Mailbag

Pathological tests

Sir,

It is brought to the notice of concerned authorities that many pathological clinics have come into the market and they are leading in cheating the genuine, even old aged, patients by giving reports with regard to various check ups like blood test, urine test, sugar test etc. I am also one of the patients who was directed that I should go in for blood sugar test for which on the same date 1.12.03 and for the same test, as prescribed by my doctor. I approached two different Diagnostic laboratories one in Kachi Chhowni Jammu and the other one at Dogra Hall, Jammu, but the results shown by both the laboratories were quite different with the results that I could not gather as to which of the two results in correct. I do not know as to which of the two machines is functioning accurately and on whose results I should continued my treatment. I am not the only patient in Jammu who has been put to such a situation, there are several others patients as well. I hope that the authorities would wake up to this reality and get the mechanism checked as to whether the same are functioning correctly.

Yours etc...
Dr. Shiv Nath Khajuria
35 Karan Nagar,
Jammu

CMs in Lok Sabha

Sir,

It refers to justified objections of Somnath Chatterjee (CPM) in Lok Sabha on presence of three new BJP Chief Ministers in the House. Membership of Parliament of State Legislature must be automatically terminated on appointment of an MP or MLA as minister in state or the centre. This wrong provision had pushed country in costly Parliamentary elections when the lone 'controversial' vote of then Orissa Chief Minister Gomango became instrumental for defeat of Vajpayee Government in Lok Sabha!

Also a person must not be allowed to contest from more than one seat or for both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha when he/she cannot represent more than one seat at a time. Rather a sitting MP or MLA must resign for his/her earlier seat before filing nomination for the other seat. Present provisions continued in benefit of selfish over-ambitious politicians, cause exchequer heavily for unnecessary by-elections when the persons winning from more than one seat have to resign from surplus seats. At least such simple reforms must be instant without delaying further in name of discussions.

Yours etc...
Subhash Chandra Agarwal
1775 Kucha Lattushah
Dariba Delhi

Release COLA

Sir,

The coalition Government has already completed one year tenure with the slogan of 'healing touch'. The Public Sector Employees are clamouring for COLA for the last three years, but except verbal assurance nothing is being given to them. The State Government employees are being given 51 percent DA, whereas the Public Sector Employees are being paid less than 20 percent COLA of their basic pay, with the result they are loosing Rs. 1500/- to 3000/- per month. The COLA for the year 1998, 1999 and 2002 needs to be released so that the burden of price hike on the shoulders of PSU employees is reduced to some extent. The PSU employees had high hopes from the present coalition Government, as they have promised to give healing touch to every neglected lot. The Government is requested to kindly come to the expectation of the PSU employees, as price hike of all essential commodities have targeted them badly. The COLA needs to be released on year to years basis as DA is being released in favour of Government Employees. The discrimination with PSU employees given bad impression of the quality before law. The members are requested to take up the issue in the ensuing session in the best interest of the PSU employees, as they are also the citizen of this State.

Yours etc...
Ashok Sen
Bhawani Nagar Janipura

Education for Gujjar children

Sir,

Extreme poverty, child labour, early marriage systems and tribal way of life is causing dark shadows over the future on nomadic Gujjar children of the State. These children counting in lakhs are residing in the most backward, hilly and border areas of Jammu & Kashmir.

This startling revelation is contained in the report of a survey conducted by the Tribal Research and Cultural foundation. The nomad Gujjar and Bakerwal communities are being exploited and because of limited sources of income, they are not in a position to get proper education.

The Government launched the National Literacy Mission in 1988 but the fate of children belonging to Gujjar tribe is still dark due to illiteracy. According to the survey conducted by the Foundation, even today when some sections have attained 100 percent literacy this ratio is only eight percent in Gujjar and Bakerwal tribes and among women this ratio is only three percent.

The survey further reveals that the central sponsored "Balika Simridhi Yojna" do not apply on Gujjar women folk at all which has resulted in more and more backwardness among them.

It is appealed to the State and Central Governments and other international agencies to provide legal safeguard to Gujjar Tribe and initially start some special schemes for their educational change which is there basic and constitutional right.

Yours etc...
Javed Rahi,
Secretary, Tribal Research and
Cultural Foundation.