sign in sign up
<<
Home , Alandur metro station, Mangal Lake (Chennai), Marina Beach, Poondi reservoir, Triumph of Labour, Velachery Lake

Edition 7 Page 1_Layout 1 10-03-2020 10:12 Page 1

Volume No 20 Issue No 7 March 09, 2020 LAB JOURNAL OF THE ASIAN COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM Protestors want Share autos do museum written promise not have permits not maintained Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 City to get water from new reservoir HC reprieve for KEERTHI KRISHNA Piles of sand and cement on the road, half-constructed embank - ments and a half-filled water body. This is the site of Thervoy NEILw CORNaELIUS terwere shcut dowan were bnuilt bef ore uknown why exiactlyt we as re on strike. Kandigai reservoir near Thiruval - the laws were even formed. They I know that they have shut down lur. Expected to be completed by The seven-day strike by the Grea - are telling us now that the distance some water plants but I’m not sure the end of April, the reservoir that ter Packaged Drin - between the borewells is too less. of the details. Me and all the other has been formed by linking two king Water Manufacturer’s How will we change that? It will dealers are on strike because our lakes Thervoy Kandigai and Kan - Association (GTNPDWMA) has ruin us,” he said. association (GTNPDWMA) said nankottai will be used to supply been withdrawn after the Madras Velu said that the strike was to so.” water to . High Court issued an order revo - ensure the survival of packaged Babu said that we were only on Work on the reservoir has been Thervoy Kandigai Reservoir | KEERTHI KRISHNA king the closing down of the 552 water manufacturers throughout the strike for the first two days (Satur - delayed multiple times. According manufacturing units that did not state. day and Sunday) and on Tuesday. to Babu S, an assistant engineer at site office, said: “Thervoy Kandigai capacity of 11257 million cubic Supply and Sewerage Board, the have a no-objection certificate. Ravi.S, a departmental store “We can’t afford to indefinitely the site, problems in acquiring land reservoir will receive water from feet and the 5th reservoir is four reservoirs had 6140 mc ft of The High Court has now said owner who has been selling water shut down our business. We have for the reservoir was the reason for the Krishna Basin and rains.” expected to add another 1500 mcft water as of March 4, 2020. This is that these units would be re-eva - cans for the past 15 years said “It is families to look after,” Babu said. the delay. According to the Water Resources After the South West Monsoon around 54 per cent of their total luated keeping in mind that these a good thing that the strike was Other dealers sold water discre - People at the Thervoy Kandigai Department, the reservoir will (2019) brought 30 per cent surplus capacity. On the same day last year, plants had built permanent structu - withdrawn. Had it continued for a tely to the public in limited quanti - village said, the piles of sand and supply 65 million litres of water to rain, the North East Monsoon came the reservoirs had 1038 mc ft of res before the laws were put in couple more days, the entire city ties due to the fear of losing their cement on the road were hindering the city. Kousthala from the WRD with 17 per cent deficit rainfall. water, which is around 9 per cent of place and license will be issued for would have been in a huge crisis customers. J. Isaiki who works at traffic. Marimuthu, a senior citizen said that the reservoir would have The summer of 2019 was one of its total capacity. these units within 15 days upon de - since most of the population of Culture Aqua, a Water can dealers - said, “We are unable to walk on have a capacity of approximately the driest periods in Chennai’s The Thervoy Kandigai reservoir posit of Rs. 50,000. Chennai uses these water cans hip in said “We used to certain stretches because of the 1500 million cubic feet(mc ft). She history and most parts of the city project was launched by the then R. Velu, a member of the every day for their daily consump - let out a few cans everyday just for cement dust which makes it added that water from the reservoir experienced water scarcity. The Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in GTNPDWMA said that most of the tion. our regular customers if we do not difficult to breathe.” would go through pipelines to the moderate rainfall in 2019 has not September 2013. Land acquisition industries that were sealed were all Many water can dealers did not do that they will get it from so - Upon its completion, the . improved the condition according problems caused a lot of delay with constructed before the new laws on fully understand the nuances of the meone else and lose all of our reservoir will be Chennai’s fifth The four reservoirs that feed the to an official from the WRD. more than half of the Rs 380 crores water extraction had been imple - strike. Babu.C, a water can dealer clients. In this business you cannot reservoir. city:Poondi,,Chembarambak According to statistics from the allocated to this project as mented. “Most of the units that from said “I don’t survive without regular customers.” Manoj S, an accountant at the kam, and have a total Chennai Metropolitan Water compensation to the landowners.

