Tamil Nadu   

‘Kadam tal’

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 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 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 trees) but they do not take Kovai forward per se. Surely the priorities should have been better power and water supply, 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 pertinent issues. If we do, then five years from now we will still be doing ‘Kadam tal’!

M. Vania,

Post Sowripalayam.

Despondency and helplessness are writ large on the faces of the immigrant workers whose photo appeared in The Hindu (May 7, Page 10). Their plight is pathetic. “If there is a single person without food, let us destroy the world,” thundered poet Subramania Bharati (Thani oruvarukku vunavillaiyenil, jagathinai azhithiduvom). But this is still a distant dream. The feasibility of supplying such indigent workers with temporary family cards can be considered to help them draw rations from the PDS.

S. Venkatachalam,

Kavundampalayam.

A few days ago I took an auto from Eye Foundation hospital, R.S. Puram, to my house at Vadavalli. The auto driver demanded Rs. 130 for a 6-km distance. I asked him to take the fare they wanted the Government to fix i.e. minimum Rs. 20 and Rs. 10 per km which comes to Rs. 60. He said the fare was not acceptable. Finally, I had to pay him Rs. 100 for a distance of 6 km. The automen themselves had fixed Rs. 20 per km. Their demand is unfair. The Government should act tough and enforce a legitimate fare.

Babu,

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

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