The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : School toilets

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Monday, Dec 29, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

School toilets

While I appreciate the Health Minister’s initiatives on health and safety of citizens, I would like to bring to the minister’s notice lack of hygiene in toilets in most government and private management schools. This causes urinary infection in school children. I find that toilets in most schools in and around Salem are not hygienic. I request the health department to take remedial measures.

V. Srinivasan,

Hosur.

Employment exchange

An Employment Exchange in Chennai is exclusively for professional graduates and post-graduates. Tamil Nadu Government had set up three University Employment Information Bureaux in Chennai, Madurai and Annamalainagar long ago to cater to candidates from Madras, Madurai and Annamalai Universities. Later the bureaux were closed. Now only two employment exchanges are functioning – in Chennai and Madurai. But these offices cannot cater to more than one lakh passing out of government and about 1,000 private self-financed institutions affiliated to 36 universities (including 15 private) in Tamil Nadu. There has been an abnormal delay in receiving registration identity cards. Further, enquiries either in person or over phone are not responded properly because of staff shortage and heavy workload in these offices. The Government should open at least four more offices in Coimbatore, Trichy, Salem and Tirunelveli and connect them by internet so that unemployed professionals can contact these offices with ease.

G.N. Devaraj,

Bhavanisagar.

Professional dignity

Lawyer’s profession is a noble profession. Professional ethics and Bar Council rules prohibit lawyers from any form of canvassing, including advertising about their profession. But more often than not the rules are violated by most. Whenever a lawyer is appointed a Notary Public or to any such posts, an advertisement with the photograph of the lawyer concerned is released by his “well wishers” and clients “wishing him all success”. This is nothing but a blatant and indirect form of canvassing. The Bar Council should view this seriously and take steps to stop this.

C. Bhaskaran,

Erode.

Tea industry

Minister of State for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh said the Centre would announce a stimulus package to the tea industry. This is a welcome step. The package will put an end to the longstanding crisis faced by the tea industry and the planters. The reduction of four per cent in the Cenvat rate for most products will stimulate demand. Export incentive will be increased. The Centre has in principle agreed to share 50 per cent of the social infrastructure cost of the plantation industry. Mr. Ramesh said the social infrastructure cost of the tea industry for the next five years was estimated to be Rs. 28 crore. The Centre would bear 50 per cent of the cost and the remaining would be borne by the industry. The Minister said manual auction system would come to an end by January 25, 2009 and all auction centres would be covered by electronic system. E-auction would ensure fair price to the planters and transparency, he said.

B. Bellukutty,

The Nilgiris.

Train hassles

After a fortnight’s renovation work at Coimbatore railway junction one expected better functioning and amenities. But on December 13 Mayiladuthurai-Coimbatore Jan Shatabdi Express reached Sulur at 8.50 p.m. according to the schedule but the train did not reach Coimbatore Junction even at 11 p.m. I picked up my sister at 11 p.m. near old Brooke Bond building. Only a few aged people and those who could not climb down remained in the train. If the train was running late the staff could have justified the stoppage which lasted nearly two hours. This was because of mismanagement by the duty staff. The railways should ensure that this is not repeated.

N.K. Thillai Rajan,

Coimbatore.

Humane force

I would like to share a pleasant experience I had at the B-5 (Rathinapuri) police station of Coimbatore. The prevailing image of the police is that of a “corrupt, rude and inhuman” force. But my experience has given the lie to this notion about the police who, in fact, work under tremendous pressure. A couple of days ago I received a request on phone from the above police station to visit it with documents for verification for renewal of passports. When I went to the station the next day, I was received at the entrance itself and offered a seat. Writer G. Nagaraj and sub-inspector K. Angamuthu were very courteous and went about their job of verification of documents meticulously and expeditiously and completed the entire exercise quickly. While this was going on, I also saw the humane side of the police while they were dealing with persons summoned to the station for various purposes. Obviously, the subordinate police staff have been trained well in the art of human relations too.

K.G. Ramakrishnan,

Coimbatore.

Speed breakers

Almost all roads, including those in small layouts, have speed breakers and most of them are without any specification. In a 2.5-km stretch from my residence in Periyar Nagar to Race Course there are 15 speed breakers. Most of them are in front of the defence and government offices where there is no much traffic or movement of people. The speed breakers are of different shapes and sizes. Even though they help avert accidents, they have some disadvantages. Buses running on these roads do not slow down when they approach speed breakers resulting in passengers being thrown from seats. Moreover, valuable time is wasted because of the speed breakers. Speed breakers should be set up only in front of schools and hospitals. They should be only on cut roads which join main roads and not on the main roads. The number, the size and the shape of the speed breakers should be specified.

K. Sukumaran,

Coimbatore.

Laughter as medicine

The piece on Dr. G. Lakshmipathi, ‘Doctor of Laughter’, made interesting reading (‘Personality of the week’, Dec. 15). Laughter is a good therapy which helps one relieve stress and strain. Laughter is an internal language unique to the mankind and it is also an instant vacation. Laughter therapy exercises at early morning yoga session will enable one to remain hale and healthy.

B. Sripada Rajan,

Coimbatore.

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

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