Controversy over DAV colleges

THIS refers to the news-item “Government urged to take over DAV colleges” (Feb 2). The 14 DAV colleges, affiliated to Kurukshetra University and Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, getting 95 per cent grant-in-aid from the Haryana government are duty-bound to follow the university rules and the provisions of the Security of Services Act, 1979, which has the over-riding effect on others.

As per the university calendar, the governing body of each DAV college is the appointing and disciplinary authority of its staff. Thus the DAV management, New Delhi, has no jurisdiction and authority in law to intervene in the affairs of the governing body of any DAV college.

It is the statutory duty of the Vice-Chancellor of the university to see that the university Act, the statutes and the regulations are faithfully observed by its affiliated colleges. In case of any such violation, the executive council of the university has the power to withdraw the approval of the college principal or the recognition of the governing body.

Lately, a five-judge Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, verses Panjab University, Chandigarh, AIR 1997 P & H 87, has held that “the state government is duty-bound to enforce the university rules in the affiliated colleges”. Even the High Court directives cannot go contrary to the university statutes. The Haryana government should take a firm stand and stern action in these cases, because the college teachers cannot be made to suffer due to the apathetic attitude of the authorities.

ANIL BHATIA
Hisar

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Corruption categories

If one is looking for a 100 per cent appropriate entry for Ripley’s famous “Believe It or Not”, one has only to reach for Mr P.D. Sharma’s article (Feb 4) on corruption. He cites some economists as actually categorising certain types of corruption as “good”! (For instance, small “grease payments” which spur slothful bureaucrats).

But surely corruption even if minor or low-level cannot possibly be described as good. In fact, “good” corruption is plain contradiction in terms and quite indefensible, and must be treated as such. Otherwise, we might even hear talk of “good” crime, “good” dishonesty, “good” evil, etc.

If, on the other hand, the term “good” corruption is intended only as an exercise in ingenuity, then all that can be said is that it would have been much better if the subject of the effort chosen for it had been somewhat less unworthy.

SAROOP KRISHEN
Chandigarh

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Power project’s surplus staff

With the completion of the Ranjit Sagar Dam project, the Punjab government should utilise the surplus men and machinery from it for the departmental execution of the Shahpurkandi project and the UBDC Stage-III project, as it takes four to five years to complete a hydro-electric project.

Punjab shall be able to get 168 MW power from Shahpurkandi and 75 MW from the UBDC project by the end of the Ninth Five-Year Plan.

The preliminary design of the Shahpurkandi project has already been completed by Hydel Designs Organisation, and with the sanction of UBDC Stage-III by the Punjab government the preliminary work can be taken up immediately. The PSEB should not insist on the transfer of less than one dozen engineers/employees from Hydel Designs Organisation as the Irrigation Department has not only asked for the continuation of the posts that existed last year but has also requested for additional engineers/staff for the UBDC project.

V. K. GUPTA
Chandigarh

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20-point plan

Addressing a meeting of the District 20-Point Economic Programme Review Committee at Mandi the other day, Mr K.D. Dharmani, Vice-Chairman of the state-level 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee, is reported to have observed that it was important to ensure that the huge amount spent under the programme should be utilised in a way that the benefits percolate down to the deserving/needy people.

Disclosing that he had received reports of large-scale bungling in the implementation of the programme, Mr Dharmani reportedly warned the agencies engaged in various poverty-alleviation projects that serious action would be taken against persons found guilty of “dereliction of duty”.

I fully share Mr Dharmani’s concern as also his apprehensions vis-a-vis the implementation of the vital programme. No doubt, at the moment, the things in the matter leave much to be desired. The meetings of the district-level review committees, which are supposed to oversee implementation of the programme, are held painfully erratically. The members of the review committees are fed simply on statistics. The district authorities, by and large, are reluctant to share with the members even the names of the beneficiaries/details of the schemes executed during the period under review. On the spot verification of the on-going projects by any team of members is ruled out. In fact, the suggestion is frowned upon. Sad results are inevitable under the circumstances.

TARA CHAND
Ambota (Una)

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Mohali bus stand

The new bus stand at Mohali was constructed near Phase IX, to help the people of the township. The location of this bus stand was kept in the middle of the township. Moreover, it was constructed on the outer road going from Chandigarh to Ropar/Ludhiana.

But from the very beginning this bus stand has remained in an idle condition. Some time back the Punjab Roadways drivers were ordered to touch the Mohali bus stand but only a few of them obeyed the order.

Residents of Mohali are faced with great difficulties.

TARSEM PAUL VERMA
Mohali

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Rabid exploitation

The issue or problem of conversion is linked with one’s economic state of affairs. One who is economically weak is allured by money and in the process the poor becomes a victim of conversion. Exactly this has happened with those helpless Hindus of many States of India. The rich ones has exploited these poor and helpless masses with various kinds of allurements i.e. from money to marriage, even allurement of sending abroad. The poor masses must be helped in all respects. They must be given free education to the level of their getting settled in life. For this they can be also given financial help.

Tolerance and conversion have different aspects. Tolerance too has its boundary. How long can one go on looking helplessly to the highhandedness of a particular section of society? In the case of current conversions, I feel that the affected society should provide every necessity that the downtrodden masses need for graceful living.

I feel that Hindus are equally responsible for conversions because they have not paid due care to these downtrodden masses. Just look at the so-called low castes. In the earlier times they were not allowed to enter the temple, they were not allowed to walk freely in the market and they were the ones who were the most neglected. This degraded feeling left these masses easy prey for allurement of various kinds, including those leading to conversion. The conversion is in itself an end but it has become means as well. After conversion, various types of assistance/help/allurements are offered and thus this is easy fall from the graceful living. The converts forget their past and live in the present and future.

UJAGAR SINGH
Chandigarh

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Muddy drinking water

While the Chandigarh Administration has spent a huge amount on the construction of the Modern Housing Complex, Manimajra, it has failed to provide all the basic amenities required. The living conditions in this complex are deteriorating day by day. For example, to the block from flat No 5000 to flat No 5100 muddy water has been supplied through the taps for the last three months.

This muddy water cannot be used even for cleaning utensils also.

The residents have made repeated requests to the SDO concerned but of no avail.

NARESH KHULLAR
Chandigarh