More homeless shelters needed Platform ticket price hiked KMC isolation ward shut KRITHI KANNAN KRATI PURWAR Suspected coronavirus patients sent to other hospitals

The 37 shelters of the Greater Residents of Chennai are unhappy MAHERA DUTTA and Research, by the state Chennai were being redirected to Chennai Corporation are inade - with the Southern Railways repor - Health Minister C Vijayabaskar in the city’s major government quate to house the city’s homeless. ted decision to increase the price A senior medical officer has reas - February. hospitals after a six- bed isolation The shelters serve 1880 people of platform tickets to Rs 15 from sured people that the likelihood of Thirunavukkarasu said that the ward at KMC was shut down.. according to a report in . Rs 10. able-bodied persons being infec - State Government has pushed all The ward was set up in January However a survey conducted by the “Why should I pay extra money ted by Coronavirus is minimal. major government hospitals to have this year to screen patients showing corporation in 2018 identified 9000 only to visit the platform? It will af - Dr. Thirunavukkarasu, Resident access to all equipment and symptoms of the illness. homeless people in the city. fect the poor like me,” said Ra - Medical Officer at the Rajiv medicines needed. Dr. Vignesh, Medical Officer “Many of us are not accounted mana, an old man in his late 60s, Gandhi Government General “Earlier, we needed to dispatch said: “There have not been many for as we do not have Aadhaar about the decision of platform tic - Chennai Central station |GOOGLE Hospital, said messages and videos specimens to the National Institute patients complaining of cards or any means of identifica - ket price hike of Rs 5 at the Purat - being shared on WhatsApp and of Virology, Pune, for diagnosis. Coronavirus symptoms these past tion. We are also often harassed by chi Thalaivar Dr. MGR Central years,” he said adding, “this is only crease the fare. various social media platforms The results would only be available few weeks. If we come across cops who lathi charge us if there is Station, here. on a trial basis and afterwards, ana - Murugan said that the Indian were making the public concerned. in 48 hours. Now, we are equipped patients who may be facing a threat any commotion in the area,” says According to a recent report of lysis will be done to see if it can be Railways had the largest land ac - “I have received many anxious with technology which can help in of the virus we will send them to Kamala who stays on the sidewalks The Hindu, Business Line, the implemented permanently at other quisition compared to other depart - phone calls, especially from people early detection,” he said. Rajiv Gandhi (Government of the in Chennai. Southern Railways has decided to stations as well.” ments, therefore, commercialising who have travelled internationally The RMO said: “Our staff has been Hospital) or Tamil Nadu Loganathan, a policeman at the implement the price hike between Lakshmi Sivamani, a housewife, everything would help in bringing in the recent past. It is important for sensitized on how to protect Government Multi Spe-cialty Marina beach police booth, said April and June 2020 in order to de - said, it was not fair, even for the money which could be used for the people to know that the likelihood themselves from the illness too. Hospital.” “The homeless people often litter congest the station. middle class. “What if more than development. of able-bodied people contracting They have been told to wear masks Travellers arriving in the city the pavements, get into drunken However M. Murugan, Station one person from a family comes to On an average, at least 20,000 the disease is minimal,” he said. and wash their hands repeatedly.” from Coronavirus-hit countries brawls and fights, forcing the police Manager at the Central Station, said receive or send off a relative?” she platform tickets are sold at the Cen - As many as 800 people are under The Infectious Disease ward in were brought to KMC’s isolation to intervene.” that the price hike had nothing to added. tral station, said Mr. Murugan. observation for Coronavirus in the hospital had been fitted with all ward for screening, he said. A representative of the Govern - do with decongesting the platforms S. S. Bhadauria, a software de - The price hike would bring at homes and hospitals across Tamil the equipment and infrastructure A total of four cases have been ment shelter at Austin Nagar said or regulating of the traffic. It was veloper from Madhya