Precious life lost

Sir,

It is heart rending to learn that we have lost an illustrious self respective boy by (DE, "Harassed by Principal". Oct 12) the most deplorable and heinous crime committed not only on the family but the whole state and whole country for a flimsy pretext for not having paid the "FEES" of the school. This is more tragic because the whole country has awakened to educate the children of this country howsoever poor they be.

I wish to inform all the present day teachers and the responsible persons of the Government that they are perhaps not aware that during the reign of Late Maharaja Hari Singh we were sent to the schools which were called JABRI (compulsory - Forced) schools where we had to pay no fees, and where top students used to get about one rupee as merit scholarship.

I do not remember having paid any fees even up to end of Matriculation. The only fees that were charged from us were what they used to call "Printing Charge" before the examination for printing the papers that also in the ninth and tenth class only. The first fees that I have paid in my life were when I had to submit the form to the Punjab University for the matriculation examination.

Alas when will those glorious days came back when there was no fees for educating up to the Matriculation standard and there was no distinction between the poor and the rich in the schools of our State. I must mention that in my row in the class room where we used to study sitting on the floor; on my both flanks used to sit the son of our Safai Karamchari, and on the other side our barber's son.

R N Bhat

Positive attitude

Sir,

The article published in Sunday Magazine about Positive attitude (DE, Oct 8) was highly readable. The points underlined by the learned another which can be helpful in the creation of a positive attitude are thought provoking and need immediate translation into practice.

The present times are full of tension, anger, strife and discontent. The reason for all the malady in the society is that some how in our march towards progress we have lost our emphasis on "Dharma" or righteousness. The word "Dharma" has no translation in any other language as it is a term which has in it all the salient features of Indian philosophy. This word is the bedrock of Indianness and there is an urgent need to focus on a life that is based on ‘Dharma’. The moral degeneration and the greed for power and arrogance of power as well as insatiable thirst for money has wrought heavoc with our way of life. Return to ‘Dharma’ shall create a positive attitude so badly needed for the present times.

Yours etc....
Arjan Dev Duda
Kabir Nagar
Jammu.

Enroachments

Sir,

The removal of encroachments (DE, "80 encroachments removed..." Oct 12) has again indicated the stand of many well meaning citizens about the encorachments upon roads by Rehri wallas, kiosks as well as by shopkeepers. Even though the foot paths are provided on many roads but they are encroached upon by the shopkeepers. They place a large part of their commodities on the footpaths and pavements. Whatever little space is left on the footpaths it is promptly occupied by hawkers who also display and demonstrate their curious wares. It is thus obvious that the poor pedestrians are forced to walk on the road where traffic zipps past at speed. Their life or limb is put at a risk.

It is thus incumbent upon the Jammu Municipality to pursue the anti encorachment drive on the roads so that the road space is retrieved.

Yours etc....
R L Dubey
Purani Mandi
Jammu.

Kiran Desai-An inspiration!

Sir,

Congratlation to Kiran Desai (DE, "Kiran Desai wins Booker.." Oct 12) the young and dynamic novelist who has recently been awarded with the Booker Prize, 2006 for her book entitled "The Inheritance of Loss". Indians have shown their competency in each and every field and earning their names in the world. But at the same time it is pertinent to mention here that the Jammu region is very sluggish as far as English literature and language is concerned. As a result the English language is not spoken as it should be. Most important factor in speaking the English in right and absolute manner is the use of phonetics. So until and unless the phonetics is not introduced, it is hard to gain command over spoken English and also presenting the views in this language. Recently, the Functional English (phonetics) has been introduced but it is confined only upto the higher classes. It is required to be introducing at the grass-root level, where students learn the basic of the phonetics and in the upcoming time can play a contributory role in English Literature. Also there is no Post Graduate Course in Functional English (FE) in J&K due to which the students have to move out of J&K for continuing their study or otherwise have to take admission in other courses due to non-availability of the aforesaid course.

So, Jammu University has to take initiative in this regard, so that a new atmosphere of learning and teaching overcasts this part of the world and new sources can be created to bring fame and recognition for the Jammuites regarding the global language-English.

Ashok Mehra
Jammu.