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World Telecom Day

Sir,

It has reference to celebration of World Telecom Day by Jammu Telecom Department on 17th of May 2001.

There was no reason for the people of Miran Sahib to participate in the celebrations in view of its continued negligence by the Telecom authorities. The area has not only been neglected but is being overlooked also in so far as extension of telephone facility in the area is concerned.

The exchange functioning in the area is in a chaotic state. The additional space arranged for the extension of Miran Sahib telephone exchange is yet to be taken over by the Department for installing the new telephone exchange machinery which has already been acquired and is laying in the open for the last few months. There is every apprehension of the machinery getting damaged, if it is not used immediately. The telecom authorities need to strive so that the extra accommodation hired is taken over and brought into use with immediate fitting of new exchange machinery.

Simultaneous steps need also to be taken for the laying of cables wherever necessary so that the new telephone connections are released by the forthcoming independence day viz. 15.8.2001, and long pending waiting list is exhausted. The people of Miran Sahib will treat the new telephone connection as independence day gift from the Prime Minister of India.

Yours etc...
Ashok Sharma
Indra Nagar,
Miran Sahib, Jammu

Camp schools

Sir,

School- a word that may bring different thoughts to different minds. To some they are the seat of learning, to others they are the place where young minds blossom into full-fledged humans. In essence, they convey a confluence of ideas, words and actions that society accepts, imbibes and thrives upon. They breed the tomorrow from nowhere.

When you measure camp schools in these dimensions they fail by a mile. The problem is not in imparting education because we have people capable enough to do that. Problem lies in the total absence of a school atmosphere. Blame has to go to the people at the helm of affairs for absence of foresight on their part. You name the problems and I will list them. Start from the timing. It is absolutely odd. Name the laboratories they are defunct. Call libraries, they are absent. Say sports activity, they are nil. Think co-curricular activity you cannot.

Can any body visualise a worst confusion? Can't we change for the better?

Yours etc..
S N Raina
Hari Nagar
Talab Tilloo, Jammu.

Streamline working in fund organi sation

Sir,

This has reference to the already debated and discussed subject, "Funds organisation" which has been repeatedly published by the true observers and sufferers, subscribers of G P Fund organisation through the columns of your esteemed daily.

The most genuine problem of the majority of the subscribers is missing of credits in the schedule issued to them annually by G P Fund organisation. In some cases, drawal is indicated whereas it is not made by the subscriber at all during that particular year. The occasion may also sometimes come when he finds his account number completely changed because of error. The problems of an employee get multiplied when he is transferred from one district to other. There he is to maintain his account under a new number allotted to him. In addition to it, there is inordinate and unnecessary delay in the process for making drawals. The subscriber who is no where responsible for clerical mistakes, only he is to suffer badly. When he approaches G P Fund office to update his account or any other related disorder, the staff there does not cooperate. This is known to every subscriber that they keep on delaying the work and making false promises with an objective to get bucks from him. After making so many visits and wasting time and energy finally he is to bribe the concerned official to get the needful done. Every body understands that these obstacles and hurdles are being deliberately created to fetch illicit gains and benefits from the helpless subscriber.

Now the question arises has this unpleasant situation precipitated due to mismanagement of faulty procedure? I think it may be partly prevalent due to mismanagement and partly resulted because of dereliciton of duly and malpractices by the officials concerned. However, the procedure can be formulated according to new lines in a simplified manner if the authorities wish to sustain chaos and confusion so that they continue to get their undue share out of the hard earned money of the subscriber.

In order to improve the working of G P Fund organisation where a subscriber will be at ease and feel convenient in making transaction and withdrawals there is a need of setting up of counter system like banks and post offices. The pass books be issued with permanent Account Number (PAN). For this funds office must have opened its sub offices at every District HQrs with major Head office at provincial level utilising their own staff present. Every subscriber should require to deposit the compulsory or desired amount monthly at the G P Fund office in his respective district where he is posted under the PAN allotted to him. In case he fails to deposit the money in time he must be penalised with some nominal amount. The money collected as fine must be kept in Govt. Treasury as revenue.

Yours etc..
H L Langeh
Krishna Nagar
Jammu.

Passive smoking

Sir,

"What the Tobacco smoking does to the smokers is known to them. But what the smokers do to the non smokers? Needs consideration."

The passive smoking or second hand.

Smoking is a real danger to the public health, which should be controlled to ensure healthy life. But what is second hand smoke" the environmental smoke that comes from the burning of the cigarettes, Bedi, Tabacco and the air exhaled by the smokers.

Non smokers while breathing this second hand smoke may suffer some of the diseases like Heart diseases, Long and NASAL Sinus Cancers etc. Even Tobacco smoke also causes headache, Throat sore, Dizziness, Cough, Nausea, Respiratory problems etc.

The second hand smoke makes children vulnerable to adverse health effects like BRONCHITS, PNEUMONIA, ASTHMA, Middle Ear infections, which even leads to deafness etc.

Among pregnant women the second hand smoke reduces foetal growth and even infants gradually increases the risk of sudden infant death syndroms.

In India this epidemic kills 10 lakh people annually. So protect or not your kith and kin from second hand smoke is for you to think.

Government, voluntary organisations, etc. should ensure healthy life by regulating the legislations on smoking in the public places, educational Institutions, working places, offices, parks halls etc. The parents should stop smoking in the houses, cars around children or pregnant women and should educate the kith and kin particularly children about bad effects of smoking.

Yours etc...
B N Handoo 'Upkari'
Kathua