Pradesh said, least Rs 1 lakh profit a day, nearly Nadu. required to treat infected patients. reported in Tamil Nadu. They have the aim was to ensure that the ho - being considered to make profit. people came to the station for just Rs 30 lakh profit a month, and A testing facility for the virus Meanwhile, officials at the been isolated and public authorities meless were identified and made “The cost of the platform ticket 10-15 minutes. It was not right to about Rs 1 crore quarterly profit was inaugurated in Chennai’s King Medical College said that have sent thier samples for testing aware of the schemes. has been Rs. 10 for the past 10 ask them to pay at all, let alone in - from only one station. Institute of Preventive Medicine all suspected Coronavirus cases in at the preventive centre in Guindy. ‘Chennai Shaheenpet’ protest continues Protestors hopeful of a positive response from government MEGHNA.M after school. They have made friends here. It is after all for them The Washermenpet sit-in that we are fighting. It is important continued for the third week for them to be a part of this,” said despite over 50 women falling ill Haseena. from exhaustion and lack of sleep. The women held a candle light “I come from and fell vigil on March 3 to pay homage to sick last night. They provide us the 49 lives lost in the communal with tablets to combat this but I riot on Feb.23 in Delhi. “When will Burnt warehouse at | NEIL CORNELIUS will visit the doctor tomorrow and the government take any action? come back here,” said Haseena These are all human lives that are Begum, a protestor. lost. What more will we have to Many women with diabetes, lose?” asked Shenaaz. Poor safety standards at blood pressure and other ailments The CAA essentially seeks to bring their medicines to the site. amend the definition of illegal Tahira Begum (70) said “I have immigrant to help Hindu, Sikh, Madhavarm Warehouse brought my diabetes medicine here. Parsi, Buddhist and Christian NEIL CORNELIUS extinguishers in the warehouse and emergency. I went to Coimbatore last week to immigrants from Pakistan, that they should have had Aqueous The fire was reported by protest there. I have to take care of Afghanistan and , who The Chemical warehouse in Mad - Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), Dry employees at the warehouse at 2 myself if I want to continue to have lived in without havaram that caught fire on Satur - Chemical Powder and at least 15 p.m. on Saturday and fire fighters protest here. My daughter’s family documentation. day was ill equipped to deal with carbon dioxide based fire from the Madhavaram Fire Station was here until yesterday but are M.Amir, another organizer fires, said firemen who contained extinguishers at a place that stores were called to the scene. 500 fire now admitted in the hospital from anticipates that a solution is at hand the blaze within hours of being flammable chemicals- none of fighters were involved in the exhaustion and fever.” “We are hopeful about a positive summoned. which the warehouse had. operation and destroyed the Shehnaaz Begum, one of the outcome when the assembly “It (the warehouse) did not have The workers at the warehouse property worth Rs.100 crores. organizers said that many of the convenes again on March 9.We the necessary safety precautions to did not know how to contain the “There were no casualties as the donors have donated over the would like the governemnt to meet prevent the accident nor did they fire or use the extinguishers. workers all ran out of the building counter medicines to tackle fever our demands that we have put forth have the facilities required to A circular issued by the Central as soon as they saw the fire,” said and common cold. “If it gets from the first day of our agitation. contain the fire. Knowing the kind Warehousing Corporation in1993 Venkatesh (24) one of the firemen . serious then we have a doctor-on- Many other states have passeda of chemicals they were storing, it states that every employee in a An FIR has been filed and the call here to attend to them.” Women prtoesting at Washermenpet | MEGHNA.M resolution against CAA. Why can’t was essential for the warehouse to warehouse must be taught basic fire safety licence of the warehouse The agitation started on Feb.14 our CM[Chief Minister] passone? have stocked up on much better firefighting principles, know where is being re-evaluated. The fire when Muslim women from National Register of Citizens Munusamy Street and the Azeez What is stopping our CM?” he equipment,” said Gopi the