Equal opportunities for women

Sir,

Women make up half the population of the country. In simple terms it means that whatever programmes are meant for the people of the country women must have half of the share in those programmes.

But does that translate into real life. It does not. Here the problem starts. All through the history we have not been able to provide women with equal opportunities. The result of this is before us. We have a sizable portion of our population that is unrepresented and unheard in the Government as well in the policy making or decision making. Of late this trend is being reversed and now women are finding interesting role for themselves in the decision making process of the country. The women's reservation bill that has been introduced into Parliament is a constructive step towards allowing half of our population to find an increasing role in Governing this country.

It needs to be reiterated that without the real and crucial involvement of women in the decision making and governance of this country they cannot in any meanful way contribute towards the progress and welfare of the nation. Women need equal opportunities and whenever and whereever opportunities on a level playing field have been given to women they have shown their merit and even in many case excelled. The need of the hour is that women power is realised and in this context steps should be be taken sooner.

Yours etc...
Chawhan Suri
Canal Road
Jammu

Avoid smoking

Sir,

Smoking means to draw tobacco smoke into the mouth or lungs and exhale it via. mouth, nostrils or both. Smoking is the single largest, avoidable cause of premature death and illness. It kills more people than accidents. Smoking accounts for over one-fourth of all the deaths in our country. Some 100 billion dollors spent on about 4,000 billion cigarettes annual in the world are actually used for buying diseases and disabilities on the pretest of easing tension or increasing concentration.

Smoking may give some temporary relief to the strained nerves but, in the long run, it proves a dangerous health hazard. The quality of nicotine contained in one cigar may prove fatal if injected intravenously into a person. When smoked only 10% of the smoke is inhaled and only one or two milligrams of nicotine is absorbed from a typical cigarettee. Hence, no immediate ill effect is absorbed. Smokers may develop a physiological craving for nicotine and then they cannot give up smoking.

Some diseases which are caused from smoking are:- cancer, cardiovescular diseases, emphysema, tissue damage, gangrene and damage to immune system.

Cigarette smoke is quite annoying to non-smokers. It may prove even harmful to them. A smoker should avoid smoking when in the company of non-smokers. A smoker make the near by persons passive smokers or second hand smokers through inhaling smoke from the cigarette and the smoke released by the smoker. Smoke from the burning end of a cigarette has more harmful chemicals (nicotine, tar, cadmium) in it than the smoke is inhaled by the smoker through a filtered cigarette. There are over 4,000 chemical compounds in the second-hand smoke. Over 50 of them are known to cause cancer.

People's generally take to smoking before the age of 20. Youths starts smoking for fun, as an adventure or feeling of independence on encouragement or pressure by friends, immitation of elders for relaxation and feeling of security on seeing smokers in movies and advertisements depicted in happy and joyful situation, toward off sleep for late night and to overcome anxiety, anger and loneliness. Smoking started as more excuse, gradually becomes a permanent habit. Some 2.6 million deaths in the world are related to smoking. Smokers should expect a reduction of 10 years in their life span. Smoking not only wastes money but also runs risk of burns and fibres.

Besides all these harmful effects of smoking people's don't quite smoking because it is a life long habit. Only way to decrease smoking is education. In America over 50 million people's have quit smoking after knowing its harmful effects. Smoking should be banned on public places, hospitals offices. etc.

In people's who quit smoking the physiological damage done by smoking is gradually reversed. Energy, sexual potency and libido and general enjoyment of life all seems to increase. Death rate also decreases. In about 10 years the smoker becomes almost as fit as a life long non-smoker. So avoid smoking and enjoy your precious life.

Yours etc...
Ahraz Latif
Jammu