BESCOM IS RESPONSIBLE

It was shocking to read the news of the death of a 19 year old girl due to electric shock. The BESCOM official should be directly held responsible for their negligence,which caused the death of the girl. The loose live wires are not properly secured to electric poles with adequate insulation which tempts people to use the dangling wires for other purposes. BESCOM officials should take extra caution in the narrow and thickly populated locality to avoid such disasters in future. People in such areas are to be properly educated about the dangers of playing with cables and wires.The governent should adeuately componsate the victim's family.

BAD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

The decision of the management of AIR INDIA (AI) to defer the salary of its 30,000 odd employees by 15 days is unfair and un warranted (DNA 20-06-09). The reason attributed is resource crunch that the organization is facing. Although AI is facing financial crunch, it is a government of India undertaking. The management of the AI should make necessary arrangement in consultation with the Finance Ministry for release of salary to employees on due date.

Employees are the prime assest of any organaisation. Non receipt of salaries on due date, for no fault of theirs will not be appreciated by them. This will have cascading effect on their performance. The talented and experienced may look for greener pastures. Only the average and below average employees will stick to the organaisation since they have no option.This financial crunch alias financial mismanagement has not happened over night.The management was aware of the grave situation for a long time. In spite of very bad financial position, our national carrier has gone for massive expansion plan of nearly Rs50000 crores. This could have deferred for some time.

It is reported that AI is seeking Rs. 5000 crores from the Center as equity, apart from a soft loan of Rs. 7000 crores. Hence it would not be difficult to obtain a temporary over draft from public sector banks for payment of salaries for the month of July which may be around Rs. 150 plus crores. The employees have regular monthly commitments like home loan repayment, credit card payment etc. for which they might have issued post dated cheques. If salary is not received on due dates the cheques get bounced leading to further complications. Non payment of salary on due dates is against the principles of Payment of Wages Act and Industrial dispute Act. Instead of delaying the salaries to its employees the management should seek moratorium from lending institutions and banks for the financials commitment with them.

APPEARED IN DNA NEWS PAPER ON 22-06-09

MAOISTS ATTACK: POLITICAL SOLUTION IS THE ANSWER

The capture of Lalgarh by the Maoists is an indication of growing frustration against the establishment in finding permanent solutions to various chronic problems faced by them for decades. But the path chosen by them to achieve their goal is not correct and will not bring the desired results. They will face the same fate as that of LTTE if they continue to attack innocent people, police officials and the army. They cannot achieve their goal through violent attacks. They may be having genuine problems but there is no place for atrocities and violence.

The establishment should be sympathetic towards their just and unjust demands. The establishment is equally responsible for spread of Maoists and Naxal culture in the country, because the successive governments at state level and as well as at the center have failed to recognize the problems and find long lasting solutions. After all, the Maoists/Naxalists are not asking for the moon. They want some basic amenities for the tribal and other oppressed class. India, from a very poor country in 1947 has become a powerful and developed economy now. But the fruits development has not reached all the people fairly. Wealth is created and enjoyed by very few people. We have modern Maharajas in the form of Politicians, Ministers, government babus, unscrupulous business men and Industrialists. The wealth created by the modern India is concentrated in very few hands. The Maoists/Naxalists have seen them all, thanks to electronic and print media. Even after 61 years of independence our villages have no proper roads, no potable water, no good schools, no hospitals and other basic infrastructure. The development and the growth should be inclusive growth. The real fruits of development should reach the common man and the oppressed class including the tribals in all parts of the country.

The government, first, should restore normalcy in Lalgarh and should try to the root of the problems to find amicable solution to the vexed Maoists and Naxalists problem. In the mean time Maoists should lay down their arms and come forward for dialogue with the establishment without any precondition. Political solution is the only answer for long term peace. For this both the parties must change their mindset on the path they want to walk.

POLLUTING HOSPITALS –SIMILAR ACTION NEEDED ON PRIVATE HOSPITALS

The decision of the Karnataka State pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to issue closure notice to 9 polluting government hospitals is a step in the right direction. The hospitals were given enough time to up grade their facilities in respect of treatment of biomedical waste. The concerned authorities in those hospitals have not initiated any steps to set up effluent treatment plant. KSPCB, however is salient about hundreds of private nursing homes and private hospitals which are equally guilty of such charges. There are hospitals with more than 200 beds, without mandatory effluent treatment plants in Bangalore. KSPCB should take action against those hospitals also.