firefighting equipment is kep Department officials say that the Washermenpet, now dubbed (NRC). The protest started with Mohammed Ghouse Street in asked.. Prabhakaran, fireman from the and used properly. The circular also owner of the warehouse has not Chennai’s Shaheen Bagh, gathered 200 women and the number went Washermenpet only moving from “If it isn’t a positive outcome Madhavaram Fire Station. details that regular fire drills must responded to them since Monday. to protest against the Citizenship up to over 1000 women in the last there to send their kids off to school then we are not going to move from Prabhakaran added that there be conducted in warehouses so as Workers at the warehouse (Amendment Act) (CAA), National three weeks. and feed them in the evening. here. We will take the next step of were only a couple of fire to prepare the workers in case of an refused to comment on the issue. Population Register (NPR) and The women stay on the Sajja “My kids come directly here necessary actions,” said Shehnaaz. Edition 7 Page 2_Layout 1 10-03-2020 10:20 Page 1

THE WORD CHENNAI March 09, 2020 2 CITYSCAPE Protestors want it in writing Stringing life in city KRATI PURWAR MEGHA MALLICK

Muslims protesting in Washerman - “When we came here 8-9 years back, we used to re - pet, Chennai against the Citizens - side on the beach, just like many other people. But hip (Amendment) Act want Chief miscreants get drunk and start picking up fights. We Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami moved to a house just 2-3 years ago,” says Sujata, a to give a written promise in the migrant from Rajasthan. Tamil Nadu Assembly that the She and her husband moved here from the Sawai - rights of the minorities would be Madhopur district because of scarcity of water, po - protected. sing a roadblock for agriculture. She says, Kathija Beevi, “Khetibaari to bahuthai, par paanibinakhetbekarhai President of the National Women’s (We do have a lot of land, but it is of no use without Front, said one could not believe water).” the words of the government until Sujata strings beads at the end of the Marina it scrapped the Citizenship Beach, in front of the statue. She (Amendment) Act (CAA), National says, “At least 10 people from Rajasthan are here, Register of Citizen (NRC), and Na - and all of them do the same work. There was another tional Population Register (NPR). woman, Laxmi, selling these bands there,” she says Kathija said today the Govern - pointing towards the other umbrella-like structure. ment was implementing the NPR “Her child was kidnapped,” Sujata informs. and what would happen if tomor - “The child was about a year old. Laxmi bathed it row it used the same data for the and put it to sleep in the park here, beside a neem tree. NRC. All Indians, not falling under Then she came here to put up her shop. Her husband, its criteria would be thrown out of Pappu, is a tattoo artist. He was busy in that, and in the country or sent to detention the meanwhile, someone picked the child up,” she Sujata stringing beads | MEGHA MALLICK camps, maybe. The protest was Men, women, and children shouting ‘Azaadi’ slogans at Anti-CAA protest at Washerman - narrates. It has been two years since then, but the about all the people who did not pet in Chennai | KRATI PURWAR child could not be traced. Advertisements were put son Ayush at the AmmaHospital here. I have left him have certificates and documents. up but to no avail. The police tried a lot, too. That in the village back in Rajasthan, with his grandmot - “How will the government call was the only instance of kidnapping among this com - her. His siblings, Mayank and Radhika, are also there. them citizens?” she asked. CM and told him to write his pro - dered themselves as citizens of the king the Constitution and law in its munity. They are closer to their grandmother than me,” she According to Kathija, the NPR mises in the assembly and we will country were standing here toget - hands. People around India should “I have four children”, she says, pointing to an in - says with a smile. and NRC were designed against the believe him. We do not want the her. protest in order to bring the change. fant asleep under the adjacent umbrella. It is her She tells that the people in Chennai are good. Muslims and minorities. CAA, NRC, or NPR.” It would not Pointing out that a retired Indian S. R. Sayed Vyan Abdullah, a youngest child, a year old, Rittika. “I will tell hones - “They are good with good people and bad with the On March 1, Palaniswami said affect only Muslims but also