Child labour

We see children seeking alms in traffic signals and railway station and working in shops and business establishments. Either the child is an orphan or is hired as labourer. Public, who come across such children, should spare a minute and take responsibility to enquire who has hired them as labour. If this comes to practice, child labour can be checked and stopped.

R. Durga Priyadharshini,

Tirunagar

Helmet rule

A letter that appeared in these columns on the topic, helmet rule, on July 16, was unconvincing. The reader’s argument that consideration should be given to the inconvenience of carrying helmet to office, functions etc., is unreasonable. Why should one carry helmet at all? Nowadays, helmets can be locked with the vehicle. Many scooters have enough room to keep the helmet. His plea that wearing helmet may be optional is unreasonable. In other words, does he mean to say that protecting one’s life is optional?

The news appeared in The Hindu the very next day that at Nandanam, Chennai, three persons riding a motorcycle met with an accident in which the rider, who wore a helmet, escaped death with grievous injuries whereas the two women pillion riders lost their lives. Most probably, these two unfortunate women would have survived had they worn helmets.

M. Selvaraj,

Kuruvikkaran Salai

Relocate trees

Almost close to two weeks, widening of one side of 120 Feet Road in TVS Nagar is going on at a snail’s pace. There are close to a dozen well-grown trees on this side of the road. I understand that they are going to be felled for widening the road. I request the authorities concerned to relocate these trees to Corporation-designated parks in residential areas.

S. Bala,

TVS Nagar

Property tax

Further to the exorbitant hike in property tax rates in premium areas of the city, many of the property owners in our locality met the Corporation Commissioner and aired their grievance by submitting a petition. To their utmost disappointment, the recalculated half-yearly tax rates are still unjustifiably high, with a four to five-fold increase in current rates. If the local body is running short of funds, why waste resources on useless projects such as the subway near Government Rajaji Hospital and heap the burden on the innocent taxpayer?

S. Arul Murugan,

Anna Nagar