Mailbag

LPG distribution

Sir,

This has reference to an advertisement published in Daily Excelsior on 12.8.99. The tall claims made by the State Level Co-ordinator, Jammu of the LPG of the Oil Companies (whose exact address has not been published in the advertisement) are belied by the experience of the consumers. Home delivery of LPG cylinders is a real headache for the consumers. Generally people have to carry cylinders to the distributors for getting refils. No rebate of Rs 5/- as claimed in the advertisement is given. Not to speak of the private parties, the rebate is not given even by the government agencies like Super-bazar or the J&K Fed Gas Service in Jammu. The Super-bazar has the dubious distinction of not making the home delivery at all. Their cash memo of Rehari branch does not indicate the exact price of the refil and the rates charged are generally higher than the price fixed by the Government. Under-weighing is a perennial problem for the consumers. The consumers are forced to have refils from some particular distributors no matter how bad its service be. Even complaints are taken very lightly by the Oil Company concerned.

For sometime back, the Oil Companies have made their distribution points at different parts of the city like Paloura, Janipur, Top, Shaktinagar etc but no arrangement has been made for the hapless consumers who have to wait for their turn in scroching heat or even rails. The concerned should have at least been asked to erect some sort of sheds to mitigate the inconvenience of the poor consumers who generally are females or older persons.

It is high time that the officials of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Govt of India took up the matter with the Department of Food and Supplies Deptt, J&K Govt to stem the rot in the distribution. It is only J&K state where the state government pokes its dirty nose in the Gas distribution through Food and Supplies Department resulting in lot of mess. Normally, the authorities of the Super-bazar and the JKFED should have been taken to task of the mess to convey to the private distributors that Department means business and no nonsense. But will it happen is the million dollar question.

Yours etc.....
Usha Gupta
Rehari Colony, Jammu.

Change selection system

Sir,

Every one is aware that the ''Teacher is the Builder of the Nation''. So the deserved one should be appointed at the right place in right time for the progressive educational systems as the man is changing, system is changing, education is changing and educational needs are changing very rapidly. But the selection procedure has not been changed as it is as old as it was 50 years back.

The need of entrance exam. was felt by late Shiekh Mohd Abdullah when he ordered for holding of written exam of teachers in service and pre service.

So we should change our system of selection and adopt a new one to bring new energetic and dynamic personnel in the Department of the social upliftment (Educational Deptt).

The procedures adopted in Education Deptt of J&K for the appointment of teacher have many weak points and possibilites for back door entries. So as remedical measures there is need of written competitive examinations so that every one can receive justice, liberty, equality, fraternity which stands defined in the constitution of J&K.

Under section 13 of the Constitution, the prime object of the State is to ensure promotion of the welfare of the people. Likewise, section 28 of the constitution envisages that the State shall guarantee to the socially and economically backward sections of the people. Special care in the promotion of their educational material and their interests and protection against social injustice should be taken.

For the recruitment of a teacher, the normal method should be competitive exam. i.e. jointly in whole state, and the selection should be block wise to avoid dis-satisfaction and discrimination, corruption, injustice, etc. Criteria of percentage in exams, got by unfairmeans, mass-copying and favourable examination staff, which is creating great mental tension and mental misery among unemployed youth' should be avoided at any cost.

The healthy criticism is possible from the aggrieved candidates and as such the selections should be made by the Government in a fair manner that these are not even challenged in the Court of law. So the Government should review the system in the due course of time.

Yours etc.....
Ajmer Alam Wani
PG Deptt. of Commerce
University of Jammu.

Jobs for agriculture graduates

Sir,

I would like to draw the attention of higher authorities about the miserable condition of unemployed Agriculture technocrats. I never know why Government is playing with the causes of unemployed Agriculture technocrates.

Every year Government advertise some posts of Junior Agriculture Assistants for agriculture technocrates in Agriculture Department. But from the last few years the Government is not taking any interest in this connection.

In July 1998, Service Selection Board advertised 65 posts of Junior Agriculture Assistant in agriculture department and interviews of such posts were conducted in the month of December 1998. But still there is no selection list. This shows the lazy work of Service Selection Board for the reasons well known to them. But our Government does not take any care of this. So, the it is the duty as well as liability of the government to take immediate action in this regard.

The work of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission is also very poor. In October 1997 J&K Public Service Commission advertised 97 posts of Horticulture Department offices but the interview for such posts are still not conducted. I do not know why these things are happening in our state. Due to poor work of Service Selection Board and J&K Public Service Commission unemployment is increasing day by day. If the Government is not able to absurb all Agriculture Technocrates then they have to provide with some special schemes for them so that they can earn their livelihood.

It is requested to the Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah to take the concrete steps in this regard.

Yours etc...
Puneet Gupta
Housing Colony
Udhampur.