Tamil Nadu   

Maintain streetlights

Street light maintenance in Saibaba Mission area leaves much to be desired. Many stretches of Thadagam, Bharathi Park and Alagesan main roads and many cross roads in this locality remain plunged in pitch darkness. Patch works carried out after provision of underground drainage connections and repairs to water supply mains have left numerous potholes and protrusions on roads. Roadside trees with low branches, especially near Pillayar Temple on Bharathi Park, 8th cross road, which virtually hit heads of the passers-by, pose a potential threat. Packs of stray dogs and orphaned horses add to the woes of walkers in the area.

K.D. Viswanaathan,

Coimbatore.

It is indeed sad to see many innocent lives killed in frequent road accidents. Authorities have not done anything to check accidents. Speed of vehicles and eye sight of truck drivers should be monitored continuosly. Lack of sleep for the driver also results in accidents. Speed breakers should be installed at accident-prone zones on Thadagam Road, Mettupalayam Road, Avinashi Road and Trichy Road .

V. Douglas Kirpa Raja,

Coimbatore.

I had booked on February 17 three tickets to Tirunelveli in III tier air-conditioned coach in Nagercoil Express from Coimbatore for March 20. The tickets were booked through the IRCTC website where I have my user account. The tickets’ PNR number was 4261325662. Later I cancelled one ticket and got refund. On March 20 owing to heavy rain and derailment the train was cancelled. I applied for cancellation of the remaining two tickets. As the site was not available, I was asked to contact the Delhi office of IRCTC. The Delhi office asked me to send an e-mail to etickets@irctc.co.in for cancellation. I have so far not received any replies to a number of mails I sent to IRCTC nor have I got the amount (Rs. 1,000) back.

R.M. Subrahmanian,

Coimbatore.

It is shocking that three boys aged between 13 and 15 were handcuffed, beaten and given electric shock in police custody (May 2 and 3). This is illegal, barbaric and a high-handed action on the part of the police. National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should take up the case for inquiry. The police cannot arbitrarily inflict torture on suspects before the case is tried in a court of law and judgment is delivered. The police exceeding their limits should be suitably dealt with.

S. Venkatachalam,

Coimbatore.

LPG refills are dumped at a central location for local distribution by the delivery staff. Filled cylinders are thrown from a height on the roadside giving pressure on the cylinder. This might cause explosion. Some rubber material like used tyres should be used which will give a cushioning effect to the cylinders and reduce the impact.

B.R. Shetty,

Coimbatore.

Tamil Nadu Government’s policy of ranking only those candidates appearing for Plus 2 examinations who have taken Tamil as their language and discarding others is irrational and unfair. Every year one observes many candidates who have opted for languages other than Tamil securing more aggregate marks than the one who is ranked state first under the present system and deprived of the honour due to them. Is such an invidious distinction desirable? Our state has a sizable population of people speaking Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi etc. So the students from such families opt for their mother tongue and some prefer foreign languages like French and German.

It is wrong to think that those who opt for other languages do so because they can get higher marks. Statistics of results prove that no such advantage has been derived by them. So the present system of ranking militates against natural justice. The State Government will do well to cancel the existing system and allow all candidates to be ranked irrespective of their choices of language and other disciplines.

M.R. Pillai,

Coimbatore.

This refers to the report on the demolition of the dividing wall (May 7) at Uthapuram in Madurai district. The Hindu was the first to report on the electrification of the wall, the Chief Minister had acted as Periyar and the District Collector Jawahar as Jawaharlal Nehru. In fact, the place has been converted as Uthamapuram instead of Uthapuram as the Chief Minister has said.

A. Vellingiri,

Coimbatore.

The State Government has done well in demolishing the wall at Uthapuram which separated people physically. But what about the psychological wall of separation? We all share a common human consciousness and there should be no wall between humans.

N. Ramachandhiran,

R.S. Puram.

D.B. Road and R.S. Puram are rapidly growing commercial hubs. As the roads are broad with shady trees, people prefer to go there for shopping. There are good hotels in the area and people go there for lunch and dinner. Since SBOA School has a branch on D.B. Road, when classes are over in the evening at 4 p.m. there is heavy traffic congestion. Right from the junction of Mill Road up to Cowly Brown Road vehicles are parked on either side of the roads from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. As the traffic flow and movement of pedestrians are heavy on D.B. Road, parking of four wheelers on D.B. Road should be banned as was done on Oppanakkara Street and Cross Cut Road. Four wheelers should be parked at the burial ground and the school ground located abetting the Housing Board quarters near Cowly Brown Road. This will ease traffic congestion. Police and the Corporation officials should make necessary arrangements for the smooth flow of traffic at R.S. Puram area.

M.V. Namby,

Coimbatore.

There is a drill movement in the armed forces called ‘Kadam tal’. This means marching on the spot without moving forward. Our civic authorities seem to be quite fascinated with this quaint military practice by trying to do a lot but getting nowhere. Where do we start – the red and green garbage bins? The much-touted sewer lines or maybe even the cutting of a thousand trees (for bigger traffic snarls?). Perhaps we need to include the latest ban on plastics also, no doubt all very laudable plans (except cutting down ancient trees) but they do not take Kovai forward per se. Surely the priorities should have been better power and water supply, better roads and traffic discipline, better municipal schools, medical facilities or parks and playfields for children. Personally, I do not think the time, energy and money expended on current ventures will put Kovai on the fast track if we ignore the more pertinent issues. And if we do, then five years from now we will still be doing ‘Kadam tal’!

M. Vania,

Coimbatore.

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

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