Mail

Introduce environmental sciences

Sir,

It is unavoidable to think sincerely and honestly over the introduction of Forestry an d Environmental Sciences as a subject in schools and colleges.

Environmental pollution, ecological imbalance, seasonal disorders and global warming are important global concerns. All posing a grave situation for humanity. Scientists, environmentalists, ecologists, biologists etc. world over are too serious about the life spectrum on earth. We can't be an exception. All of us have to come out at the rescue of floral and faunal life on the planet earth. The only preventive as well as remedial measure is sustaining, maintaining and widening up forest cover on the surface of mother land.

General masses must be taught about importance of forests. College and school students, youths and teen-agers should be educated about tangible and intangible benefits of forests.

This objective can only be achieved chiefly by introducing 'Forestry and Environmental Sciences in our educational institutions. The people educated likewise shall certainly consider the environmental and biological aspects in whatever walks of life they go.

Yours etc...
Mohd Junaid Haqani.
Badhal Bakori (Rajouri).

Seizing the moment

Sir,

This is with reference to Dr. Karan Singh's write-up 'Seize the moment in J&K' (DE 5 Feb). A historically cognizable and circumstantially viable solution put in plain and forthright language should replace the patent rhetoric exuded by our political pundits in regard to any solution of Kashmir tangle. Of late "step-wise" formulae have been floated not only in New Delhi but beyond the boundaries of the country as well on the assumption that when General Pervez Musharraf whips his magic wand, the gini of terror will run back inside the bottle leaving India free to make concessions to the Kashmiris. Who does the General want India to deal with, the Kashmiris or with him?

The status quo in Kashmir forged on the night of 8-9 August 1953 is too Deep and dimensional to be set aside at a whim or a merry second thought. Quirks and whims do not take great decisions.

Did the Kashmiri Pandits "leave" (emphasis added) the Valley lock, stock and barrel in an identical manner in which Maharaja Hari Singh "left" (emphasis added) the Valley lock, stock and barrel on the night of 25 October 1947?

India does not need to be pontificated on the horrors of a war, much less a nuclear war. But late Maharaja Hari Singh, in the spirit of a true Rajput warrior, wanted to command his small and beleaguered contingent in person at Uri to resists the invaders. Nations and their great leaders have fought and shall fight when their sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom and honour are at stake. Pusillanimity stands in direct contract to a warrior's creed. In his celebrated epic poem Shahnameh, the great Iranian poet Ferdowsi put these worse into his hero's mouth.

Sokhan guftan-o runjish aain-e maast anaan-o sanaan bakhtan din-e mast (to speak out the bitter facts is over way to bestir the charger and take up the weapons is our faith) A dark aspect of India's role in Kashmir is that what she gained on the ground was lost on the table. Dr. Karan Singh is a part of our current history and we expect him to hark back the Indian nation to the danger of repeating the past mistakes.

Yours etc..
K N Pandita
Talab Tiloo.

Towards academic excellence

Sir,

The first ever meeting of newly posted Director School Education Jammu with the field officers of the District Rajouri and on the spot instructions to them are of a good and important nature.

The issues taken up by the Director School Education like responsive administration, accountability, refresher courses for Headmasters/DDOs timely submission of claims for timely disposal etc. will help to improve the functioning of administrative set up in the region.

Similarly, the much emphasis laid on time table continued compressive evaluation, movement registers, use of local funds will also prove fruitful for the improvement of academic side.

All these initiatives taken up by the Director School Education need a fair implementation for the overall improvement of academic side.

Yours etc...
Hema Kant Sharma
Jawaharnagar
Rajouri.