Containing
population explosion
Sir,
We have seen that
our population is increasing tremendously. There
is an increase of 3 percent a year. This increase
has sounded warning bells. This rapid growth has
resulted in a very high pressure on our resources
of food, employment, housing, clothing and what
not. With the advancement in science, technology,
medicine, health and physical care the mortality
rate has come down considerably but the birth
rate has not come down commensurately. Inspite of
much campaign and well organised propaganda the
advantages of a small family have not been
accepted by the masses. About 80 percent of our
population live in villages. They are ignorant
and uneducated. They still regard children as
gifts of God. They believe in luck and say that
every new born child brings its own luck. We have
seen that voluntary birth measure was not
successful in the last 50 years.
The time has come
when we must follow the China way. Its economy is
progressing fast since it adopted a strict family
planning policy. We must also adopt strict
measures. Side by side the spread of education in
rural areas will awaken villagers about the
benefit of a small family. Special camps and
campaigns canbe organised in remote villages for
this purpose. The Government should ensure
financial incentives to the people who
voluntarily undergo for sterilisation. It also
needs strong will on the part of Central and
State Governments. Moreover, what we need is an
integrated approach tothe problem.
Let us do
something in reality. As we are aware of the fact
that in the past we have spent rupees in
millions, but without any results. With our
family planning, the growth of population should
have been contained but it did not happen. Who is
responsible for this. Why we are unsuccessful to
contain frequent growth of population, its
correct answer is that whatever we have done in
the past, that has been done in the papers and
not practically. No doubt, that a little work has
been done in this scheme, but what was needed
that has not been done so far. We take the
example of China, is it possible for us to follow
China? Yes, why not, if we are also serious to do
the things like China with the implementation of
Laws and Rules of the land. We take every thing
otherwise with the plea that we are living in a
democratic country and as such we have every
right to do the things as we like. It is wrong
due to the fact that democracy does not mean to
violate the law and order of the country. We have
to contain ourselves upto the extent and limits.
We are not permitted to cross limits in every
field for getting our duties towards our country
as well as nation.
Yours etc...
S. N. Raina,
Hari Nagar Talab Tillo,
Jammu.
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Cultural
Dictators
Sir,
Please refer to
your Editorial, "Cultural Dictators"
(DE dated 12.5.2001). If you are in possession of
facts and material that go in support of what you
call "saffronisation of Education" I
would appreciate if you could place these before
your readers. I am rather surprised at your new
found love for Romila Thappar, R S Sharma, Satish
Chandra and Bipan Chandra.
Not long ago, your
very esteemed paper published a series of
articles written by Arun Shourie when he was not
in the Union Ministry. Shourie argued, as only he
can, in these well researched articles about the
bunglings at the then ICHR. He wrote a detailed
account of the distortion of historical facts by
some worthies there. If my memory is not failing
me, the names of above were there in those
articles.
I am sure as the
editor of this paper you did go through those
articles. You seem to extol these very persons in
your editorial now. Responsible journalism
demands that you place new facts that have lately
come to light before your readers. Mere
judgemental words are insufficient obviously.
Yours etc...
Lane Opposite Vijaynagar
Gole Gujral Road, Jammu.
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Promote
philately
Sir,
Indian Posts
Department should promote philately in a manner
designed for a developing country like India,
rather than copying blindly on western pattern.
'Setenants', the single stamp-sheet with stamps
of multi-denomination, is one such philatical
luxory which does not suit Indian conditions.
Philately in India must suit common philatilists'
pockets rather than becoming only rich - persons'
hobby! Since users of different denominations of
stamps are different, stamps of only single
denomination may be printed in a stamp-sheet.
Also practice of issuing commemorative stamps in
higher but unpopular denominations needs
rectification. On every occasion, at least one
commemorative stamp must be in most commonly used
denomination. However for extra revenue -
earnings, series of stamps may be issued
freuently but with stamps of different
denominations in separate sheets. Considering
high cost of printing, sizes of stamps of lower
denominations may be kept small. Commemorative
stamps may also be issued for 'Book Post'
category used to send greeting/invitation cards.
Any revision in
postal tariff (Inland or foreign) may be tried to
be announced in the Union Budget, to be
implemented from first day of new financial years
i.e. Ist April.
Department of
Posts can issue a complete new set of definitive
series of stamps and postal stationery on every
Ist April together with an informtive booklet
having complete postal tariffs as part of
philatical item. To avoid wastage and shortage of
UPC and AD forms, these should be made part of
postal stationery with tarriffs embossed. But
'Greeting Envelopes' may be discontinued because
cards to be mailed in such high-priced envelopes
are of varying sizes, and 'beauty' of such
envelopes may be affected with pasting of extra
stamps in case of tariff revision!
"Registered Envelope' of strong-quality
paper with normal denomination with extra
stationery charge. 'Business Envelope' may be
used as Registered or Insured Envelope by fixing
extra stamps!
Postal tariffs may
be fixed in multiples of 50 paise making common
tariff of 50 paise for each category of post
cards. Heavy subsidy on Post Cards is misused by
business firms. Poor people use very few Post
Cards but are indirectly hit by increased taxes
to overcome subsidy on Post Cards. It is not
proper to deny entertaining rights to poors from
using competition post cards of high cost!
Foreign postal tariffs (both air and surface) may
be simplified with equal tariff rise for every
rise of 20 gms. slab-weight!
Yours etc....
Subhash Chandra Agrawal,
1775, Kucha Lattushah,
Dariba, Delhi 110006.
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