Letters to the Editor: Need for plantation

Need for plantation The world is constantly evolving, and so are the pollution levels. Carbon emissions in cities are reaching new heights every day. Industries give rise to deforestation. Therefore, measures like plantation prevent further damage. There are innumerable benefits of the plantation. It benefits the man, wildlife and flora. If we practise plantation, we will be able to stop soil erosion. It, in turn, will help maintain soil fertility. Hence, it will be beneficial for the agriculture sector. Through plantations, we can get an ample supply of wood, fruits, fodder and more. It will increase the life of our cattle and help in better crop production. In addition, the plantation will lead to better water retention. It can also prevent drought. Pinaki Nandy, Guwahati SC verdict on Sidhu Perhaps, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu would have least realized that his involvement in the 1988 road rage case that resulted in the death of a 65-year-old Patiala resident, would come back to torment him after 34 years with a judgment of one-year rigorous imprisonment. In fact, it was surprising that the apex court, in its May 2018 judgment, had let off Sidhu with a small punishment of imposing a fine of Rs 1,000, citing that road skirmishes were a “very common sight in this country.” Though very late, the SC has made the right verdict in this case now, and its pronouncement stresses the fact that nobody, irrespective of his/her status in society, is above the law. To put it in Sidhu’s own style, “a punch of a ball with a bat may look charmful on a cricket field. But on the roadside, a punch on the face of a person could certainly be harmful.” Ranganathan Sivakumar, (siva19kumar@gmail.com) Jobs to the disabled in armed forces Just two months ago the Supreme Court allowed to disabled to apply through UPSC for the posts in forces which were previously banned for them. In an interim order, the SC allowed candidates with physical disabilities who have cleared the civil services written exam to provisionally apply for selection to Indian Railways Protection Force Service (IRPFS), Indian Police service (IPS), as well as Delhi, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Police Service. Now the same question has been raised again and the Supreme Court says disability and police jobs can go hand in hand but the parameters should be spelt out. Several times courts had appreciated the efforts of disabled persons. Again two days ago, the SC asked the Centre to reconsider the stand on the issue. The court’s logic is that not all police jobs require personnel to perform field duties. Candidates with disabilities are suitable for desk jobs and policymaking tasks. The three-judge bench told the Centre “experiment with it for a while and if it does not work then you may not continue with it.” This approach of the court needs amending. Applicants with disabilities expect the court to lay down the broad parameters of the recruiting process. The judiciary should also convince the government and the recruiters to change their mindset when dealing with candidates with disabilities. However, if the court treats the process as an ‘experiment’, it amounts to leaving the final decision with the government on recruiting such candidates. Moreover, to provide a job to the disabled is not an act of charity but a recognition of a person’s natural right. It is expected that the SC should now take the case to its logical conclusion and ask the Union Government to design the recruitment process for disabled candidates. Disabled are a harried lot and have to face problems at every stage of employment whether it is an entry-level or transfer or promotion and even after retirement and let the good wisdom prevail on the concerned authorities so that the sufferings of Disabled may be lessened. Yash Pal Ralhan Jalandhar 144003