The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Reader's Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 31, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reader's Mail

Uniform school syllabus proposal

A news item in The Hindu of July 8, 2006 titled, "Schools in state to follow uniform syllabus from next year," reported that it was proposed to bring an integrated syllabus for the State Board, Anglo Indian and Matriculation Schools.

People who value education put their children in Matriculation schools because the standard is higher than the State Board schools. This is the case even with the uneducated parents. If the uniform syllabus is introduced most of the parents may prefer to put their children in State Board schools in English medium for they need not pay fees and there is no difference in syllabus.

There are two implications of the uniform syllabus that will have to be considered; one — the number of English medium sections may have to be increased and more teachers appointed; this will cost extra expenditure to the government. The second effect is that many Matriculation schools will be closed for lack of admissions and thousands of teachers will lose their jobs.

An unintended consequence will be that CBSE schools will get a boost as many parents will prefer to put their children in the CBSE schools instead of Matriculation schools because the standard will be higher than the State Board, Anglo Indian and Matriculation schools.

S. Amaldhas,

Retired Headmaster,

Avichi High School

Huge fluctuations in voltage

I write to bring to your attention the pathetic power situation at VGP Shantinagar, Pallikaranai. I am a resident of Thiruvalluvar Street in Phase II of VGP Shantinagar. We have been experiencing huge fluctuations in voltage over the last five months. Repeated representations to the Assistant Engineer of the Electricity Board have not yielded any result. A letter signed by all the residents of our street has also been sent seeking relief from the voltage fluctuation. However there has been no relief, and we face the prospect of electronic equipment going awry because of the fluctuation. There is absolutely no scope for switching on the air-conditioner given the situation. Electricity is being supplied at a voltage level of 150-170 volts, endangering our TVs, refrigerators and other electronic equipment.

Krishnamani,

Pallikarnai

Stinking subways at railway stations

Subways constructed for the benefit of the public at Tambaram and Tambaram Sanatorium, Chennai are in such an unhygienic and deplorable condition that the users find it almost impossible to use them. At Tambaram, vendors besides occupy half of the subway making it difficult for people to pass through the narrow passage; moreover they leave spoilt vegetables/fruits and other stuff on the sideways. The garbage is not cleared for many days resulting in an unbearable stink.

At Tambaram Sanatorium railway station, apart from vendors, unsocial elements use the subway as toilet. The stink and accumulation of garbage force commuters to avoid the subway and cross the railway track risking life and limb.

The authorities concerned are requested to take stern and immediate action to make the subways usable for the public.

T. S. Satyam,

Tambaram Sanatorium

Improve bus services to Mannivakkam

Bus services 55 and M55 operated between Tambaram and Mannivakkam via Old Perungalathur, Mudichur are quite inadequate. The buses are always crowded, especially during the peak hours in the morning and evenings. Commuters are badly hit because of this and the irregularity of the services. The bus services on this route badly need to be increased.

Commuters, in the absence of bus services, use share autos to reach Tambaram Town, Railway Station and bus stand to go to the City. During peak hours, share autos are also in great demand. One has to compete to get into a share auto when it is sighted. Autos, aware of the demand, raise the fares also.

If Government adds more services to this area, the hardships of office-goers, old people, women and school children will be greatly lessened.

I request the Transport authorities to look into the matter and do the needful to ease the congestion on this heavily populated route.

R. Gayathri,

Mudichur

Prompt action by police

A burglary took place in my house on the night of June 28, 2006, when my family and I were away in Mumbai. The servant maid, who came the next morning, saw the lock on the front door broken and the door open. She brought this to the attention of my neighbours, who immediately reported the matter to the police. The Deputy Commissioner of Police and the Inspector of Police of the Besant Nagar Police Station rushed to my house and conducted an investigation without wasting a single minute. All this happened in my absence.

