Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Reporter's Diary

A stitch in time saves nine. So, the police have taken steps to prevent accidents on Tiruchi-Chennai national highway. In the absence of any parapet wall, the stretch of the U-shaped road on both sides of the Ponmalai railway over-bridge has been posing a threat to drivers. The problem becomes worse when heavy vehicle drivers resort to overtaking leaving little room for other motorists coming in the opposite direction. Absence of streetlights in the area aggravates the problem depriving others, particularly two-wheelers, of visibility. The police have put up casuarina poles as a temporary measure to alert drivers, besides indicating the direction of the road.

Motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders in the city, have been facing a perennial problem in the form of lorries transporting construction materials such as bricks, sand and gravel.

The lorry operators, apparently, display no concern for other motorists and pedestrians by keeping the materials uncovered, though the use of tarpaulin is mandatory. Understandably, they have their way due to lack of enforcement.

The dust whipped up from these materials by the wind when the lorries are on the move at break-neck speed causes severe strain to the eyes of the motorists following the lorries. As the two-wheelers have to keep pace, the prickly sensation aggravates. For, one cannot afford to close his eyes even for a split second, since a minor variation in movement would make all the difference between life and death. With the onset of windy season, the fear of these lorries wreaking havoc looms large.

Burning of tyres and other waste materials close to the teak saplings in the process of growth along the embankment of Uyyakondan channel only reveals that civic sense is far from dawning on a section of denizens.

Little do the people indulging in such acts realise that they scuttle the sustained efforts of the Forest Department towards greening the city. Teak saplings, which dot the river bunds, were planted under a massive `padugai' (riverbed) teak plantation programme by the Tiruchi division of the Forest Department last year. The objective was to not only to improve aesthetics and create visual impact but also to preserve the bunds from soil erosion and bring in revenue to the government in the longer run.

The burning could impede the growth of the teak plantation what with the thick plume of black smoke emanating from these waste products. The need for the public to be conscious of cooperating with the government machinery for executing progressive initiatives is felt.

A substantial part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of Bishop Heber College on Saturday was devoted to honour the long list of contributors.

With Principal Marcus Diepen Boominathan reading out the list, the mementos were presented to the contributors and their family members by the dignitaries present on the dais.

This prompted the chief guest, former Policy Adviser to United Nations, B. S. Ragavan, to laud the college's initiative to honour the people who were behind its accomplishments. He could not hide his disappointment over audience's meek cheering.

Nevertheless, there was a great round of applause to his call to the audience to give a standing ovation to the college for its gesture towards the contributors.

Contributions from

M. Balaganessin,

R. Krishnamoorthy,

R. Rajaram and

S. Aishwarya in Tiruchi

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