shudra. Similarly, an initiated Sikh will be declared fallen if he violates his baptismal vows. It is a general rule.

Sidhu may be said to fall in the sahajdhari category and, at least for certain purposes, has to be accepted as a Sikh. If Akal Takht is persuaded that he has misquoted Gurbani, he and all Sikhs should be warned not to commit such a lapse. 

PROF BHUPINDER SINGH, Patiala