New lessons

Sir — The ruling left in West Bengal is very enterprising. This spirit of enterprise has induced the left-controlled All Bengal Teachers’ Association to release the book, Acharya Kahini, with the pious intention of indoctrinating teachers “with the spirit of dedication and sacrifice” (“Association ‘value’ education for teachers”, June 21). But, as for every action that the left takes, this is hardly the right thing to do. This is a bit like the moral science classes that children have to suffer in many schools. However, there is a small difference. While it is hoped that moral science will influence impressionable minds and make the children better human beings, there can be little hope that schoolteachers will change their ways by simply reading short stories and essays on the commitment of teachers of the past. What is being overlooked here is that poor infrastructure, nepotism and an overpowering political presence in the education system have left little place for those genuinely dedicated to teaching.

Yours faithfully,
Bidisha Biswas, Calcutta

Bound to rise

Sir — The recent hike in the prices of petroleum products by the new United Progressive Alliance government is rational (“Bottled-up oil, gas price explode”, June 16). However, a further rise in prices cannot be ruled out in future because international oil cartels determine the prices.

The government may try to pacify the people by citing how the burden of the increased prices is being shared by the consumers, oil-marketing companies and the government, but the fact remains that oil imports mean an outflow of foreign exchange. Under these circumstances, there should be a planned strategy for the graded reduction of oil imports, together with an increase in the generation and use of other forms of energy. Renewable energy-use, and a raise in the share of the country’s oil production here and abroad should also be encouraged. Energy conservation measures should also be implemented more effectively.

An integrated energy policy is long due. It must be remembered that unlike India, rich countries like the United States of America, China and Japan can bear the pressures of the high prices of oil imports. The goal of energy security should be pursued with this in mind.

Yours faithfully,
C.R. Bhattacharjee, Calcutta

Sir — By leaving the price of kerosene oil untouched and continuing with the subsidies, the new petroleum minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, has fallen prey to false theory. If kerosene is the poor man’s fuel and needs to be subsidized, will such subsidies also hold for, say, the bicycle, which is the poor man’s cheapest mode of transport? Such subsidies are only creating an additional burden on the exchequer.

The kerosene oil subsidy is being continued because of the trend of increasing kerosene consumption, presumably by the poor. Is poverty increasing in India then? Have the Indian poor suddenly started using more kerosene for cooking purposes? It has to be remembered that most poor households in rural areas hardly use kerosene; wood and tyres are more commonly used for cooking. Low kerosene prices will only harm the economy.

First, low prices will encourage the smuggling of adulterated kerosene to neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and Burma. Second, lower costs can change consumption patterns and increase the use of kerosene for commercial purposes.

Serious thought should be given to how the faulty subsidization process, which has been institutionalized since independence, can be eliminated. For kerosene, one way could be by making it available through panchayats. This will not be entirely corruption-free, but a better monitoring system can be expected to evolve in time.

Yours faithfully,
Sanjoy Banka, Navi Mumbai

Sir — The increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and coal proved that economic laws do not obey the commands of politicians. The cost of a product has to be recovered either from its consumers or from the exchequer of the country. Any other way would be disastrous. One should not, therefore, condemn the Congress or the left for giving in to economic laws.

Yours faithfully,
Asoke C. Banerjee, Cambridge, US

Sir — While the price of petroleum products had been rising in the past few months in the international market, it had been left untouched in India. This was a tactic of the former National Democratic Alliance government to dissuade the public sector oil companies from hiking prices and thus spoil the “feel-good factor”. In the process, these PSUs have been losing crores of rupees in terms of subsidized oil prices. The situation can be said to be marginally better now with the Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries agreeing to increase production and the market determination of oil prices. It is impossible to think that the Indian PSUs dealing in oil could continue with the enormous subsidies and cope with international competition.

Yours faithfully,
Gaurav Jajodia, Cuttack

Sir — When the Congress was in the opposition, any attempt by the NDA government to hike prices would make them protest loudly in parliament. At the helm now, the Congress says that the hike in oil prices is unavoidable.

Yours faithfully,
Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur

Sir — The increase in oil prices was inevitable, and no government could have averted this — be it the present UPA or the previous NDA governments. Mani Shankar Aiyar only did what was expected but he has to face unnecessary criticism from the people. However, instead of hiking the prices at one go, prices could have been scaled up gradually. This would have also made things easier for the common man — a straight hike of Rs 20 in the price of a gas cylinder is hardly expected to go down well with middle class consumers who also have to face other hikes in expenditure after the budget.

Yours faithfully,
Sumant Poddar, Calcutta

Flying high

Sir — The news of Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya taking over as the first female director general of police in India is heartening (“Smart salute to lady top cop, June 18”). Indian women will find a role model in someone who has managed to combine being a professional, a wife and a mother. Her appointment highlights a contradiction in Indian society. In spite of dowry deaths, molestation, female foeticide and the denial of the most basic rights that plague the Indian woman, sometimes our society seems to give women the chance to distinguish themselves in their professions.

Yours faithfully,
Kalyan Ghosh, Calcutta