Mailbag

Financial mismanagement

Sir,

Dr Abdullah, has once again been successful in brow-beating the Centre by threatening to resign if the Centre does not come to the rescue of the State Govt, with sufficient financial aid. One is obliged to ask Dr Abdullah how all this financial difficulty-real or imaginary- has arisen.

The successive Govts, in the State have had the habit of crying Wolf' to pressurise the Centre and extort financial assistance both due and undue. It is not only in this State that unemployment has increased but in other states as well Not a single instance of death due to poverty has come into light in this State while as it is a common feature of life in other parts of the country. One is bound to feel ashamed of the poverty looming large in some places with people dying for want of funds.

This State has enough funds but these are mis-managed. What has been the fate of the funds received for the various central schemes for the up-liftment of the weaker sections of the society particularly in the rural and the far flung areas ? Have the funds provided for the schemes reached the persons for whom these were meant or diverted else where? It is felt that these funds have either been mis-utilised with the result that the poor live in poor conditions.

It is high time that the Dr Abdullah sets his own house in order and ensures that the funds generated from the State revenues and the huge Central assistance are properly utilised before he throws another challenge to the Centre.

Yours etc...
H K Gupta
Jammu.

Fare concession

Sir,

There should be some concessions to the senior citizens aged 65 years and above because they have to travel in Matadors and mini buses between their home and hospital and in city for buying medicines from chemist shops. Govt of India had announced 50 percent concessions for the aged while travelling in Rail and by air in Air India and Indian Airlines etc.

In this state this concession should also be extended to the senior citizens travelling by matadors, minibuses, private buses and SRTC buses so that their miseries end to some extent. It is requested to the concerned authorities, particularly Minister for Transport to extend this facility to the aged who deserve to be treated in a dignified manner.

Yours etc....
B R Sharma
56/8 Trikutanagar,
Jammu.

Bravo Indian forces

Sir,

It is the magnanimity of Indian democracy, generosity of the speakers and very high discipline of our armed officials who have shown the level of patience to bear the venom coming through the mouth of the Chairman of Kashmir Times Publications in the seminar organised by Indian Army at Tiger Auditorium. Had revered Mr Bhasin been sincere in speaking on 'human rights violations' without favour and partiability he would have also projected the attrocities committed by so called militants on innocent Kashmiri Muslims not to speak of human rights violations committed on Kashmiri Pandits. What can be the bigger tragedy than that self proclaimed savior of democracy media and human rights, Mr Ved Bhasin has wasted an hour on projecting the human rights, Mr Ved Bhasin has wasted an hour on projecting the human rights violations committed by armed forces without giving a minute or a word of leniency in favour of our brave and disciplined forces. There can be one or two cases of human rights violations as no one is God here who will not commit an error but discussing and describing the whole armed forces all the time as violators of human rights is really pinching. There was no need for Mr Bhasin to deliver one sided lecture to win him accolades as he is already in the good books of so-called militants but who knows this may be his compulsion.

One must never forget that on the screen of Kashmir our forces are fighting most tough proxy war and there is a hell of difference between the proxy war and a direct one. In direct war only the enemy is visible in front of the eyes of forces while in proxy war one does not know where from the guns roar and who is showering the bullets? Even under these circumstances our forces in a span of a decade now have also exercised various good will operations for the benefit of the general masses. Mr Bhasin should also know the value of Indian democracy and the character of our forces by himself by exploring that if this lecture would have been his fate ? The restraint which uniformed men have shown is highly laudable. Bravo:

Yours etc...
Adarsh Ajit
Ragunathpur,
Udhampur.

Accidents and Our Road System

Sir,

In our city Jammu every day atleast one major accident is taking place and the minor accidents are countless. This is all due to the unimproved system of roads in our state. As we know that the population now-a-days is increasing in its fastest rate, with this, the number of vehicles have also shown an upward tread which in turn is leading to the increase of traffic. As a result of which, the accidents (both major and minor) are occuring in a very fast manner. This is my plea to the traffic Police and the concerned officers that traffic tight system should come into existence so that atleast the shabby and unruled system of crossings should be stopped which is the major cause for accidents. Although, traffic Policemen are always on duties these days on some of the very prompt acrossings, but still it is advisable to have the traffic lights.

Another thing which I want to bring into the notice of the concerned personnel of traffic police and the officers that is the rash driving of the metadors. The concerned authorities should have check on the rash driving of the metadors and also some proper mini-bus stops in every area should be made so that these metadors do not stop every here and there which in my opinion is also one of the factors of accidents and is also causing inconvenient to the people. Also like in other places of India, the drivers and conductors should be installed with the proper uniforms and batches so that any one could not drive this vehicle except driver.

Tawi Bridge is the heart of the city. It is very depressing to know that the street lights on this bridge are not always on (at night) as a result of which the accidents occur. I request to the concerned officers to please install some lights in between the diversion between the road so that the drivers at night do not get difficulty to find the road and also to please strict on these lights for the whole night.

I hope that my suggestions and request will be taken into the account by the concerned departments in the near future.

Yours etc...
Suvidha Khanna
Women Parade College,
Jammu.