Mailbag

Proper use of electricity

Sir,

Apropos the news item "PDP to launch awareness about Judicious use of electricity", it may be said that it has become imperative for the society to make judicious use of electricity. Otherwise dark days are waiting us in the future. Despite repeated requests to the people to consume electricity properly, they are turning a deaf ear. Though consequences are before us, people do not try to understand its effects it may have in the future. It is only the society which has to suffer.

Day by Day, number of electric appliances are increasing in every household. The dependence of people on electricity is also increasing. Imagine, a situation, when there will be no electricity to use, as the number of sources is not multiplying at the rate at which population is growing.

To save power is in national interest. It would save us million of rupees which usually are spent on damaged transformers and other equipments.

Yours etc...
Virender Kumar
Jammu.

Noise pollution

Sir,

I beg to draw the kind attention of the Government towards the articles on environment written by Gopal Sharma, the Daily Excelsior Correspondent. He is doing his best to collect the material from different sources so as to make us aware of the good and bad effects of the environment.

But it is very sad that the concerning authorities do not want to take any lesson from his articles which is the need of the hour and society. In one of his articles he concentrated on ill effects of noise pollution. It is pertinent to mention here that pollution has increased manifolds in big cities like Jammu and all over district headquarters due to transport, pressure horns, music players in video buses. Who is responsible for such increase in the noise pollution? I personally talked to newly posted SP Traffic Mr. S D Singh about this increasing noise pollution especially by matadors pollution. He assured me that he would take action in this direction. Similarly, I also met mobile Magistrate Janipur at Ban Talab National Highway who immediately challaned the bus and told me that public should come forward and report such cases. As per my knowledge there is ban on such activities but authorities that have to implement such ban are not serious. I request to the concerning authorities as well as ministry of transport to take immediate action in this regard.

Yours etc...
Ashok Kumar
Udhampur.

Complete work on Moungri road

Sir,

In Mid Feb. 2003 the Minister for Works (Roads and Building) was kind enough to conduct an extensive tour of block Panchari's Bamhag area. During his one day trip, on the forceful demand of the locals, he announced 3 km road link provision upto famous Lord Shiv-Parvati Caves Shrine Moungri. However, the road length after survey was found to be about 2 km. On the Minister's strict instructions the construction work was also started shortly after the announcement. But after 2-3 months of work i.e, after constructing half of the road stretch, it was abandoned for the reasons better known to the PWD (R&B) agencies under the Minister.

Since then till date the said work has not been resumed. The people have been highlighting the issue and pressing upon the concerned authorities every now and then for the resumption of the abandoned work. But all the pleas fell on deaf ears. Even the Minister himself in his kind reply to undersigned written prayer for the completion of said noble directed to PWD (R&B) authorities for resumption of the link road work forthwith to get it completed at the earliest. But surprising and shocking enough to note that the concerned ones are still sleeping over the most significant matter which is the coming days would certainly change the fate of not only this hilly terrain, in between Shree Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Trikuta Hills and Natha Top-Sanasar mountains belt, but of district Udhampur as a whole.

The authorities should shun their neglectful and discriminatory attitude. They should rather be co-operative, sincere, and prompt in their approach particularly in the matters which are of public welfare and progress. If the needed facilities and infrastructure is created here the 'Aap Shambhu' caves Shrine would add a new chapter in the J&K States Pilgrim-Tourism history and India as a whole too.

Yours etc...
Swatantra Dev Kotwal
Advocate
Udhampur