Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Reporter's Diary

At a time when the news of widespread rain and tanks getting filled up are being reported everywhere, the Vandiyur Mariamman Temple Tank is staring at the visitors without any water, but for puddles here and there.

Taking into account the amount of rainfall the city received during the past 15 days, steps should have been taken to fill the tank. The tank is one of the main tourist attractions in the city.

A few years back, efforts were made to fill the tank by diverting excess water?! from the Vaigai river. A full tank would not only add beauty to the landmark but also enable operation of boat services, providing an entertainment outlet to Maduraites and tourists.

There had been several complaints in the past about the functioning of Madurai Kamaraj University Hospital situated near the varsity campus in Palkalai Nagar. Though the university staff, the lower-income group in particular, requested the authorities to set right things in the hospital nothing much could be done as the authorities just issued a warning and left with that.

Recently, Vice-Chancellor P. Maruthamuthu, during his first visit to the hospital, had a bitter pill to swallow when he took his mother for consultation. As the 80-year old woman wanted immediate medical attention, the Vice-Chancellor took her to the varsity hospital. He had a further shock when the prescribed medicine gave a negative reaction giving more complication.

Authorities say the worried Vice-Chancellor could relax only after a couple of days when the medicines were changed and his mother said, "I am fine."

But those who had already complained of `negligence' and hierarchy bickering among the hospital staff are now hopeful of a quick action from the administration. Dr. Maruthamuthu, who had received requests for hospital revamp already, is now on the job to give a good hospital to his staff.

Incidentally, there were no complaints about equipment, but only with the staff since budget allocation was substantial to provide the required infrastructure.

Enthusiasm to learn new things was evident among students at the one-day self-development camp held on the premises of Chinmaya Mission here on Sunday.

Chinamaya Yuva Kendra, the youth wing of Chinamaya Mission, along with Rotary Club of Madurai North West organised the camp exclusively for Corporation and Government-aided school students who are deprived of such personality development camps.

Though the organisers had planned to collect Rs.25 as registration fee, the interest shown by a majority of students, who were unable to pay the registration fee, to participate in the camp forced the organisers to let them participate free.

Eighty students attended various sessions on `Think before act,' Communication skills and Motivation etc. Certificates, notebooks and stationery were distributed to students, besides a sumptuous lunch.

Contributions from
T. Saravanan,
Shastry V Mallady
and S.S. Kavitha

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