The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Use helmet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 09, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Use helmet

I have worked as a casualty medical officer and an emergency ward medical officer for about 20 years. I have also worked in the forensic medicine department for 10 years and conducted about 1,000 post-mortem examinations. Many patients with head injuries could be saved as they had used helmets. But quite a large number of patients who did not use helmets died of head injuries. I request that all two-wheeler riders, including pillion riders, wear helmet for their own safety.

B.R. Ramasubramanian,

Salem.

Tourism spots

The report ‘Showcasing Tirupur tourism spots’ (Oct. 22) was timely. In the proposed handbook of information on tourist spots under the sub-head ‘Temples’, the photo image of Arulmigu Prasanna Vinayagar of Prasanna Vinayagar temple of Udumalpet should also be included. The Vinayagar idol is well-known for its sculptural excellence and majestic appearance. After the Puliakulam Vinayagar idol this is the second tallest Vinayagar idol in the erstwhile Coimbatore district. Moreover, the temple itself is a standing example of communion of Saiva and Vaishnava theological expositions attracting a large number of adherents to both the faiths during Pradosam and Ekadasi festivals.

S. Boominathan,

Udumalpet

Tea trade

Only large-scale traders benefit from the discount/subsidy scheme on the bulk purchase of tea from the tea e-auction centre. The Special Tea Fund does not reach small growers directly. The Commerce Ministry should find a solution to this. Tea Board should meet regularly during the peak season and redress grievances of small growers. The Board should check tea adulteration. A special squad should be formed to arrest culprits who indulge in adulteration.

B. Bellukutty,

The Nilgiris.

Communication towers

Mobile phone service providers set up communication towers at prominent places, even on dilapidated buildings, near educational institutions and residential areas. These towers pose health hazards because they emit electromagnetic radiation. Emission of constant electromagnetic radiation from the towers could lead to cancer and also cause neurological, cardiac, respiratory and ophthalmological disorders. People living near telecommunication towers are more prone to diseases. Unfortunately, in India, it seems, there are no specific government guidelines on the placement of communication towers. It is the government’s duty and responsibility to protect people from the dangers posed by the mushrooming transmission towers all over the country. It should frame laws to ensure that all communication towers are removed from residential areas and placed where they don’t cause health hazards.

Jerry Joseph,

Coimbatore.

TNHB houses

This refers to the report on Tamil Nadu Government constructing quarters for the police. Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) has constructed houses and allotted them to the poor. But even after living in those houses for 15 years, the occupants can’t own them because though they have paid the land price in instalments, the Board now asks them to pay the land price with interest, penal interest and interest accrued on capital. The interest accrued is owing to the government’s negligence and delay in issuance of sale deeds. The buildings constructed by the Board are in a pathetic condition. Some time ago one of them at Ukkadam had collapsed killing many people. People in Singanallur are afraid of living in the Board houses as the ceiling will fall any moment.

Even though the government is ready to give sale deeds to the residents there, they want to vacate the houses. I request the government to arrange to repair these buildings before it constructs new ones.

Suresh. R,

Coimbatore.

Trapeze act

We heaved a sigh of relief when the side middle berths in railway coaches were dispensed with. But our joy was short-lived. These berths have now taken a new avatar in the form of an extra cushion for the side-upper berths. This padding has given rise to many problems. The roof of the coach is so low at this section that occupants have to virtually crouch – their body having to go through a series of contortions and convolutions before they can stretch which does a gymnast proud. Gaining access to the berth calls for hazardous climbing followed by deft balancing skills of a trapeze artiste. Climbing down is equally challenging and arduous. The strong and the sturdy may welcome this challenge but not people advanced in age who sometimes get these berths allotted. For them it is a nightmare! Can status quo be restored as it obtained prior to introduction of these “middle berths”? The Railways must act here and now.

R. Narayanan,

Coimbatore.

Railway time table

Since July 2007/June 2008 issue the southern zone railway time table has not been available to the public. When I enquired with the Coimbatore Junction officials they said they received only 100 copies which got exhausted immediately. Will the authorities make sufficient number of copies available – may be 2,000 – to the public immediately?

A. Krishnan,

Coimbatore.

‘Cheat’ fund firms

In the nineties there was a mushroom growth of financial institutions in Chennai and other cities promising monthly payment of interest at 24 to 36 per cent per annum on deposits made. They also had attractive gifts at the time of opening deposit accounts. Enticed by these, many people, especially those retired from government service, with good cash in hand made a beeline to these companies and deposited money little expecting that they would come to grief soon. All these companies collapsed like nine pins within a few years.

Cases were filed in courts and the official liquidator took over them. The depositors are still unable to get 50 per cent of refunds. Even after all these frauds people still deposit money in new companies.

A recent example is the defrauding of over Rs. 500 crore by a Tirupur company which is now closed. The government is also responsible for this state of affairs by not taking suitable control measures and remaining a silent spectator to depositors’ sufferings.

M.R. Pillai,

Coimbatore.

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

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu