Mail

Illegal chemist shops

Sir,

The decision of our Health Minister to regulate the illegal chemist shops that came into being during militancy is a welcome step. Indeed, any move or action taken by our bureaucrats or politicians that intend for the welfare of common people must be supported whole-heartedly. As in this case, the minister has cited that the illegal chemist shops were established during militancy. Although it may be.

But I fail to understand how the militants or the period of militancy was responsible for the establishment of illegal chemist shops in the Valley and no doubt in other parts of the State, also. Afterall militants motto is something else, not the establishment of chemist shops or to bring the medicines from across the border. It may be possible that perhaps concerned drug inspectors may not have visited their respective areas because of militancy. But was not it imperative for them to intimate their problems to the higher ups and get their support in performing the duty even if it meant to get protection from law enforcing agencies. How the concerned deptt. left the common man on the mercy of quacks is astonishing.

I regret neither of the above reasons are true. The crux of problem lies somewhere else. Like any other deptt. of our state, Drug and Food organisation is also not immune to corruption and nepotism. If drug officials would have been monitoring the wholesale agencies of all the medicines scrupulously, honestly and sincerely, no illegal shop would have come into existence. Every body knows that to run a chemist shop needs variety of medicines and no body can buy the medicines in bulk unless you are an authorised retailer. Actually these are the wholesale agencies who after satisfying the interest of concerned drug officials can sell medicine to any body. Doesn't matter whether they are authorised medicine traders or quacks or any body else and many a time to keep their records balanced the sales record is maintained on the name of other retailers. Instead of enforcing the law sincerely, the drug officials have succumbed to the bait of unscrupulous chemists in this profession or better to say they have set the laws for sale where for violating certain things. You have to pay a certain amount for that. And the medicos who want to run their premises honestly and hounded unnecessarily unless they come upto the expectations of the concerned officials.

There are many instances when illegal premises were raided and medicines recovered from their shops although that is merely the tip of iceberg. But the concerned Deptt. could not do any remarkable probe thus no stern action was taken against the unscrupulous elements and the sole proprietors. The concerned Deptt. has failed to deter the illegal activist in this profession. The issuance of drug licences and the monitoring of shops has become a gimmick. There are many instances where the qualified persons are not sitting in the shops and either the proprietors or their relatives are doing the business. In some cases the persons on whose name the license has been issued have established their different business successfully and the shops have been left at the mercy of unathorised persons.

The menace of unauthorised drug shops and proxy running of shops by unqualified persons can never be crushed unless the concerned deptt. renders its duties sincerely and honestly. They will have to abandon their own personnel petty interests.

Yours etc...
R Choudhary
Jammu.

Meditation for peace

Sir,

I want to thank Prof. K L Bhalla for his article "Meditation for peace" published in 21st Octobers' issue (Sunday) Magazine. The writer has very correctly concluded that meditation is a recipe for getting rid of present day restlessness, turmoil, chaos and confusion which have encroached upon our day to day life to the extent that if their further expansion is not checked, our health will suffer the most

Meditation is a process for being in one to one communication with one's LORD , though sounds difficult (We have to take our eyes away from the glitterings around us and concentrate our mind on to one point/object) but if one has a strongest and unshaken desire and applies all the effects on which one can lay hands, I am quite sure the success has to come and we can enjoy the precious fruits of meditation.

Yours etc...
J M Behl
Old Janipur
Jammu.

Return of KPs

Sir,

How for Dr. Farooq is sincere and anxious to take back KPs to Valley and when, he alone knows? If we reach anything with sincerity we will definitely find the truth. The moment Dr. Farooq announced his Action Plan to take them back it generated a wave of speculation with a scathing attack on Dr. Farooq . At the same time there was absolutely no let-up in cobbling up the pieces of fearful events compelling Kashmiri Pandits under a skilful strategy to leave their age old homes and hearths in sore distress and confusion. It will not look nice to rip the old sores which will not heal up and instead wax more and more. What is in our store, very difficult to predict and guess. This is the most tragic part of it.

It is also significant to note that there is absolute mum from the majority which is an indication "he that is not with me is against me".

All the migrant Kashmiri Pandits are eager and serious for their honorable return to reclaim the soil from which they sprang and unto which their ancestors have gone.

Our community is not wanting in politicians and academicians, but I fail to understand why do-not they come forward and help the community as it is silently marching towards extinction as a community, un-noticed, unheard and unsung. Time would be a witness to our loss of identity as a community if the present conditions prevail. The main reason is our divided lot with individual interest germinating plethora of parties moving like rudderless boat. The next side of coin quite transparent is the indifferent attitude of the Government considering Kashmiri Pandit community as a left over class, easy to rule and ruin.

Dr. Sahib K P community is in a disorder, hibernating in the closed walls of their houses, one room tenements, facing the sweltering heart of the region. Memories of the good old days haunt them leaving him in a perpetual shock and distress.

The common perception with KP remains that he has always been neglected, discriminated in all the fields, disciplines. The Government will draw a compatible fool proof strategy in further allowing all to have equal opportunity to develop talents.

In the sincere pursuit to rehabilitation KPs yearn to see another Budshah reviving and restoring the glorious period of Budshah ever to remember in word and practice.

"Where we live is home-Home that our feet may leave but not our hearts".

Yours etc...
P N Sus
129, Suriya Vihar, Bohri,
Tallab Tillo, Jammu.