Hin - Army officer Mohammad Sanaul - real estate worker, said just as it tly, before my work, I should pay more attention to bad. These flower sellers here, they will call me for that no Muslim born in the State dus, Christians, Sikhs, and other re - lah and Bengali had been gave written remarks during Jalli - my children. If they are with me, a lot of money will food if I don’t have; or will give me a cup of tea. I do would be affected by the National ligious groups. left out of the Assam NRC, he said kattu protest, the Government come and go,” Sujata says. the same in return. Other people might not like them, Population Registration (NPR). As - Banu said that it was the BJP’s it was about the method of imple - should do the same in this case as “My husband, who is also a tattoo artist, believes but for me, they are nice,” king the Muslims not to protest, he game. Until the reign of the late J. mentation. well and they would stop the pro - the same. Laxmi did not pay enough attention to her “If there is a rush of the public, I earn almost 1000 assured them that the question of Jayalalithaa and M. Karunanidhi, Dasthageer said the concept of test. child. This one, my child, is now asleep. It will wake rupees a day; but if there are not many people, maybe the birth place of parents would be Tamil Nadu was the safest for ‘Indian citizenship’ through NPR Nooruma, a housewife, said the up after a while and run around this place. And I will not a single penny. I need to give 50 rupees for each omitted from the process and no re - Muslims but not now. and NRC was vague. It was all NPR would affect everyone and if run with it too, leaving the shop,” says the 35-year- journey back and forth to my home, and also send cords were required. H. Dasthageer, an auto driver, about the implementation of the the Government stops implemen - old. money back home. It is not easy, but that is how we Shehnaaz Banu, a Madaras High said that the protest was not about RSS ideology and ‘Manudharma’ ting then the protest would stop. “While searching for that child, I gave birth to my need to live,” Sujata says. Court lawyer, said, “We went to the Muslims but all people who consi - (Hindu Law Book) and the BJP ta - “This is a fight for all of us.” A taxing time for school students ‘RO filters better than cans’ KRITHI KANNAN when they purify ground - MARIAH DINS water. However the water Reverse osmosis filters to discarded from the RO March is the most taxing time of the year for stu - provide clean water are a purification system can dents taking class 10 and 12 board examinations. better alternative to the often be reused in the gar - The pressure to score more is pushing the stu - plastic water cans, accor - den or the lawn since the dents into developing serious physical and psy - ding to residents of Chen - water purification system chological conditions like stress and anxiety. nai. is installed at home itself. Many of them resort to continuous medication “An RO water filter is People with water filters and counseling during this period. a better alternative to have a chance of reusing “There are many students who suffer from se - bubble top cans. We do water which people with rious cases of examination fear. Unhealthy com - not need to worry about bubbletops do not have.” petition and parental pressure are the primary the ill effects of plastic R. Lakshmi a resident reasons for developing this mental condition, contamination,” said Ms of T Nagar said that when and some may even resort to sleeping pills and Kamala Rajendran a resi - she was using water cans stress relief pills which may not be prescribed dent of who her supply of drinking by the doctor,” said Mangala.R, Psychologist at recently switched to water depended on when Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), using a water filter. the can was delivered and Bubble tops cause contamination Chennai. P. Kumar an employee sometimes the water in | THE TECHNOLOGY LEGACY OF NCL Lakshmi Raghav, a class 12 student com - Students taking exams | THE INDIAN EXPRESS at MJM water solutions the cans were polluted. plains of having to go through a tough time co - Chennai says “Many flats But after installing a pu - other plastic toxins from Harshad Venkatraman, vering all the portions before the exam starts. “Towards February, we divide the children their parents expectations. The openness and have connected their rification system she has these bubbletop cans can an environment activist She says the schools complete the portions only into 3 categories; those