‘Pliability’ factor

Refer to ‘Eligibility for CDS’; if we place a rightful man as the President and allow him to function rightfully, what is the need of another joint commander of the forces? The truth is that political bosses want more pliable men at powerful positions. The dilution in the eligibility to become CDS is basically to widen the choice and bring in people with lower qualification but with higher pliability quotient. Another angle which needs attention is the adverse impact which this change will have on the morale and culture of our forces. When a Deputy Chief becomes CDS, he will become the boss of his own Chief. Can anyone imagine a Colonel saluting a Lt Colonel? This shift in the name of better management will weaken the defence mechanism of the country.

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Nirmal Singh, Patiala

Why ignore seniority?

Why is the government ignoring the existing time-tested procedure of deference to seniority, experience and exposure in the appointment of the CDS? The service Chiefs get adequate time to mature into and move smoothly into the shoes of CDS, ensuring continuity and avoiding undue strain on service hierarchy. It may cause heartburn if a junior officer is elevated to the post, undermining the Chiefs. The nation is passing through a critical time when the threat from both the North and West is for real. Was it necessary to court this controversy at this moment?

GP CAPT JS BOPARAI (RETD), BHADSALI

Ranked lowest

Apropos of ‘India rejects eco index that ranked it lowest’, India has rubbished the report as ‘unscientific’. To make this index, Columbia University used 40 performance indicators across 11 categories involving 180 countries. Therefore, it is absurd to question the credibility of the report. Instead of displaying an ostrich-like attitude, India should immediately take appropriate steps to improve its ranking.

Balbir Singh Kakkar, Jalandhar

Environment index

Refer to India rejects Environment Performance Index; this is a reflection on the state of air quality in India. Efforts have been made by the government to reduce industrial pollution as well as vehicular emissions but these have not been adequate. India was among the first countries to join the Paris Climate accord in 2015, but is currently the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The government should provide more money through its budgetary allocation to fight air pollution. Afforestation should be on the agenda of every state government to make India greener.

Devendra Khurana, Bhopal

Scars of Partition

Reference to ‘Let’s not carry Partition’s burden’; as per official record, more than 20 lakh people were killed. People were uprooted from their homeland. It is every migrant’s story, who suffered due to communal frenzy. When I was a child, I did not understand the seriousness of this tragedy, but now, I break down when I think about the horrendous happenings. What was our ancestors fault? They died and suffered because of dirty politics. The Partition is embedded in our mind and soul. After my demise, this burden will go. I pray to God to forgive those who committed sins on innocent humanity.

Shiv kumar, Bathinda

NEET-PG seats

Apropos of ‘SC pulls up counselling panel over vacant seats in NEET-PG’, the court pulled up medical counsellors for not filling 1,456 PG seats. Judges’ vacancies exist in courts all over India. Who is to be pulled for keeping these vacant permanently, when there is no shortage of qualified advocates and four crore cases are pending in courts and litigants are suffering due to the non-delivery of justice. Automation and responsibility are required to be introduced in judiciary appointments and justice delivery systems to reduce corruption and delays.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Jail security

Refer to ‘From jail to freedom via hospital’; in the absence of proper security arrangements, the Government Medical College in Amritsar, seems to have become a convenient and easy escape route for undertrials and prisoners lodged at the Central Jail. This report reveals the inside story behind all such great escapes. How come the authorities continue to be in a deep slumber and no remedial steps seem to have been taken to rein in all those ‘facilitating’ such stage-managed freedom? The Punjab CM must take prompt cognisance of this nexus.

Vinayak, by mail

Confusing signals

The government, on the one hand, emphasises the significance of rotation of crops and tries to dissuade farmers from sowing paddy, and on the other hand, it encourages them to do so by promising to give them eight hours of uninterrupted power supply.

Harish Malhotra, Sangrur

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