A sick Regional Engineering College

THIS is with reference to the news-item published in The Tribune dated April 23 captioned “REC cries for help”.

I am a product of the Regional Engineering College, Hamirpur. This news-item has stirred my memory, and what I remember about the REC, I am afraid, is not very pleasant.

The academic standard of the college has been plagued by the paucity of adequately qualified teachers. Brilliant teachers have been denied research facilities and they have left long back to seek greener pastures elsewhere. There are many vacant posts of Assistant Professor and others in different departments. The college, virtually working on ad-hocism, is waiting for the appointment of a regular Principal.

In absence of a provision for the revaluation of answer-books, students are completely at the mercy of the authorities. Brilliant students are detained on flimsy grounds even if they fall sick, and have a very negligible shortfall in attendance. Last year a bright student had to seek judicial intervention. When he was selected by a premier institute of the country for a postgraduation programme, he was detained by the college authorities pointlessly.

The worst thing is the dismal performance of the placement cell of the college. The placement officer thinks his job is over after the mailing of letters to prospective recruiting companies. The representatives of these companies are not shown even normal courtesy and cooperation. As a result, there has been a steep fall in the campus recruitment, almost negligible today.

Brilliant students have to regret their decision of choosing this college when they have better options available elsewhere.

SUDHIR KUMAR
Shimla

Voters’ responsibility

Now that fresh Lok Sabha elections have been announced, the electorate has to ensure purity in public life and good governance irrespective of the party or the group of parties which comes to power. The root cause for many of the ills in the Indian polity is that the legislature gets a good number of people given to rowdyism and with a criminal record.

While pressure must be brought on the political parties to see that only people with good character, knowledge and a record of public service are chosen as candidates, so far as criminals are concerned the Election Commission has a duty to the country to keep them out of Parliament.

Under the Representation of the People Act, a person convicted in a criminal case cannot contest an election. Unfortunately, the Election Commission has given a criminal-friendly interpretation to this rule, saying that even if a person is convicted in a lower court and there is an appeal pending in a superior court, the candidate will be allowed to contest. The correct interpretation is that once a person in convicted, even in the lower court till he is cleared by a superior court, he cannot contest elections.

The Election Commission should also make it mandatory for all the aspiring candidates who have been charged with criminal offences but have not yet been convicted to advertise at least in one English and regional language paper each the cases which have been filed against them. The cut-off date should be the date of the election announcement so that innocent people are not foisted with false criminal cases.

The Election Commission has a duty to ensure that Parliament, the source of laws and the government of the country, is not tainted by criminals.

M.R. PAI
Mumbai

Administering the police

The avoidable controversy between the police and the UT Administration is unfortunate. The matter should have, normally, ended with the “protest” by the IGP over the suspension of DSPs and a consequent review.

The aggrieved have the option of seeking judicial redressal. Attempts to stall the disciplinary process exposes egoism, aversion to authority and the constitutional obligations.

The police force cannot be a law unto itself. Instead of over-exposure in the media, the police chief is expected to provide a purposeful leadership to the force and ensure improvement in its professional performance.

O.P. DATTA
Chandigarh

Swimming pool charges

Last year swimming pool charges at Gymkhana Club, Panchkula, for non-members were Rs 30 for children below 12 years and Rs 600 for those above 12 years per season — from April 15 till October-end. This season they have charged as per this payment schedule from non-members who are using the swimming pool regularly.

A few days back swimmers were shocked to read a notice at the Gymkhana Club announcing an increase in the swimming pool charges for non-members: 100 per month for children below 12 years and Rs 500 per month from those above 12 years.

There is only one swimming pool in Panchkula. Last year, a sample of water taken from the pool was found to be bacteria-infected. A hike of 50 per cent for those below 12 years and five times for those above 12 years is patently unjustified and unwarranted.

I strongly feel that whenever any decision is taken by the club, the residents welfare and feelings are rarely taken into consideration. That is why they have increased the charges so much that people find it hard to use it, or perhaps this is what the club authorities intend. It will have dampening effect on the sport.

The authorities concerned should review their decision with regard to the increase in the pool charges and bring them to a reasonable level so that one can afford it to splash around! The members who have already paid the charges should not be forced to pay more.