I am grateful to my neighbours and friends, as also to the police for their immediate response. I was particularly impressed by the reaction of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, as well as the Inspector of Police, who called me in Mumbai and asked me not to worry. I rushed back to Chennai by catching the next available flight and reached my residence on the night of June 29, 2006. By God's grace the loss was not enormous except two silver vessels with a value of about Rs. 10,000. However, I had to spend money to fix the damage caused to the doors and cupboards. I have no doubt that the whole-hearted efforts taken by the police will produce a positive result in apprehending the culprits as well as the recovery of stolen articles.

In this connection, I wish to suggest that the Government should think of increasing the police force to the optimum level as it appears that the present strength is not adequate to cope with the work load, which is increasing by the day. Establishment of more number of police stations with compact and manageable jurisdictions will produce positive results. Padmanabha Nagar, being an area comprising lower and upper middle class and mostly retired people requires a `police out-post' in order to enable them to live in security.

A. Narayanan,

Padmanabha Nagar,

Adyar

Ordeal of railway commuters

I am a regular commuter by suburban train from Villivakkam to Basin Bridge. After alighting at Basin Bridge, to reach the Mint side, I have to climb the foot overbridge. The foot overbridge covers only 7 tracks; there are two more tracks for shunting the express train coach from cleaning yard, which are not covered by the foot overbridge.

During office hours, commuters need to reach the office on time, but due to the shunting operations, commuters are unable to cross the tracks. They have to wait 15 to 30 minutes, which makes them late for duty. They face the same plight on the way home in the evening. We have drawn attention to this problem through the reader's mail column, but authorities have not done anything about it. Many commuters, anxious to get to work on time, risk their lives by trying to cross the tracks when trains are being shunted.

To make things worse, RPF personnel are posted near these tracks to nab us for crossing the tracks. How are we expected to cross these 2 tracks (for shunting) where there is no foot overbridge.

Will the railway authorities heed the plight of commuters and take the necessary action?

S. Venugopal,

Villivakkam

Pedestrians' problem

The police have installed an automatic signal at R.K. Mutt Road and Venkatakrishna Road junction, to regulate the traffic. But they have not shown any consideration for the pedestrians. They have marked a zebra crossing, with a pedestrian signal for crossing. But there is no platform on all four corners. Given this, citizens using the zebra crossing run the risk of being knocked down by the vehicular traffic. The problem is very simple to address: if the encroachments on the sides of automatic signal are removed, the pedestrians can use the crossings safely. I appeal to Commissioner of Police and Corporation Commissioner to look into this simple remedy to make the road safe.

Dr. B. S. Ramakrishnan,

The Surgical Clinic,

Mandaveli

Unmanned ticket counters

I am disappointed to note that despite having five counters, only two are manned — making commuters struggle hard to get tickets — at Mambalam Railway Station. On July 23, at 21-35 hours my family and I (with my heavily pregnant daughter) had to travel from Mambalam to Tambaram. In order to buy tickets to Tambaram, I lined up at the foot overbridge where the counters are situated. Only two counters were manned and the crowd was such that commuters had to stand in queue for more than an hour to buy a ticket, when the travelling time to Tambaram is only half an hour. After buying the tickets, I contacted the Station Master on duty to open the other counters to clear the rush. The Station Master immediately replied that it was lucky that at least two counters were working. I said that he, being in charge of the station, should do something to help the commuters. But he was reluctant to do so. Will the higher-ups do something about this?

M. Natarajan,

Selaiyur

Nightmare for pedestrians

Vehicular traffic on Chamiers Road, Nandanam, has increased by leaps and bounds. Schoolchildren and senior citizens, who have to cross the road near Canara Bank, have to do so with great difficulty. People going to banks and business establishment on the other side of the road, also find it an ordeal. A traffic constable needs to be posted here to render help to the public till the proposed flyover is built.

Apart from this problem, a big danger is poised by autorickshaws and two-wheelers being driven without headlights in the night. A few years ago I was a victim of hit and run accident by a two-wheeler without headlight.

Mr. M.K. Stalin, our local MLA as well as Minister for Local Administration, who is well aware of the problem should take the lead to provide the necessary relief to the public without any delay.