who might score above freedom to discuss their likings do not come metro water pipes to round the clock access to make their way into the and water expert, said, two or three days before the starting of study ho - 80%, 60% and below 35%. Those falling in the with our family set up.” water filters. Hence not drinking water. blood stream and cause a “Excessive extraction of lidays. Also the unavailability of blue prints evo - 80% category are given extra attention to help A person’s behaviour, nutrition, sleep patterns only do they have a better Dr Srimathi Sridhar, a host of problems inclu - groundwater can lower kes the feeling of uncertainty among the them score high. Those falling in the 60% cate - also affect the cognitive functioning of the brain. alternative.” general physician at ding certain cancers and the groundwater table students. gory are brought to the level of distinction and This might reflect in forgetting what the child Kumar added that peo - , said “ liver and kidney da - leading to water scarcity. “I have friends who attend tuition classes for special care is taken to train those below 35% has studied at the time of examination. Parents ple need not be depen - Whenever you drink mage.” “Additionally due to every subject. For them it is double the pressure. category in order to boost their marks,” she said. and schools must be able to provide good career dent on the bubbletop from a plastic bottle or a P. Venkatesh, a resi - improper disposal of Parents think their children will score better if According to Dr. T. Lavanya, Associate Pro - counseling, where they give a realistic balance water cans. The recent bubbletop, you risk in - dent of Gopalapuram, plastic, contaminants can they are sent for tuitions,” said Lakshmi. fessor at the Psychology department of the Uni - between interest, aptitude and career opportu - strike by water packaging gesting the chemicals said “Even though re - seep into the ground and Sara Koshy, Principal of Don Bosco High versity of Madras, it will differ from person to nity. Give less weightage to scoring high marks units led to a scare of used to make these bot - verse osmosis can some - also taint groundwater. School, MKB Nagar said that, they requested the person and it is predominantly the fear of failure. and meeting the family or social status. shortage of bubbletop tles as these toxins can times over purify the Hence it is good that the parents not to send their children for tuition. “Parents can be very unrealistic at times by ac - “We want our children to end up having a water cans. leak into the water over water and extract essen - government has taken “What is taught in school is sufficient if they re - ting against the capacity of their children. good job in order to lead a good life. Nowadays N. Kumaresan a mana - time. This is particularly tial minerals present in steps to shut down water vise at home. The pattern followed by the school This puts the child under pressure and will ul - students are not admitted if they do not score ger at Dolphin RO units, common with bottles that the water, it does not con - packaging industries wit - and the pattern followed by the tuition centers timately make them disappointed because they above 80 per cent. Whatever we do and say is said, “Water packaging have been exposed to taminate like plastic hout licences,” added may vary; this will confuse the child.” could not perform well or could not meet up to only for their good,” said Shanta.N, a parent. units waste a lot of water heat. Bisphenol A and does” Venkatraman. 150 years of science and scientists through the pages of ‘Nature’ KEERTHIKRISHNA since Sujatha died. women should be recognized as context of justification.” KRATI PURWAR Balasubramaniam cited the farmers, just like men because Talking the Greenhouse effect example of the G.N. Ramachan - women are not just a source of phy - and global warming, Jayaraman Celebrating the ‘150 years of dran plot on “the triple helix struc - sical labour anymore. said that often the scientists were science through the pages of Na - ture of collagen is an essential tool Speaking about Research and driven to meet the definite ends ture’, M S Swaminathan Research in the field of protein conforma - Development expenditure in India, they desired. This affected the en - Foundation organized special talks tion.” Shahid Jameel, CEO of Wellcome vironment and none took the res - by six eminent scientists on March Ramachandran’s plot came out Trust and DBT India Alliance, said ponsibility for it. 6 in Chennai. in the