UN FAIR AND UN WARRANTED

The decision of the management of AIR INDIA (AI) to defer the salary of its 30,000 odd employees by 15 days is unfair and un warranted. The reason attributed is resource crunch that the organization is facing. Although AI is facing financial crunch, it is a government of India undertaking. The financial position of the Center is very good. The management of the AI should make necessary arrangement in consultation with the Finance Ministry for release of salary to employees on due date. It is reported that AI is seeking Rs. 5000 crores from the Center as equity, apart from a soft loan of Rs. 7000 crores. Hence it would not be difficult to obtain a temporary over draft from public sector banks for payment of salaries for the month of July which may be around Rs. 150 plus crores. The employees have regular monthly commitments like home loan repayment, credit card payment etc. for which they might have issued post dated cheques. If salary is not received on due dates the cheques get bounced leading to further complications. Non payment of salary on due dates is against the principles of Payment of Wages Act and Industrial dispute Act and most importantly it is in-human.

RAHUL CHARISMA THAT WORKED IN U P

This is with reference to the article’ Lopsided victory’ (DNA, June 10), the Congress party's spectacular show is attributed to the strategic shift by Brahmin community in favour of the Congress is grossly exaggerated. It is the charisma of Rahul Gandhi that worked magic for the Congress. The seats won by the Congress are not Brahmin dominated constituencies as indicated. Brahmins are not that dominant force in U P, whose voting pattern determines the fate of a particular party. It is the selection of candidates and the election strategy adopted by the dynamic and long term player Mr. Rahul Gandhi that worked for Congress party’s resounding victory. The victory has nothing to do with caste and community factors.

FRIVOLOUS REASONS

Janata Dal (U) president Mr. Sharad Yadav’s threatening statement that, he shall consume poison if the women reservation bill is passed in its present form is deserve to be ridiculed. (DNA 06-06-09) The Yadav trios - Mulayam, Lalu and Sharad along with Ram Vilas Paswan are opposing the bill for many years. They are afraid that if the bill is passed, these leaders will lose their importance in national politics, as more and more women are to be given representation in their respective parties, who may not always listen to the party chiefs. These leaders are citing frivolous reasons for blocking the bill so far. The ruling UPA should not succumb to this kind of gimmicks. The main opposition party, the BJP, will support the bill and the UPA should introduce the bill at the earliest opportunity and get it passed. It should not un necessarily worry about Mr.Yadav’s threat. Even if Yadav is going to consume poison over the issue, the sky will not fall.
APPEARED IN DNA NEWSPAPER BOMBAY ON 09-06-09

WRONG PRIORITIES

The Karnataka’s tourism minister and iron ore lord Mr. Janrdhana Reddy created history by donating gold and diamond studded Crown to Lord Venkateshwara. It is reported that it is worth more than rupees 42 crores. One presumes that the money involved is legal and tax paid. It gives a broader idea to the general public the amount wealth our politicians have. They swear by the same god, that their entire life is dedicated to the service of people and particularly the poorest of the poor. In the state of Karnataka there thousands of villages without good roads, without primary health centers. There is un solved problems of potable drinking water, good schools in rural areas. The money spent on the Crown could have been better utilized in solving the chronic problems faced by some of the villages of Reddy brothers’ home district of Bellary. God would have been more pleased with that philanthropic work, as the Lord Venkateshwara has already has half dozenof such Crowns.

APPEARED IN DNA NEWS PAPAER BOMBAY 15-06-09

CENTER SHOULD ACT TOUGH

The ‘sale of seats’ is not a new phenomena or restricted to the state of Tamilnadu. This ‘sale of seats’ has been going on for decades in all professional colleges including medical, through out the country. Most of the colleges are controlled either directly or indirectly by politicians. If the Center is serious about elimination the menace of donation (sale of seats) they should nationalize the the professional education. Mr. Kapil Sibal, the HRD minister says that they are examining the evidence and will take action against the erring colleges. One can only laugh at that statement. As if the people at the helm of affairs, that is the HRD ministry and the all power full and corrupt MCI were not aware of the sale of seats, that is there for decades. People want to know the list of medical colleges that do not engage in sale business? Will HRD ministry provide the same for the benefit of public at large. Mr. Sibal are you listing?