DALIP KATIAL
Panchkula

Tackling unemployment

It is indeed very disheartening to know that one of the most flourishing states of India, Punjab, is heading towards catching the dreaded disease of unemployment. The figures are touching the sky, and the most unfortunate fact being the high percentage of qualified doctors, engineers and other skilled workers are among the unemployed.

As has been rightly stated in the editorial dated April 29 that such an alarming level of unemployment may lead to another round of killings, drug-trafficking and allied activities, and if this happens again we might not find a way out of it this time. Since officials and others at the helm of the affairs have all the figures on their tables, it will indeed be a pity on them if they don’t wake up from their slumber and take some concrete action. Are they waiting for the volcano to erupt and destroy everything that comes its way?

It is quite probable that the generalist appointed by the government don’t have the required expertise to tackle this problem, but they always have the private consulting agencies at their disposal who do have the talent and the suggestions which can lead to a meaningful and fruitful end. This is what is being done in developed countries where we see exactly the opposite of what is prevailing in India. In these countries unemployment emerges usually because of an imbalance in the economy, between unemployment and a shortage of labour. Industry suffers from the shortage of skilled labour at a time when the unemployed do not have the skills needed to fill the available jobs.

But we have an amazing situation where some of the most qualified people dream of a plain job and don’t get it. The government asks its men to find out the figures but what about reducing these figures? They produce reports, but what about changing the reports for the better?

The crux of the problem is that the government should well interact with industry and, after getting the expert feedback, give a go-ahead signal to the new institutions being established, the disciplines they are opting for, the strengths of these disciplines, etc. Rather than put resources into new institutions blindly, its always better to aim for an increase in education in these fields.

A sociological study concluded that the people living in the rural areas have a special inclination for agro-based industries. The authorities need to specially emphasise the agriculture-based and allied enterprises in the rural areas. Again the designing and implementation of these schemes should be done by experts to minimise the wastage of the country’s precious resources.

NRIs can play a very encouraging role in the creation of opportunities for employment. The public sector generates a very low percentage of jobs. It’s the private sector only which can quench the thirst of employment pool. Having interacted with an enough number of patriotic NRIs while being overseas, I have concluded that they (NRIs) are very eager and enthusiastic to invest in local industries, thereby giving a boost to the economy, which will automatically reduce unemployment. More than the profits, they go in for gratitude from the government, gratitude in terms of quick and single-window clearances. There should be no double-talk by the authorities (they tend to become very sensitive to corruption since they have got used to a corruption-free environment in their respective countries).

If they can sponsor scholarships worth millions of dollars for Indian students in foreign universities.

PANKAJ BHANDARI
Helsinki (Finland)
(Received in response to the Internet edition.)

Parrots and human beings

In the write-up “Parrots” (“Chandigarh Calling”, May 10), it has been mentioned that these birds “can act as good security guards”.

Many decades ago, some burglars broke into the house of a neighbour. Sensing their presence, his parrot started squeaking. He woke up and challenged the burglars, who sneaked away.

When Humayun invaded Gujarat, its ruler, Sultan Bahadur Shah’s Chief Artillery Officer, Rumi Khan, deserted to the Mughal side. Shah escaped to Diu.

The booty taken by the victor from the famous fort of Champaner included the Sultan’s parrot also. One day, it was taken to the royal court. Recognising the perfidious officer, who was sitting there, the bird cried: “Phit paapi Rumi Khan namak-haraam” (You, the execrable sinner and treacherous Rumi Khan). He hung his head in shame.

“Tota” (parrot) finds a mention in many idiomatic expressions. For instance, “tota chashm” (a disloyal person), “haathon key totey urna” (be taken aback), “tota paalna” (aggravate a disease by concealing it), “totey ki si aankhein pherna” (prove faithless, withdraw affection from), “totey bulvaana” (receive wide public attention), etc.

Some parrots possess the faculty to repeat words and even whole sentences and imitate the cry of any bird or animal they hear. A Russian parrot, called Kesha, is a very talkative bird. Some years ago, the police searched a thief’s apartment in Tashkent, where a Kesha told them its address in Volgograd, a far-off city. Not only the crime was solved but also the parrot was returned to its real owner.

But a bird is after all a bird. Poet Zauq rightly said: “Aadmiyyat aur shai hai ilmiyyat kuchh aur shai/Laakh totey ko parhaaya par voh haivaan hi raha”. (Humanity and scholarship are different things. Despite being very much taught to imitate human speech, the parrot remains a bird).

BHAGWAN SINGH
Qadian