L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Retirement as a beginning

Apropos of the middle, “A new beginning of life” by Vinod Prakash Gupta (April 27), in spite of the fact that nails, teeth, hair and officers become worthless after they are removed from their place, retirement can be made enjoyable by taking it as a time where one can conjure images of leisurely activities . It should be remembered that retirement is from work and not from life. If we develop an attitude in our service time like an honest tenant towards our family, friends and fortune instead of being a proud owner, we can have a peaceful life after retirement.

Prof. ANUP K GAKKHAR, Haridwar

Ban endosulfan

With reference to editorial “Consuming poison” (April 27), I would say that pesticides are commonly used for health and economic benefits worldwide but increased use has led to increased contamination of aquatic habitats. Aerial spraying of the pesticides is much more harmful than on ground handling.

When sprayed aerially, the suspended particulate matter (SPM) of endosulfan diffuses and gets spread in a radius as wide as 10 or 12 Km. During the process, it may get mixed with other materials in the air and become secondary pollutant.

Since Endosulfan is a harmful insecticide and it causes several health hazards in human beings, it is also not understood as to why the ban of endosulfan is being delayed.

HARISH K. MONGA, Ferozepur

Bird sanctuaries

The news report “Experts discuss steps to save vultures” (April 24) highlighted an important issue. It is a well-known fact that animals feed and other eatables are contaminated with pesticides and poisonous sprays. These pollutants enter the animals’ bodies, which are consumed by vultures causing their death. It is interesting that the stray dogs consume the same carcasses, but their population is increasing.

Scarcity of resting and nesting space may be the reason behind the disappearance of birds like vultures and sparrows. Therefore, there is a need to create sanctuaries by planting trees like banyan, for resting and nesting of birds.

Dr KAMALJEET KAUR SEKHON, Patiala

Misdeeds of Desai

Looking at contemporary events, the damage caused by what former IPL boss Lalit Modi is purported to have done pales into sheer insignificance by what Ketan Desai, the president of MCI, has dared to do and apparently  been doing for many years now. Modi had made a phenomenal success of an idea, and has enthralled spectators, but in the process diverted money through clandestine means to benami holders. But Desai has struck at the roots of advanced professional education, holding in jeopardy the quality of doctors from such highly suspect institutions certified by him. What a travesty that Desai is even the president of the World Medical Council !The shameful doings of Desai are unpardonable and he must be punished very severely so as to set an example to similar professional councils in the country.

R.NARAYANAN, K’AMBI,Ghaziabad

Simple living

Corruption is part and parcel of capitalism, which we have adopted. However, basically India is a socialistic society guided by Gandhi, Nehru and Shastri’s leadership.People have won the fight to present the Lokpal Bill to curb corruption but if we want to eradicate corruption, we have to adopt simple life and high thinking and not high living by adopting low means. We have to revert to simple way of living as preached by Gandhi to win the war against corruption.

SUDESH KUMAR, Tarn Taran

Corruption unlikely to end I agree with the assessment of Mr Surinder Kumar as given in his article, “Anna Hazare cannot stop Shri 420” (The Tribune, Apr19), that even a dozen Hazares cannot make India see the end of corruption. This is because the scourge of corruption has spread through the entire social strata. The situation is akin to the entry of cancer in a human body in the third stage when only some doses of steroids can prolong the life of the sufferer by a few months. In other words, the fence is eating the crops. Population explosion (18 crores per decade or one Australia every year) and increase of corruption form the most formidable combination to endanger the future of the country. Politicians of all hues are nurturing the growth of these two evils/weeds. Fortunately, Anna Hazare has mustered courage to fight the forces of corruption. But unfortunately he has not scripted a proper road-map to take the fight to its logical end. The passage of the Lokpal Bill will be only a symbolic victory for civil society activists because the politician-bureaucrat nexus even knows how to circumvent the provisions of the Bill very well. See how the mining mafia and the Chief Minister in Karnataka made the Lokayukta and the Governor look thoroughly helpless. The ruling party has already started a proxy war against the members of civil society. The leading newspapers, too, have started publishing articles to ridicule the attitude of civil society’s activists. The drafting committee is dubbed as the Mini-Constituent Assembly and the proposed Lokpal Bill as draconian. I doubt if Anna Hazare and his small team can withstand the onslaughts of the forces of evil. Yatin Malik, Gurgaon