BACK TO SCHOOL - HRD MINISTRY SHOULD IMPLEMENT SCHOOL VOUCHARES SCHEME

This is with reference to the open letter by Mr. Swaminathan S Ankesaria Aiyar to Mr. Kapil Sibal on the subject matter (Sunday Times 14-06-09). The HRD ministry should implement the programme and policies that aims at improving the basic education for the poor, downtrodden, historically disadvantaged classes. The quality of education imparted at government schools is very low. In rural areas people have no choice except to send their wards to government schools. Even in places where they have choices, the abnormal fees and related expenses of private schools act as a deterrent in sending their children to private schools. Most of the educational institutions, right from the pre nursery to the professional colleges, are directly or indirectly controlled by politicians. Their only aim is to make money and they are least interested in providing quality education at affordable cost. School vouchers scheme is a good idea in providing quality education for the children of the poor, oppressed, dalits and the minorities. Competition with private schools will definitely improve the quality in government schools. In future, only credible NGOs should be permitted to open and manage educational institutions, particularly primary and secondary schools, across the country. There should be entry barrier for those who consider education as profitable business ventures.

COMMUNISTS IDEALOGY OUT DATED

The CPM leadership in WB, among others has identified three prime reasons behind the party’s unprecedented debacle in the 2009 LS elections. They are Organizational weakness, Ineffective campaign and non–Communist attitude of some of its leaders. They are on the wrong track again. Left parties failed in the LS election not for the above reasons. Left failed to understand the ground realities. Their ideology is out dated. Gone are the days when parties could fool the voters continuously on a particular issue. The present day voters are well educated and understand the changing environment in the global economy. LEFT stand on Nuclear deal, Financial reforms and host of other issues which the left parties opposed were well taken care by the voters while voting. It is the same LEFT parties that opposed computerization, when it was first implemented in Banks and other public sectors organization like Railways and Airways in early eighties. Had, the then government succumbed to the pressure of Left parties, India would have remained a under developed country. And the leadership we have today in IT, BPO and Telecommunication sector would have remained a dream. LEFT do not have vision. All their policies are shortsighted. They are a bottleneck in the developmental work LEFT talks of issues that are irrelevant to present day politics. They have to change their attitude, ideology and understand the ground realities if they want survive in Indian politics. Otherwise, they can rest assured, that their days are numbered.

PM SHOULD BE VERY CAUTOIUS

PM should be very careful in dealing with the PAK leadership about terrorism. The PAK is the most un-trusted country in the world. Its leaders lack commitment, etermination and honesty in finding solution to any problem. What happened to perpetrators of Kandhar hijack and most recently to the people behind 26/11 attack? PAK is in know of many things about the terrorists but does not share critical information with the Indian government. It goes to US with begging bowl that they need funds to fight to terrorism. The funds so received are diverted to build up of arms and ammunition to fight the Indian army. See the plights of Sikhs and Hindus in Pakistan. They are being tortured by Taliban. PAK is a failed state in all respects. Our gentleman Prime Minister should be extra cautious in dealing with them. The day is not far that the big brother is going to bomb PAK as it did against the IRAQ if the Pakistani leaders are not going to mend their ways.

THE RIGHT CHOICE

THE RIGHT CHOICE

The decision of the Congress to pick Meira Kumar for the speaker’s post deserves congratulations. She would be the first woman and a dalit to occupy the coveted post.
Although parties are talking about woman reservation bill for the last years, nothing has progressed. By chosing Meira, the Congress party has sent a strong message to opposition parties, including the BJP, that the Center is very serious about enacting reservation bill. Those who were opposing the very idea of women reservation – like RJD, LJP, and BSP and SP have been comprehensively rejected by voters or have very less number in the L S. They have no option but to fall line in line. BJP, per-se is not opposed to the bill and as per indication Sushma Swaraj would be the deputy leader of BJP in Lok Sabha. That makes things easier for the ruling coalition. All parties should support the bill –in both the houses and the regarding this is to be enacted at the earliest.