Mailbag

Maintain financial discipline

Sir,

It has reference to the write up ''Farooq and his Gimmicks'' by M L Kotru published in your esteemed paper on November, 27, 1999.

By holding threat to resign on the eve of high level meeting convened by centre to discuss financial and security needs of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah was aiming at many birds with one stone.

By holding centre responsible for lack of security arrangements he was exonerating himself from the responsibility of recent spurt in militancy. By speaking of financial aid, he was avoiding any accountability on finan- cial front. The recent financial crunch in the state is attributed more to the ill-governance of the state than squeezing of funds by the Centre, if any. It is alleged that most of the funds are being spent on sustaining jumbo-ministry. The funds are being spent on sanctioning of soft loans housing etc. in favour of ministers and legislators while common man is suffering. Recent CAG report has pinpointed to be financial muddle in the state.

It is heartening to note that Farooq Abdullah is concerned about the deteriorating security scenario and centre has assured to fulfill financial and security needs of the state. The centre has rightly asked for financial discipline and accountability. It is hoped that the funds released by centre will be utilised to meet at least, basic needs of the populace like drinking water, continous water supply and paying pending arrears to employees. The funds need not to be spent on giving doles to film crew or laying golf courses etc. Moreover, comprehensive and cohesive efforts are needed to wipe out militancy. It will also ease financial crunch in the long run as there will be no security related expenditure.

Yours etc...
S M Pandit,
Jammu.

Caring environment for aged

Sir,

The adage ''Old is Gold'' holds good for material possessions but perhaps not for the old people of our nation. This is evident from the growing number of homeless senior citizens and old age homes. Age seems to them a bane, with their children neglecting them for either being an economic liability or interfering with their privacy. Society at large too cannot wash its hands off for being uncaring and irresponsible by not addressing to their problems.

The fortunate ones get shelter in the old age homes while the not so fortunate ones languish in streets and take to begging to sustain their lives. Some of us have even evolved ingenous ways of getting rid of them and put them in mental asylum by declaring them insane. We as society must face the situation and evolve a dignified solution to it.

The solution lies with us. Give them dignity and care because, but for them we would have been nothing. The immense sacrifice they put in bringing us up cannot be compensated by monetary assistance alone and must be accompanied by sensitive handling of words and actions. The Government on its part must bring in a social security scheme for the growing number of aged. Their current population being 70 million, according to Helpage India. The literate can be gainfully employed although private establishment shows reluctance in absorbing them citing lack of mobility in them as a handicap. A majority of them being illiterate and below poverty line, a scheme enabling them to generate income by themselves would help.

To protect the aged from ill treatment and abandonment the Government should bring about legislation making it mandatory for children to take care of their parents.

The state of Himachal Pradesh is the only state having enacted a law in this direction. The Joint family system accorded them security but with their crumbling, life for the aged have become increasingly difficult. Those of us who are taking care of aged must encourage others to do so.

The responsibility for making the lives of the aged better lies on all of us.

Yours etc...
Chitra Joshi
Jammu.

AIDS message

Sir,

AIDS message issued by Minister of Health and Family Welfare published in DE of 01 December 99 could have been more illuminating. In its present form it is of a very routine nature and does not impress an average reader. There is a tendency to take AIDS as something which is like any other disease like malaria or jaundice. We forget that one of the major causes of AIDS is linked with the morality of the society which must always be highlighted whenever we talk about AIDS. Sex outside marriage as well as before marriage automatically means that people are indulging in sex with multiple partners which should be condemned in strong words in the messages of AIDS which are given out by the VIPs. There must always be an Indian touch of morality and values of life in whatever we want to convey to the Indian public. India is not West even though it may be influenced by it. India has the ability and capability of changing the world order in so far as the refineness of human mind is concerned. It is hoped that the messages issued by our VIPs will always take into account the sublimity and sensitivity of Indian thought on removing the world disorders.

Yours etc...
Lt .Col. R K Langar
Shastri Nagar, Jammu.

Child labour in India

Sir,

From ancient times, children were required to do some work either at home or in the field alongwith their parents. The problem of child labour was identified as a major problem in the 19th century when the first factory was started in the mid 19th century and legislative measures were first adopted as early as 1881. It is an unfortunate manifestation of economic compulsion as well as socio-cultural perceptions.

With India way behind the third world in its effort to abolish child labour, the official figures reveal a little let up in the situation. Myron Weiner's study, the child and state in India'' attempts to provide an explanation for why India's policies towards children and employment are different from others. More importantly, this write up focusses on why legislative action that the Indian constitution calls for on child labour and education has not been implemented.

The Governments of all developed countries and many developing countries have removed children from the labour force and required that they attend school. They believe that employers should not permitted to employ child labour and that parents no matter how poor should not be allowed to keep their children out of school Modern states regard education as a legal duty, nor merely a right; parents are required to send their children to school, children are required to attend the school, and the state is obligated to enforce compulsory education. Compulsory primary education is that policy instrument by which the state effectively removes children from labour force. The state thus stands as the ultimate guardian of the children, protecting them against both parents and would be employers.

This is not the view held in India. Primary education in India is not compulsory, nor is child labour illegal. The result is that less than half of India's children between ages six and 14-82.2 million are not in school. Of those who enter first grade, only four out of ten (40%) complete 4 years of school. Depending upon how one defines ''work'' (employment for wages or full time work whether or not for wages) child labours in India number from 13.6 million to 44 million, or more. The Indian law prohibits the employment of children in factories, but not in cottage industry, family households, restaurants or in agriculture.

Child labour cann't be totally eradicated unless it is supplemented by comprehensive socio-economic programmes and educational uplift of the under privileged sections of the society and by a total change in the attitude of the society towards child labour. In short, the general improvement in socio-economic conditions of people will result in gradual elimination of child labour.

Yours etc...
Shahid Iqbal
College of Veterinary Science Camp,
Jammu.