Novel Coronavirus
The deadly disease, novel Coronavirus is in limelight globally which has created menace for several countries like India, France, China, Indonesia, Canada, USA, Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and even Pakistan. The virus is spreading like wildfire engulfing many people around the world. In China, the death toll due to the lethal virus has reached 250 and around 15, 000 people have been infected so far.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) indulged in taking immediate measures as the virus rang the alarming bells with a sudden rise. The Coronavirus is transmitted person to person through the air by coughing and sneezing, touching or shaking hands, and touching objects surrounded with that virus. However, the severe symptoms include fever, pneumonia, kidney failure and dreadful death. Unfortunately, the authorities and officials could not make vaccines available, but the virus can be controlled through effective and responsive conduct like washing hands with soap. Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Jubel D’Cruz
India should remain cautious to prevent COVID-19
COVID-19 is the reason global indices have collapsed and India is no exception. WHO’s latest briefing indicate that the Coronovirus cases emerging outside China was for the first-time more than reported inside the Chinese territory which is worrisome. It is a gloom and doom scenario till there is anti-virus to check the disease and a fear is being built each passing day which is the reason why markets the world over are collapsing. The role of China in world economy is that of ‘salt and spices’ without which no recipe can be complete.
Italy is now the worst affected nation after China and with Singapore as well as other Asian countries red flagging the disease, India should be very cautious as health care facilities on our shores are very poor and a few cases are good enough for the epidemic spreading like wildfire in our country. The government should form an top level committee of experts to not just take measures to deal with the epidemic but also its economic implications which could even be more deadly than the disease.
S.N. Kabra
Department of Posts should issue sponsored postal-stamps
Indian Post should extend system of sponsorship for issuing sponsored postal-stamps on commercial lines like is presently done in case of post-cards and Inland-Letter-Cards. Sponsored postal-stamps with some minimum stipulated number can carry advertisements or other messages desired by sponsors to be endorsed by a committee of the Department with sponsorship-charge fixed per printed stamp. System will give dual-edged enormous extra revenue-earning firstly from sponsorship and secondly by making sponsoring companies shifting from private courier-companies to premier postal-services provided by India Post.
To induce newness in system and for earning extra revenue through philately, India Post should traditionally issue an altogether new definitive series of postal-stamps and postal-stationery simultaneously in all denominations every year on first day of new financial year which should also be date of revision of postal-tariffs if any. However colour of a particular denomination of a postal-stamp of definitive series should be same but with change in design on basis of theme selected for that year. A representative of main opposition party should be traditionally included in the advisory-body to decide on issue of new postal-stamps to avoid any political bias in choosing personalities to be figured on postal-stamps.
Madhu Agrawal
Ban campus politics
The Kerala High Court has come out with a verdict recently banning all forms of agitations by student groups in school and college campuses that disrupt functioning of educational institutions and cause inexplicable hindrance to the smooth functioning of educational institutions.
The HC has asked for banning of all forms of agitations including gherao and dharnas on the campuses. The HC further instructed that no one can be persuaded to participate in such protests. The court rightly said that educational institutions are meant for academic-related activities and not for protests. It also said no one has the right to violate the fundamental rights of other students.
The court three years ago had said if any student is found to be indulging in such activities, he or she would make himself or herself liable to be expelled or rusticated. Due to political interference and callousness on the part of stakeholders political conflicts continued.
The present verdict comes as a result of petitions filed by various college and school managements against agitations on campuses disrupting the peaceful atmosphere. The court said educational institutions can be made a venue for peaceful discussions and debates.
The courts judgement is laudable as campus politics is sadly going from bad to worse. In the past student politics helped students to train themselves as responsible citizens to work for the welfare of the student community as well as the society .Violence was present in the past but not like what we see now- so heart breaking, brutal, horrendous and blood curdling. They are used as death squads by the political parties and factions for their selfish motives. There are some Indian states that don’t allow politics in the campus and is one of the reason that most of the campuses there witness students really enjoying their life and their studies and at the same time grooming themselves to become responsible citizens rather than becoming pawns in the hands of parties and organisations that exploit young hearts, to achieve their vested interests.
M Pradyu
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
