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Monday, Feb 25, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

CBSE question paper

The announcement by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) chairman Ashok Ganguly about the new pattern in the question papers for the CBSE examinations has shocked all students preparing for the Board examinations. There is no circular or notification in the official website of the CBSE too. I request the board to clarify the announcement.

V. Srinivasan

Hosur.

Traffic bottleneck

After formation of the Erode district, Erode town has grown rapidly. However, infrastructure such as road and town limits has not developed to match the town’s growth. Most of the roads in the town are narrow and congested. Pannerselvam Park is one of the areas where traffic density is high. The bazar area in and around clock tower is narrow because of encroachment by shopkeepers and vendors. At the bus stop at Ghani Market buses are parked in rows creating traffic problems. If vehicles are banned in the Ghani Market and the clock tower area traffic congestion will ease to some extent.

C. Bhaskaran,

Erode.

Sathy bus stand

The condition of the bus stand in Sathyamangalam is bad indeed. Sathy Corporation does not maintain the bus stand properly. Owing to increase in private buses the bus stand does not have enough space for all buses. This leads to congestion. Moreover, toilets on the side of the bus stand are not cleaned daily. The bus stand area should be increased by reducing the number of shops in the bus stand. The bus stand and the toilets should be cleaned daily. Streetlights have to be increased around the place.

R. Ramaraj,

Sathyamangalam.

Fate of HPF

This refers to the news item ‘Govt. should extend a helping hand: HPF staff’ (Feb. 18). It is still a mystery how HPF, one of the giants among the public sector undertakings, not long ago, paled into insignificance. But it could be revived and strengthened to meet challenges from the private sector if the remaining employees take it as a challenge, placing duty above their rights. They should chalk out a convincing plan and approach those concerned with a spirit of dedication and with an eye on success at any cost.

P. U. Krishnan,

Udhagamandalam.

Customer is king

On February 4 I went to United India Insurance Company to have my mediclaim insurance policy renewed. The renewal was due on February 14. I found almost all staff members reading newspapers at 10.45 a.m. I went to a woman employee who gave the premium figure. Then I approached the cashier and got a receipt for the cheque. When I went to get the signed policy, an official told me to come on February 8. When I expressed my inability to come to the office again, he and a woman officer shouted at me. When I retaliated I got the signed policy immediately. Government/quasi government employees will do well to remember Gandhiji’s words: “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent upon us. We are dependent upon him. He is not interruption on work, he is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider to our business, he is part of it. We are not doing him any favour by servicing him, he is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do it.”

R.M. Palaniappan,

Coimbatore .

Valentine’s Day

The current trend against Valentine’s Day is unfair. Whether the culture is western or eastern is immaterial. Every Indian citizen has a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution to adopt any culture which suits his/her fancy. No one can infringe on other person’s right. Fanatics should confine their views and actions to themselves and not impose them on others.

Pratap Gokuldas,

Coimbatore .

Call taxis

This has reference to the letter S. Gopalan (‘Fleecing continues’, Feb. 18). Recently I engaged a call taxi from K.G. Hospital to my home. I was shocked to see the exorbitant meter fare of Rs. 240. The normal fare is between Rs. 160 and Rs. 170. After much bargaining, the driver settled for Rs. 220. Authorities concerned should regulate the call taxi fare too.

B. Sripada Rajan,

Coimbatore .

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Nilgiris, the ‘Queen of mountains’, with its rich flora and fauna, beautiful lakes and salubrious weather, attracts a large number of visitors during the summer.

Yet another rare attraction is the mountain railway from Mettupalayam to Ooty.

It is an engineering marvel, the only one of its kind in the world and has been included in the world heritage sites.

The State Government and the railways should work in tandem to make travel in the train more attractive. The track should be strengthened to avert soil erosion and also falling of boulders on the track. The train runs on coal and furnace oil. The possibility of electrification should be studied. Coaches in the train should be vestibuled. A pantry coach should be attached to the train.

M.R. Pillai,

Coimbatore .

Need amenities

Udumalpet busstand requires basic amenities. At least 500 to 600 passengers wait to board different buses at a time.

Shops and vendors occupy most of the space. Passengers have little space either to stand or sit. Many representations to the municipal authorities to provide plastic chairs or cement benches were of no avail.

G. Chandrasekaran,

Coimbatore.

Plastics hazards

It is good to see that the Municipal Corporation has woken up to the hazards of plastic wastes and is determined to curb the menace.

But just declaring their use illegal will not stop the public and the traders from using them (and littering the good earth) as long as they are available -- at a ridiculously low cost.

There are umpteen number of unlicensed units across the city that manufacture cheap plastics in millions and distribute them.

These have to be identified and closed down first.

Bernard Thangasamy,

Coimbatore

(Readers can mail letters to cbereaders@thehindu.co.in with phone number and address)

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