Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Reporter's Diary

The Federation of the Tamil Nadu People's Movements celebrated the National Science Day with a plea to both the Centre and the State government to convert the house where the Nobel laureate, Sir Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman, popularly known as C.V. Raman, resided in Thiruvanaikovil in Tiruchi. In 1930, C.V. Raman was the first `non-white,' Asian and Indian to receive the Nobel in physics for his work on scattering of light and discovery of the Raman effect. Sir C.V. Raman during his school days resided at Thiruvanaikovil. The Federation has pleaded with the President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, to take the initiative in this regard.

The `point-to-point' bus service being operated by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation in the Tiruchi-Thanjavur sector has achieved popularity among the travelling public of both the districts. The service was introduced a few years ago and the corporation operated this service, without a conductor, five times a day between the two destinations. Following its success, the commuters have been demanding the introduction of similar services to other destinations such as Pudukottai, Karur, Perambalur and Ariyalur from Tiruchi. However, of late, the lethargic attitude of the transport corporation in operating this service has come as a dampener. For, unlike in the past, at present the buses are not operated to their time schedule. "The TNSTC should take effective steps to operate this service in time", says S. Vijayakumar, employed in a private firm in Tiruchi and a regular commuter from Thanjavur to Tiruchi.

The annual budget presentationss of the Tiruchi Corporation have become an exercise in replication over the past few years. Some of the development proposals have been repeatedly featured in the budgets over the past five years but are yet to reach the implementation stage. The budget for 2007-08 is no different. The working women's hostel, theme park, Anna Nagar Link Road, `zero garbage' programme and expansion of the central bus stand are some of the proposals that have been carried over from the previous budgets. A few pre-budget announcements such as the extension of the underground drainage scheme, implementation of a new drinking water supply scheme and construction of a couple of bridges have also been included. Mayor Sarubala R.Tondaiman and Commissioner B. Balachandran, however, justify the repetitions stating that the Corporation had to depend largely on government schemes and funds for executing development works. Considerable time is taken in getting administrative sanction and other clearances for the projects, they say.

The Corporation seems to have given a silent burial to some of the other major projects that were announced and included in the budgets of yesteryears. Construction of commercial complexes at Yanaikulam and Chathiram and shifting of the wholesale section of the Gandhi Market are among the stillborns of the civic body.

Participants at a two-day national seminar on `Bioinformatics' organised by the Department of Bioinformatics School of Life Sciences of Bharathidasan University last week were in for a surprise when the Vice- Chancellor, C. Thangamuthu, sanctioned on the spot at least Rs. 5 lakh to the Department for the purchase of additional equipment.

Almost throughout his address, Prof. Thangamuthu underlined the need for the use of advanced equipment by the Bioinformatics Department. He also traced the hard efforts taken by the university to supply the equipment for ensuring quality of education and even thanked a few faculty members from Madurai who coordinated for founding of the Department a couple of years ago.

"A surprise sanctioning of funds by the University Grants Commission to the university will be diverted to Bioinformatics Department," he said.

Prof. Thangamuthu expressed his displeasure over a few self-financing colleges offering courses on Bioinformatics, without the requisite software, particularly the `Seq Lab' and `Seq Web.' "How can you teach swimming without water?" he asked.

Courteous attitude towards the aggrieved public approaching the police station is the advice police higher ups in Tiruchi have given to their field- level personnel, to earn goodwill. The message was reiterated during a stress management and personality development programme organised exclusively for the city police personnel recently.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), A. Kaliyamoorthy, while driving home this point, advised the police personnel to treat the aggrieved public approaching the police stations in the same way when one of their family members or dear ones approach the station with a grievance.

By adopting a courteous attitude, you would not only win their goodwill but also earn great respect from the public, he said.

So you thought it is the competition that matters rather than the place of occurrence? Think again. The recent painting competition conducted at the Government Museum was certainly a learning experience for the school children. Right after the prize distribution function, which was presided over by the District Collector, the kids grouped themselves to have a look at the exhibits. With eyes widening with curiosity, the kids grasped every minute details about the exhibits at the museum. Explaining to them enthusiastically was the curator of the museum, P. Rajmohan. The hotspot at the museum was the architecture. One could hear `Wows' and `fab' all through the function.

Contributions from Syed Muthahar Saqaf,
S. Ganesan
M. Balaganessin,
R. Rajaram and
S. Aishwarya

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Select right subject, civil service aspirants told
A chance to compete with better players
Learn yoga to manage stress
Tips to civil service aspirants
Contest evokes overwhelming response from students
Trade body for gem park in Tiruchi
Plea to restore train service
An event to improve relationship
Extend train service from Pudukottai to Fort station, says consumer forum
Course for pharmacists
Around The City
In Tiruchi Today
Reporter's Diary

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu