M A I L B A G

A tale for police-public cooperation

The Police Commemoration Day was observed all over Punjab on Oct. 21. Some of the speakers stressed the need to bring changes in the functioning of the police. They urged the men in khaki to work humbly and understand human rights to bring a good name to the force.

This reminds me of a childhood tale. There used to be a small tribe in Rajasthan known as Meenas. They were professional thieves and the profession was passed from generation to generation. There was a strange tradition also. Every village used to have one Meena. He was appointed to defend the village against burglaries. The whole village used to contribute for the living of Meena and his family. If a burglary took place in the village then Meena was informed immediately and the list of stolen goods was told to him. He used to swing in action immediately to solve the burglary. Most of the times he was successful in tracking the thieves and recover the stolen goods which were returned to the owners. In case Meena failed to trace the thieves, then he used to pay compensation to the affected family.

Is it not possible today to have a similar relationship between the police and the public?

Dr TIRATH GARG, Ferozepur

Death of a girl

Tears rolled down my eyes when I read about the death of a five-year-old innocent child, Gursimran. She died for none of her fault. The poor kid had gone to the park to play but she never knew what her uncles from the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, had made for her to play with.

Our honourable Chief Minister, had transferred the previous Commissioner of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation for doing his duty. May I ask Mr Badal what action is he going to take against the erring official and contractors under whose supervision these swings were installed?

JASPREET SINGH, Ludhiana

Festival sales

Keeping in view the increasing sound and smoke noise levels, the government has banned crackers which produce a sound exceeding 125 dB. During the festival season, the public is virtually looted by shopkeepers. Sweets-sellers weigh the sweetbox along with sweets despite clear instructions from the Chandigarh Administration not to do so.

No adequate arrangements for water and sand are made by cracker sellers. Despite the ban, crackers are also sold along with other items in covered shops. There is no clear-cut price fixation norm for eatables. Shopkeepers normally increase the rates of sweets.

A. P. BHARDWAJ, Chandigarh

Devi Lal parks

The Haryana Government has been naming municipal parks in different towns after the late Devi Lal. A thermal power plant and a sugar mill too have been named after him which is not commensurate with his stature.

In Haryana, lesser known people and those who have done precious little for the uplift of the poor have higher academic institutions named after them like Guru Jambheshwar University at Hisar and Pt B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak. (Guru Jambheshwar was merely an environmentalist in the 16th century A.D. while Pt. B.D. Sharma was the CM of Haryana for a brief spell).

My appeal to the Haryana Government is that in order to commemorate the memory of Devi Lal, it should at least establish a new university named after him to match his stature.

JAGVEER SINGH KAJLA, Rohtak

George's promise

Our George has again been given the Defence portfolio. It is now a chance for him to implement his declaration that "ex-service personnel have been granted one rank, one pension, with retrospective effect."

GURDIAL SINGH, Ludhiana

Uncle Sam, don't preach

The President of the USA has told India to "stand down". Mr Collin Powell asked for "restraint" and wants India to talk to Pakistan for a peaceful solution. Well, why don't Mr Bush and Mr Powell sit with the Taliban and Mr bin Laden and talk for a peaceful solution. I think these gentlemen should practise what they preach.

YOGESH DATTA, Canberra

They and us

One Sikh died in Arizona and the US Senate passed a resolution to protect the Sikhs. A majority of the Americans are apologising. Political leaders are visiting gurdwaras to assure the Sikhs all protection. In the world’s largest secular democracy what steps have been taken to protect the Sikhs and other minorities? Something is miss- ing while defining the Indian democracy.

THAKUR SINGH BASTI, by e-mail

IAF, Navy left out

Apropos the joint advertisement given by the Director, Small Savings and the Department of Finance, Punjab, giving cash awards to the war heroes of Punjab, why nobody either from the Indian Air Force or the Navy has been chosen for the honour?

AMARJIT SINGH, Bathinda

Chandigarh map

I am staying in the USA and am a regular reader of The Tribune. To my surprise and dismay, I found that the map of Chandigarh which was shown in the "IT task force to keep tab on computer institutes" article seems to be very old. That map does not have the sectors which I had visited five years ago. Does that show how IT savvy this city has gone?

SACHIN, by e-mail