Empty promises

The Ranjit Sagar Dam Oustees Association which is at the forefront of the struggle to get compensation for the land acquired during the construction of the dam is once again in the limelight. Its members, led by its president Daya Singh, said the Punjab Government had reneged on its promise of looking afresh at their demands. He added that last month two of its members, both septuagenarians, had climbed a telecommunication tower located near the Dam Chief Engineer’s office in Jugiyal to highlight their demands. The DC Sanyam Aggarwal had rushed to their aid by opening channels for talks with the Irrigation Department in Chandigarh. However, now things are back to square one with the oustees claiming that the irrigation officials were not keeping their word. In what appears to be a warning to the administration and the police, Daya said if their demands were not met they would be left with no option except to climb the tower or some water tank again.

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Two in one!

The doctor in this cop surfaces every now and then. And when it does, the advice given on anything related to Covid is savoured even by dyed-in-the-wool professional physicians. Almost everybody in the city knows that SSP Nanak Singh (pic) is an IPS officer. However, not many know that he was a doctor – having done his MBBS from Amritsar medical college – before he cleared the civil services examination. It is common to see the officer exchanging his views on Covid and other diseases with senior doctors. Last week, some volunteers of an NGO knocked his doors to tell him that Covid restrictions were not being followed in letter and spirit by residents. Somewhere along the line a discussion broke out over which is more efficient, Covaxin or Covishield. The doctor got the better of the cop and lo and behold the volunteers were in for some advice. The SSP recounted the story of Buridan’s donkey. For starters, the officer reminded his audience that Jean Buridan was a 14th century French philosopher. Then came the story which threw light on how an animal finds itself paralysed between two equally desirable alternatives. Buridan’s donkey is a philosophical paradox on the conception of freewill. In this hypothetical scenario, a donkey is placed precisely midway between a bale of hay and a barrel of water. The animal is equally hungry and thirsty. But being a donkey, it is confused whether to eat first or drink first. Since both the water and hay are equidistant and since it is both equally hungry and thirsty, it is unable to make a rational choice. Finally, the rational donkey dies. After the story came a suggestion. People who often waste time deciding between Covishield and Covaxin often meet the same fate as Buridan’s donkey. The volunteers got the point and the discussion ended then and there. The SSP was happy and so was his audience. The impasse had been broken courtesy a sagacious gentleman from France! Later, Nanak Singh told TNS, “The best Covid vaccine is the first one available. Do not wait for a specific brand. All the currently authorised and recommended vaccines are equally safe and equally effective.” That was a point well made, irrespective of Buridan and his rational donkey.

Monsoon ready?

Ahead of the monsoon season, Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa has ordered a massive de-silting and de-watering drive in all villages of Punjab. This is being done to ensure that there is no flooding in villages when the rains come calling next month. The minister said that last year 12,244 ponds were dewatered. This time his department intends to target 14,919 ponds. This exercise is also seen as a vote-garnering one as it comes just as Assembly elections are around the corner. Bajwa said the entire work was being executed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to ensure livelihood to the poor. Sources say the Panchayat Department has become tough on villagers encroaching upon ponds. Village ponds are common lands that are governed by the Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Act, 1961 hence any encroachment is taken seriously. There are over 13,000 villages in Punjab that have nearly 15,000 ponds. — Ravi Dhaliwal