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Lackluster performance

Sir,

Indians wilted under pressure yet again Result They have lost their eighth consecutive final. This time around the team looked with a difference which at one stage was almost down and out but thanks to great character shown by players like Sehwag, Yuvraj and Harbhajan. But again you can't win matches on individual performances, it has to be a team effort and it is exactly what is missing from Indian team and hence humiliation after humiliation. We had performed well in our quest to reach the finals and it was a collective effort that made it. Fielders were pulling off sensational catches, bowlers delivering vital blows and the batsmen rising to occasion. Altogether it was a confident looking side to take on Lankans but the story is no different today. We have to admit that we fault when it matters most and what is a worrying factor here is that we are doing it on regular basis. First it was in Zimbabwe and now in Sri Lanka. The selectors can't be blamed this time. In fact they deserve a pat on their backs for that they persisted with these players despite poor performances but thanks to timely cashing on by players like Sehwag, Yuvraj and Sodhi which upheld the selectors diversion of persistence.

The question arises if our players have the ability to beat the world champions why can't they beat other countries. I think its the lack of confidence in backing their individual potentials and if you don't back your potential you are destined to fail 10 out of 10 times. This has also been the reason for India's dismal record of foreign Soil. A proverb "Lions at home and lambs abroad," fits in well here. The players have to be mentally tough to face the challenge. Everyone is aware what Sehwag's Swashbuckling century against Newzealand did to Indian camp with each player continuing where Sehwag had left. So there is nothing that Indians do not have. They only need to hold their nerves in big matches and the result will be similar to what we achieved against the Kiwis.

The role of the coach and the Captain is also a point of concern for Indian think tank. The Captain has to lead from the front but unfortunately Ganguly has failed both in leading the team and in his batting. In fact, he seems to have refused to learn from his mistakes. He got out five out of six occasions on injudicious shots. A Captain is supposed to hold his nerve and he has to motivate his men in the middle in crucial time but Ganguly seems to have lost the battle at least in pressure games. It is here where the Australian Captain Steve Waugh is so tough, he always leads from the front with his flawless cricketing acumen. The coach also has to instill confidence in the players that they have the potential and they just have to display it while in the middle. Coach John Wright has to communicate to his boys not to repeat mistakes which Indian players committed quite regularly. The writing is clear on the wall that so long as we do not get our basics right, no coach and Captain will succeed in earning a flare of dignity for our cricket. The sooner we learn the better it is for all of us.

Yours etc...
Sudhir Kr. Sharma
Shiv Vihar Janipura Colony
Jammu.

District status for Kishtwar

Sir,

The killings at midnight of 3-4 August 2001 in Shorti Dhar area under Atholi Police Station of Paddar Illaka Tehsil Kishtwar has come at a time when people were mourning the Cherjee massacre. Kishtwar is an unmanageable tehsil which accounts for 4550 Kms. It has huge forest area, world famous Sapphire mines.

The Govt. of Late Sheikh Abdullah doubled the no. of districts in Valley and carved out separate Kargil district in Ladakh. Then a commission for rationalising administrative units was appointed. The commission, headed by Mr. J N Wazir retired Chief Justice of the J&K State, submitted report on December, 1983.

The commission recommended three more districts in Jammu region (Geographic area 26293 Sqm) and one more in Kashmir (Geographic area 15948 Sq m).

The commission proposed upgradation of Kishtwar to a district & stated that proposed Kishtwar district will still be largest after Ladakh.

Before coming to the conclusion, the commission studied the position of districts of Ladakh, Kargil & Tehsils of Gurez and Karnah & found that upgradation of Tehsil Kishtwar as district was justified on the basis of area, population, terrain, degree of backwardness, incidence of natural calamites and acute need of its development as a drought prone area. It was also proposed to upgrade Paddar & Madwa to full fledged tehsils. Paddar area extends over 32 villages while Madwa over 27 villages. The distance from Kishtwar town to remote part of Paddar is as long as 80 kms while Madwa is not less than 80kms. Proposed district of Kishtwar will have 156 villages which comparatively comes at par with Kargil District of 130 villages, Ladakh 133 villages.

To support upgradation of Paddar and Madwa as full fledged Tehsils, the commission recorded that the government has already created Tehsils of Gurez and Karnah (both in Kashmir Division), where the conditions of terrain, means of communications, accessibility & levels of development are much better when compared to Paddar & Madwa.

The commission further proposed that jurisdiction of Police Stations of Paddar & Madwa to be co-terminus with those of respective proposed tehsils.

It also recommended a permanent inhabit at Chattru-30 Kms from Kishtwar town & suggested inclusion of Thatri & Gandoh tehsils in the proposed district of Kishtwar as demanded by the people.

Since these recommendations, people of Jammu region have been crying to implement them so that there is an end of their woes and process of development is accelerated but all in vain. Apparent reason for dilly-dally action is the presence of composite Muslim-Hindu population & policy of discrimination towards Jammu region.

Now that killings in Kishtwar are being debated in Parliament and the government proposes to constitute a high level committee consisting of Home Minister and Defence Minister to review the whole situation.

I request the Prime Minister of India to get implement the recommendation of the Wazir Commission and ensure upgradation of Kishtwar to a district so that balanced development of this most backward area is possible and people relieved of agony.

Yours etc...
(R C Jandial)
Labour Law Consultant.
 
 
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