M.S. Jayaraman

Nandanam

Park overgrown with vegetation

Krishnamoorthy Nagar in Corporation Division No. 2 is a decent locality which is close to Vyasarpadi and MKB Nagar.

There is an unused park belonging to Corporation of Chennai at Valluvar Street. This was protected by Corporation by constructing compound wall on four sides of the park.

For the past 10 years the site was not cleaned with the result that it is now overgrown with thick vegetation and parthenium weeds.

It has become a haven for snakes now, which have now spilled on to the road, especially after dark. Residents now fear going through Jawahar Street and Valluvar Street. School children going for tuitions in evening have to be picked up by the parents when they return from tuition centre.

I request the authorities to take immediate action to clear the park of the vegetation and maintain it properly for the benefit of the residents.

Saravanan

Vysarpadi

Post office building in bad state

The Ayanavaram sub-post office building housed on more than five grounds — owned by the Department of Posts needs renovation since it has become very dilapidated and unsafe.

The Department of Posts may also think of accommodating the Superintendent of Post Offices (Chennai North) in Ayanavaram, as the sub-post office is surrounded by vacant land. It will offer an opportunity to centralise the department offices, which are functioning elsewhere. Upgrade of the sub-post office into a Head Post Office (H.P.O.) in Ayanavaram may also be considered.

K. Ramadoss

President, Exnora Innovators Club, Ayanavaram

Bus services to Tambaram

It is a common sight to see scores of people waiting at D.M.S. Bus stop to catch a bus towards Tambaram area in the evenings. Some auto/van drivers earlier used help to clear the rush by carrying passengers. Of late, such autos/vans are not coming to the commuters' rescue due to police harassment.

P. Swaminatha Krishna,

Chitlapakkam

Road work hits normal life

Mandapam Inaippu Salai, a main road at Krishna Nagar, Ullagarm, Chennai-91, was dug up either in late June 2006 for road laying and the work has not been completed. Mounds of blue metal are piled up on the middle of the road every 10 meters, the dug up surface and potholes impede free movement of traffic and pedestrians, mainly school children and elders. Replenishment of the eight water tanks in the area by lorry is not being done of late with the water tank lorry drivers cite the condition of the road as the reason. We have been without drinking water supply for the past 15 days. After repeated requests over phone and in person, one lorry load of water was supplied on July 14. The plight of the residents can be imagined.

N. Janakiraman,

Ullagaram

No action by the authorities

Korattur Housing Board Colony falling under Wards 22, 23 and 24 of Ambattur Township has been badly neglected by the authorities, despite the intervention of our MLA Mr. Ranganathan.

The road conditions are pathetic. The main road from Padi junction to the end of Central Avenue towards the dairy, is badly potholed.

Industries and unauthorized constructions are letting out sewage into the main stormwater canal on the North Avenue, leading to an unbearable stink and proliferation of mosquitoes.

Bakthavathsalam Vidyashram Road, North Avenue Road and 57th street have been heavily encroached by traders.

The so-called Korattur Bus Stand is in a pitiable condition without proper flooring; it has also been encroached upon by traders up to the railway level crossing. It takes nearly 20 minutes even for two wheelers to cross a 200 metres stretch.

All the culverts are too narrow and accident-prone. After 6.00 pm on weekdays and on Saturdays and Sundays, residents can't cross the 38th Street because of the wine shop there.

We hope that airing the problems in The Hindu will prove a wake up call to the authorities.

V. Jayapalan

Korattur

Bank without space

State Bank of India, Chinmaya Nagar branch suffers from lack of space; customers also face hardships because of the shortage of tellers. With more than 100 customers waiting at any point of time, it takes nearly an hour for any transaction. If pass books have to be updated, one has to submit on one day, and pick it up on another — again after an hour's wait. This is arduous for most customers, especially for the elderly.

When the branch is supposed to be fully computerised and and SBI is one of the country's top banks, in terms of revenue, deposits and network, one cannot understand these lapses in branches such as the one mentioned here.

The SBI authorities are requested to take stock of the situation and work towards improvement in the day-to-day functioning of the branch concerned.

V. Rajagopal,

Virugambakkam

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