The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Signal lights

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Monday, Feb 16, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Signal lights

In the late night, all signal lights in the Erode city blink either in red or yellow because of some fault. This confuses drivers, especially those new to the city, and may even lead to accidents. The signal lights should be switched off in the late night hours, thus saving electricity. Four roads junction should have reflector stones to alert drivers.

S. Siva Kumar,

Erode.

Video, audio in buses

The report that “consequent on the threat of Taliban militants, audio and video players in buses are removed in north-west Pakistan” (Jan.23) made interesting reading. One wonders whether the Tamil Nadu Government too needs such threats for it to take steps to remove audio and video equipment from buses. Almost in every government bus, audio and video are played at a high pitch making bus travel an ordeal for passengers. The Government should immediately ban playing music and screening films in buses. This will be welcomed by all travellers.

C. Bhaskaran,

Erode.

Beggar menace

Beggars are everywhere - in front of temples, schools, hotels, markets, in and around bus stands, railway stations and even in the middle of roads with heavy traffic. Both the Central and state governments should pass laws to set up beggar homes in every district and taluk headquarter to provide shelter, food, water and cloth to them. They should also be given work.

G.N.Devaraj,

Bhavanisagar.

Road to safe travel

According to Transport Commissioner S. Machendranathan at least 30 to 40 persons are killed in road accidents everyday in Tamil Nadu (Feb.5). That, I feel, is an understatement as many deaths, particularly in rural areas, go unreported. Also, if someone dies as a result of accident after a lapse of time, it is not counted as death in road accident. Be that as it may, Mr. Machendranathan has not given the number of people who survive with serious injuries. That number will run into many hundreds every day. The Commissioner has rightly said: “Self-discipline on the part of road-users is crucial for making roads safer places for everyone.” But both vehicles users and pedestrians do not observe road discipline.

V.S. Venkatavaradan,

Salem.

What logic?

One does not understand the logic behind the necessity of producing Qualification Approval Letters for the post of lecturers in colleges affiliated to Bharathiar University.

Recently, a colleague got the letter from the university in response to an application sent in June 2008. The letter was sent to the college and was handed over to the person concerned in the first week of this month. A portion of the body of the letter read like this “the candidate who has been appointed as a lecturer shall complete NET/SLET/M.Phil on or before June 2009 and proper extension shall be sought from the university if the time limit is exceeded”. Now it is only four months left for the candidate to write NET/SLET exams. Above all, the university knows that it will take a minimum of three years to complete the M. Phil programme as a part time course. The candidates are left with no option since there is no sufficient time to clear any one of the above programmes. I request the authorities concerned to provide enough time (at least three years) to make themselves suitable for the profession.

Thiagarajan,

Coimbatore.

Enforce laws

Why does the Tamil Nadu Government not enforce laws it has enacted? Here are a few of them: 1. Banning smoking in public places. 2. Ensuring seat belt for car drivers and front seat passengers in cars. 3. Making helmets compulsory for motorcycle riders. 4. Ban on use of plastic cups, bottles and carry bags. 5. Demolition of constructions on reserved sites. 6. Use of white number plates for private cars/two wheelers. 7. One side car parking on all roads. 8. Use of dazzling blue or white headlamps by cars. 9. Action against motorists disregarding signals and traffic policemen standing as mute spectators. 10. Banning use of air horns by buses/ trucks. 11. Preventing children under 18 from riding two wheelers and children without licence riding motor vehicles. 12. Eradicating child labour at workshops/construction sites. 13. Action against political parties damaging good roads to erect hoardings and not repairing the damaged areas.

S. Sunder,

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

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