The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Children’s health

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Monday, Aug 04, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Children’s health - Reader's Mail

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has introduced banana as an additional food in the nutrition meal provided to school children. The advantages of banana are aplenty.

However, I observe that children in the age group of one to 10 suffer from worm manifestation. Whatever nutritious food they consume is either wasted or go indigested because of the worms. The Government should take steps to ‘deworm’ children.

G. Syamala,

Salem.

Railway information

In the Salem Junction railway station on platforms 1 and 2 there was an information counter. Because of the renovation of the ticket booking hall this was shifted to the G.F. concourse. Passengers on platforms 1 and 2 have now to run through the subway to get the required information and see the reservation charts.

At least a skeleton information facility should be provided at the previous place adjoining the vegetarian restaurant.

G. Abdul Haseeb,

Salem.

Rail project

The Salem-Karur railway line project is expected to be completed by March 2010. Since the project has been going on for 10 years, I request Minister of State for Railways R. Velu to start electrification simultaneously from Salem to Karur and extend it up to Trichy.

The Kumbakonam-Namakkal via Ariyalur railway project, pending for more than four years, should be executed at the earliest. The project had been approved by the Lok Sabha in 2003.

A. Natarajan,

Namakkal.

Daylight robbery

Some self-styled education counsellors, in the name of guiding and counselling, take hefty amounts from students. The counsellors merely provide data of courses offered and where it is taught etc. (This is already being done by The Hindu since many years). Another racket is in the name of soft skills training a huge amount is collected from students in collusion with the college concerned. This is daylight robbery.

R. Nagarajan,

Salem.

Temple bell

Of late, temple bell ringing is done through electric power. Traditionally, temple bells are rung manually as it is considered more religious. Piety will be lost if they are operated by electricity. .

M.S. Sankaran,

Palani.

Recycling plastics

Environment and Cultural Service Trust is doing a laudable job in recycling plastics. Because of heavy tourist flow throughout the year, the entire district faces plastic menace.

I request the authorities concerned to take necessary action to set up a plastic recycling unit in this district.

B. Bellukutty,

The Nilgiris.

LIC office queues

One sees long queues at LIC office counters. The queues move at a slow pace because the LIC agents stand in the queue with premium payment slips in bulk. The counter clerk takes 10 to 15 minutes to count cash and prepare receipts for the agents’ clients. Others who come to remit their own premium amount are made to wait. LIC branch managers should fix a particular day only for the agents.

R. Ragavan,

Coimbatore.

PDS irregularities

Recently Coimbatore District Collector V. Palanikumar exhorted people to file complaints about any irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS). Mr. Palanikumar said action would be taken against erring persons. He further said the public had the right to demand items from the PDS outlets. PDS employees are generally discourteous and hostile to the public. Authorities should sensitise every employee of the PDS outlets to the need to be polite to customers. The prime irregularity in the PDS shops is underweighing of items. The government should be blamed for this as all PDS outlets throughout the state are provided with obsolete weighing scales viz. ‘tharasu’. The person who measures the ration items without waiting for the balancing needle to stop at the appropriate level briskly pulls down with fingers the plate that contains the items and pours them into the bag of the buyer. What happens to the stock manipulated by this process is a moot question. To arrest malpractices the authorities should periodically visit the PDS outlets incognito and take stringent action against corrupt employees.

M.V. Namby,

Coimbatore.

Ageing problem

Dr. P.C. Raju’s views will infuse a sense of confidence and courage in the minds of senior citizens (‘Personality of the week’, June 30). Post-retirement years could be more productive. Since there is enormous time available on retirement to pursue a hobby of one’s choice, life ought to be much more active than during active service. It is vital for elderly people to keep their mind and body occupied to ward off neurological disorders. Besides physical exercises, they should engage in mind exercises too. For, age is not just a number, it is a physical reality. So long as one leads a life of utility and sanctity, one need not have apprehensions of ageing.

B. Sripada Rajan,

Coimbatore.

Bananas for noon meal

It is a thoughtful move to give bananas to to vegetarian school children in place of eggs in the nutritious noon meal scheme on the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj and Education Development Day. It was Gandhiji’s view that vegetables contain everything a human being needs for healthy living. Their smiles are back.

S. Venkatachalam,

Coimbatore.

Solace to students

I welcome the High Court’s ruling that educational institutions cannot hold back certificates of students for non-payment of fees. College managements should not also keep with them original certificates of lecturers and professors. Teachers often shift jobs when they get a higher salary. But the managements harass them by refusing to give their original certificates when they want to leave and demand three months’ salary. And when the teachers pay the amount the managements do not give proper receipts. If the managements do not want to lose good lecturers and professors they should increase their salary. The High Court should give solace to teachers too .

J.P. Jacob,

Coimbatore.

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

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