Smoking at public places

Sir,

Government has done its duty by issuing orders to ban the smoking at public places but these orders remained on paper only. Neither the law enforcing agencies nor the public have taken any cognizance of the ban, of course the defaulters who still enjoy smoking openly at public places will never on their own, stop this offence.

They know fully well that by smoking firstly they are playing with their health and secondly they are always vulnerable either to pay fine imposed on to suffer imprisonment if their openly smoking in public places gets a real concern by the authorities involved to react against the offence, still being committed with complete bravado.

I personally feel until some inner forces over-power such smokers who are all out to spoil their health and pollute the healthy surroundings with very badly affect the non-smokers in the vicinity, the complete eradication of the disease seems to be a herculean's task. But this does not warrant the law enforcing agencies and the tolerating public. Both have to take drastic actions. I know the task is not that simple because the general attitude of the masses is to avoid confrontation but to keep the sanctity of the law and also to protect the health of the non-smokers, some harsh steps will have to be taken to snub the culprits.

It is taken for guaranteed that any argument with such defaulters is not going to bring any positive result because they feel very strong on their point though having false consolations, specially when they lack their will power. So why to pick up quarrel with them when law is on our side.

I, therefore, appeal to the general public to muster the inner strength and be brave in reporting all such incidents to the concerned authorities whenever noticed so that their encouragement for further attempts to smoke in public gets decreasing till they finally leave this habit. For a larger gain we should always embrace small sacrifices. To support this I quote a small incident which occured in my PCO. "On insisting to continue smoking while making a STD call, when other customers were waiting in same room for their turn, after warning/reminding thrice not to dishonour the displaced card of 'No Smoking' the call was disconnected and the fellow was removed out of the PCO, of course I lost that customer, for ever and also the STD call which he made and I disallowed to continue, stands still unpaid to me''. A small loss of course, but for a better cause.

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

Consumer in America

Sir,

I was in USA recently and had occasion to study the amenities available to the customers. In this connection I would like the share my following experiences with the readers of your worthy paper.

The consumer in America is much valued. In many stores I saw banners proclaiming that Customer is always right.

Whenever I went to a store, gas station or restaurant, I was greeted with a hello and a smiling face.

All the stores, gas stations and restaurants have parking places and Rest Rooms (Public conveniences).

The Customers are not looked upon with suspicion. They are free to roam about the stores, select the items and put them in the trollies provided for shopping.

Articles purchased can be returned any time and full refund claimed provided the bill is produced. No questions are asked.

The elderly and disabled shoppers are provided with battery operated tricycles making their movement easy in the big stores.

Some stores allow discount to senior citizens on certain specified days of the week. Similarly, amusement parks and theaters, also have concessional rates for senior citizens on admission tickets. An oral declaration about the age is enough.

Adulteration is un-heard. Quality control is strictly adhered to.

Yours etc...
K K Gupta,
101/9, Trikuta Nagar,
Jammu.

Selling education

Sir,

I am regular reader of your esteemed newspaper. The special column "Academic Pulse" of the issue of the newspaper dated 16th June 2002, under the caption "Human Resource Exploitation" written by Prof. S K Bhalla has highlighted the sufferings of the students and their parents at the hands of Management and promoters of the Private schools. This article has elaborated the clever means devised by such owners to extort exhorbitant money from the school going children on various pretexts.

I congratulate you and the learned Prof. Bhalla for projecting the cause and grievances of the school going children, who are the wealth of the nation.

I hope that the J&K State Government as well as Central Government will discharge their duties by resorting to stern action against the exploiters who have commercialised the Education.

Yours etc...
Suresh Raina
246 Puran Nagar
New Plots, Jammu.