Vox Populi : Empty Rhetoric

D S Chahal & S K Khosla,Chandigarh

Grooming young blood but old habits persist

It is really heartening to learn that the major political parties,the Congress and the BJP,have decided to field young faces in the coming municipal corporation elections in Chandigarh. It is a welcome step as the youth of today are fed up with the prevailing levels of corruption in all walks of life.They are innovative and energetic. Rahul Gandhi,considered as the youth icon,has wisely advised the Congress to include youth in the governance of the nation. But it’s sad to know from reports that the same old methods are being adopted to woo voters by all political parties. Whereas,on one side the parties are fielding the youth with brighter and newest ideas of governance,on the other side we hear reports of free liquor being served to woo voters. Even other means of bribes are being offered. What steps is the Election Commission taking in this regard? Is this the way to win elections? All parties are fighting on one main agenda: To root out corruption. What sort of corruption do intend to eradicate when they themselves are adopting all corrupt ways to get themselves elected as “peoples’ representatives”?.

R K Kapoor,Chandigarh

A farce

The party candidates contesting Municipal Corporation elections are seen folding hands to cast votes to win. They also came with the big manifestos .This will be the last time and you will not see them next five years. The Municipal Corporation is a chronic disease like cancer and dengue .In which city Municipal Corporation enters,the roads are broken,cleanliness is gone and street lights vanishes. They encourage encroachments in market places and rehri markets. The green parks are used for parking places. The development works initiated and financed by the administration are stopped by the members of corporation after fighting on the floor of the House.

Sahil Garg ,Chandigarh

Deplorable decision

The present municipal corporation councillors will definitely lose respect and credibility in the eyes of the common man if they take away laptops,given to them for official work,even at minimum price as these are government property. The recent tricks of the councillors to take away the government property is condemnable. For the next House of coming councillors,the Corporation will again purchase the laptops which will be a burden to the corporation exchequer and the common man’s pocket. It is our duty as citizens to hold our leaders accountable for their actions and their positions.

Sachin Sharma,Chandigarh (U.T)

Declining PGI standards

In recent times,the patient care in the main ICU at PGI has been found wanting. This is a matter of huge concern and urgent steps to improve its efficiency must be taken. In order to do the same,all medical branches of PGI should evolve a system regarding patient care. It is not just the responsibility of one department to tend to patients in ICU but one doctor each from different departments should be posted there round-the-clock. This will help provide better patient care as there can be inter-departmental communication. Above all,maintaining the right patient-doctor ratio is very important so that no patient is left unattended.

Vineet Kapoor,Panchkula

‘Tech-deficient’ lower judiciary

The present state-of-affairs of subordinate courts in the twin states of Punjab and Haryana clearly warrant an urgent need to make them fully equipped with tools of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Although computers have been installed coupled with distribution of laptops to judicial officers,it has not made the courts “fully computerised”. Barring Chandigarh,no district and sessions court in both states has got its own website. Although two websites exist and are supposed to cover all district courts in Haryana and Punjab,they seem just symbolic as no cause list of cases,status/defects of filing,daily/final orders or judgments are available on them. Further,although the website of Punjab and Haryana High Court provides such kinds of facility but daily orders/zimni orders passed by the judges in cases are not uploaded contrary to the practice in the Supreme Court. I hope the incumbent Chief Justice of HC,Justice Ranjan Gagoi,would ensure complete adoption of ICT in both in HC and regional subordinate judiciary.

Hemant Kumar,Ambala City