Industrial pollution

Sir,

Although our State is not industrialised the way other States are yet there has been widespread public protest over the industrial pollution (DE, Feb 18).
The reasons are not for fetched nor are they skin deep. In some main industrial areas of the State which incidenty fall in the Jammu province there has been public resentment over the industrial pollution taking place. People of Samba and Kathua are up in arms and have been vehemently protesting about the pollution for a long time. They even have many times blocked the National Highway also.
Obviously such protests have a reason and it is good that Government has constituted a committee which will look into the problem of industrial pollution. Sometimes we wonder that why Governments listen only after people come on the streets or protest violently. Then alone does the Government starts noticing the problem. Otherwise as the saying goes it thinks ''all is well with the world! Industrial pollution is a big problem in these area. Smoke and toxic fumes spew out of these industrial units which have affected the general health of the people. In samba, where many industries produce pesticides, the liquid affluents have mixed with water sources and created problems for the people living near these units. It is hoped that the committee will sit continuously and look into the various causes of industrial pollution and then given guide lines to the industrial units so that they follow the recommendations. The whole process should not consume time otherwise the whole exercise shall prove an eyewash.

Yours etc...
G S Sambyal
Samba Jammu

Kidney racket

Sir,

Every man in the civilised society will condemn the inhuman and barbaric events which have happened in Gurgoan. This needs no retreating that Gurgoan falls nearest to the capital of the country and is home to famous multinationals of the world.
Dr. Amit Kumar's massive illegal organ trade involving hospitals and touts not only in the country but outside the country has rocked the entire nation. We, look at the entire picture of this racket whose sinister threads and beginning to be revealed send a shudder passes down our spine. Had it not been due to keen interest shown by a young police officer Mangal Saini the racket would perhaps never have been unearthed. The thriving secret trade in organs needs to the keenly analysed. Organs which are donated by relations for transportation must be cleared by an authorised expert committee. Organ traders simply ignore and defy the law as Dr. Amit did. Unscrueruplous doctors prey upon the very poor and exploit them. The indications are that now bigger and more powerful racketeers are entering the organ bazaar which has become more lucrative and organised. In all cases the victims are poor who are desperate to eke out a living for them selves.
There is need to have some regulatory authority which would look into the cases of organ transplantation. The number of patients requiring organ transplantation is large. We should have a national waiting list registry of patients. In our country the law permits donations of organs from close relatives only. Majority of transplants are done from live donors. The need of the hour is to encourage cadaveric (recently dead) transplants. Mass education is needed for cadaveric transplants. Community beliefs and supersition plays a defeating role in such transplants. Which needs to be countered in a well thought out campaign.

Yours etc...
S N Raina
Swaran Vihar Jammu

Campus in Poonch

Sir,

Education is the light through which every individual in the State wants to be equipped so that he finds his due place in the society.
In this regard Jammu University has started a campus in Poonch (DE, Feb 16). It is good that such campuses are being instituted at remove areas of the region. In this way the University is quite rightly expanding in right areas. The establishment of Poonch campus was promised by the Chief Minister about five months ago. Now the promise has been fulfilled which will help the students of this remote area greatly.
We cannot imagine the wholesome development of the State without education. Though urban areas have much better facilities still students from rural areas have shown guts and determination. Despite serious bottlenecks they have shown better results when given a chance. It is hence important that the University reaches out itself to the remote areas. These centres called campuses should be equipped with all facilities that these students would get at the main University itself. The equipment, and teaching staff as well as It aids must be made available at these campuses so that the students do not feel leftout when it comes to higher education.In the end the step is great and will prove highly beneficial for the remote areas like Poonch. The people have only good words for the Government and University authorities in this matter and hope that this way the light of education will spread to every nook and corner of the State.

Yours etc...
Rajat Balgotra
Domana Jammu