Headless women Commission

Sir,

It has come as a surprise to read that the State Women's Commission is headless since 2002 (DE, July 27).

As it only a tall talk to say that women are being empowered and that women is progressing. May be there is some truth in it. But when it comes to arm women with real authority we have failed to deliver. To press home a point is that even now when all political parties seem logically committed to provide reservation to women in Parliament there has not been any signal that it will materialise in near future. Only one thing that the political partner are lavishly doing is to give as much possible lip service to women reservation. Some times blames are traded on each other.

In such circumstances it will not be a surprise that the State Women's Commission is headless since 2002. Three numbers of the Commission whose terms expired have not been appointed. However no women Commission will discharge its duties effectively unless it is armed with legal teeth. The State Assembly ought to have sat down seriously and pondered over giving the Commission some legal powers with which it could mitigate the sufferings of the women. On the opposite what we see is that its decisions have been inverted by the courts whenever these were challenged. The moot point is that if we are serious about a Women Commission's functioning smoothly then we have to provide it with powers so that it can make its presence felt. Besides all the vacancies should be filled in immediately. There is no dearth of nononsense women in the State.

Yours etc....
Meeta Behl
Nanak Nagar,
Jammu.

Eternal vigilance

Sir,

Militancy related incidents have not stopped. On the opposite these incidents have risen. Everyday we hear, see and read about these incidents in which innocent lives are lost and many other are injured.

Under this backdrop the statement of the Defence Minister is important (DE, July 28). In his maiden visit to forward areas he remarked that though the border is silent but the vigil has to be even strict. Defence Minister is known for his sedate but no nonsense approach. It seems that he has sensed the real situation in the State. That is why he is always cautious. In addition to that the incidents on the ground too are not so many as to say that peace has returned. Everyday there are militant related incidents in the State. Even Fidayeen attacks too have taken place. These incidents are not isolated. The game plan being woven across the border has not stopped. If it would have stopped then the militant crossing would also have stopped. But it is not so. They are pouring in an unending stream. No doubt they are being killed in ambushes laid by the army. But these incidents make one thing clear that we need to maintain eternal vigil. Here the Defence Minister is totally right. If we lower our guard then God alone knowns how many terrorists would cross over. So we have to be cautious and eternally vigilant.

Yours etc...
Er.T. K. Bhat
Akalpur,
Jammu.

Satellite boom for ISRO

Sir,

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is on the forefront of launching communication revolution in India. It means that ISRO is directly linked to IT revolution, e-Banking and mobile communication.

The forefathers of India's space research programme had rightly seen the needs of future for the country. Now these dreams have been realised. Now we are firmly saddled in Space Research and are in top order space powers. The use of space for communications, weather monitering, remote sensing etc. has made India a global power in the field of space research. To meet the requirement of future ISRO is planning to launch twenty five satellite in next five years (DE, July 27). These satellites are worth about nine thousand crores. The important thing about ISRO is that it is planing to launch last satellite from foreign soil in 2008. INSAT - 4G will be the last Indian Satellite due to be launched from Euro Space Agency Airiane.

Efforts are on by ISRO to develop GSLV Mark II which will be able to put four thousand kilogram satellite in Geo Stationery orbit 36000 km above Earth. Meanwhile GSLV Mark I is being improved as the previous attempts to launch it failed. We are developing very crucial cryogenic technology for the GSLV programme which will confirm India as a global space power.

Yours etc....
R. L. Mehra
Udhampur.