The 162nd Thyagaraja Aradhana festival at Thiruvaiyaru commences on January 11.

A large number of music lovers are expected at Thiruvaiyaru during the festival season. Usually the Aradhana Committee arranges food for vidwans, donors and VIPs at the Kalyanamandapam. However, common people are not allowed to take food there.

They have to walk for nearly a kilometre to find a hotel, thereby missing good music programmes. During the December music season, Chennai music sabhas put up temporary canteens in the premises and supply a variety of food for the visitors.

The Aradhana Committee should also do so. It should set up a special canteen or supply food at the Kalyanamandapam itself on payment. This will enable the visitors to enjoy the programme without any hindrance.

Radha Bhaskaran,

Erode.

I refer to the news item ‘Ooty lake to get a park this summer’ (Dec. 25).

Ooty has become as noisy and crowded as any other town and is in the grip of a construction boom which has turned this hill station into a concrete jungle.

Seen against this background the lake park which is coming up in Ooty is a boon...a place where one can spend a couple of hours free from the din and bustle of the town.

One hopes this park will be free from those noisy toy items.

P.U. Krishnan,

Udhagamandalam.

This refers to Rohini V. Nath’s letter ‘Dumping yard’ (Dec. 8).

Ms. Nath has done well in bringing the problem of dumping animal wastes to public gaze. I too have seen the wastes on the stretch of Thondamuthur Road, beyond Curio Garden. The stench emanating from the yard is beyond the endurance limits of human beings. Undoubtedly, it is a grave health hazard.

I wonder how residents in that area have been tolerating it.

The situation warrants immediate remedial measures.

K.D. Viswanaathan,

Coimbatore

In December I got a notice from the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation asking me to pay property tax for 2008-2009 (second half) which is due in March 2009. The notice said if I did not pay the tax within a week of the date of the notice my water connection would be cut.

I have paid tax for the first half in April 2008 itself. How can the Corporation issue me notice asking me to pay the tax in December 2008 for the half which is due in March 2009?

The Corporation should bring defaulters who have not paid tax for years to book instead of harassing honest citizens.

Moreover, any notice should be served only after the due date and not three months before the due date?

C.R. Sadasivam,

Coimbatore

Railway users of Coimbatore hope that the ongoing Southern Railway projects will progress without hitches. The year just passed saw hectic activities such as undertaking of yard remodelling in Coimbatore junction to facilitate easy entry of more trains into and exit from Coimbatore junction and also doubling of Podanur-Coimbatore junction (by gauge conversi-on) and Irugur-Coimbatore north doubling works which are nearing completion. The only work that is completed is that of the sixth broad gauge platform. People of Coimbatore hope the Southern Railway will complete the ongoing projects in Coimbatore soon to facilitate easy movement of all trains through this junction.

Ravi. S,

Coimbatore.

Introduction of low berth luxury buses in Coimbatore is a boon to its citizens. Office-goers and the aged prefer to travel in these buses as seats in them are comfortably designed with plenty of leg space. Even those who stand feel comfortable. During peak hours pass-holding students board these buses in groups and occupy most of the seats. Other passengers who pay a higher fare (three times the normal fare plus Re. 1) do not get seats and they are made to stand. I suggest that the pass-holding students be allowed to travel only in ordinary buses and not in the luxury ones.

M.V. Namby,

Coimbatore.

Years ago when theatre owners, film producers and distributors requested the government to tackle video piracy the government protected the interests of the service providers. Of late, in Chennai and Coimbatore filmgoers get a raw deal. Tickets which used to be sold at Rs. 25 or Rs. 35 are now sold at about Rs. 100. Airconditioning in theatres seldom works and toilets there are unclean. Eateries sold in the theatres are not hygienic.

Canteen contractors sell snacks at high rates. It is the filmgoers who sustain theatre owners, distributors and film producers. It is time the government protected the common man by constituting a committee to supervise the functioning of the theatres.

C.M. Jeyaraam,

Secretary, Citizens Voice Club, Coimbatore.

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

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