Sixties but people got to that despite there being an increase Dr. Sandhya Koushika, Asso - Dr. Madhura Swaminathan, know about the discovery much in the Gross Expenditure on Deve - ciate Professor at the Tata Institute Chairperson of MSSRF, welcomed later, because nothing was publis - lopment and Research (GERD) in of Fundamental Research, Mum - everyone “to celebrate science and hed about it. the last decade, the ratio of GERD bai, said the biggest and the hardest scientists” and “achievements of Professor Nitya Rao talked about to the GDP had remained constant change needed in India in was cul - science in India in the last 150 the changing lens of gender re - at 0.6 percent. tural because risk taking, accepting years.” search in the country. She said that In contrast to advanced coun - failures, and trying something dif - Prof. M S Swaminathan, Foun - there was a research focus shift tries, the government was the pri - ferent in science were not in the In - der-Chairman, MSSRF, walked the from sex to gender. mary funder and user of R and D. dian DNA. audience through the journey of “Gender relations have become “The share of public expenditure to She said that it was better to let life-changing research in genetics power relations between people GERD is very high in India which the scientists do what they were and its contribution to the environ - with different roles, responsibilities implies that universities do not play good at instead of involving them ment, double Helix, plant breeding and identities. Gender norms had a major role in this regard,” he in administration work. progress, induced mutation, pro - become unspoken rules across so - added. India’s R and D expenditure Dr. T Ramasami, former Secre - gress in Mendelian, impact of ge - cial institutions of home, commu - was inadequate to meet its deve - tary at the Department of Science netics alteration of plant nity and workspace,” said Nitya. lopmental needs. and Technology, Government of architecture on food security, from “Gender identities have become Prof. T Jayaraman, Senior Fel - India, said that poverty had a direct genetic modification to genome Prof. D Balasubramaniam addressing the gathering on ‘Popularising and Communica - the ways in which people perceive low of Climate Change at the relation with research and develop - editing, and conservation of tradi - tion Science’ at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai | KRATI PURWAR and present themselves across cul - MSSRF, said “It is crucial that we ment because it pushed the country tional technology attention to the tures,” added Nitya. become intrinsically anthropocen - to do something innovative. The gender dimension. the ‘Nature’ (International Journal nicating science, Professor D Bala - science writers in the local Indian Stressing the need to combat ste - tric about the global warming. It is global market needed to move to - Ms. Subhra Priyadarshini, Chief of Science). subramaniam, Scientist at the L V languages, despite India having 18 reotypes, Nitya, who is professor of important that we are aware of it wards a sustainable structure and Editor at the Nature India, presen - Delivering a talk on the impor - Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, official languages. He said there Gender and Development at the and know the difference between find convergent solutions to the ted the past, present, and future of tance of popularising and commu - said that there was a shortage of were no Tamil science writers ever University of East Anglia, said that the context of discovery and the problems of poor, he added. Edition 7 Page 3_Layout 1 10-03-2020 11:22 Page 1

THE WORD CHENNAI March 09, 2020 CITYSCAPE 3 Unfair pricing and faulty permits ‘Exciting’ time for journalists MEGHNA M taken a hit and we are fighting to MANTHRA KOLIYER keep our routes. They are now ope - The 2000 odd Tata Magic share- rating on three of our previous rou - It is “exciting” to be a journalist autos that run in the city do not tes,” said M.Annamalai, leader of today because they have access to have stage carriage permit to pick Binny Road Share-Auto Sangam. data and information that their passengers up at any stopping, yet N. Ezhumalai, who runs a yel - peers never had in the earlier years, the police allow them to do so low share-auto near said Matthew Winkler,o-founder of with a fine of Rs.200. Mall said, “At first, they did not get Bloomberg News. T.Kathiravelan, who runs a Tata permission to use it even as a tou - In an hour long conversation magic auto on the T.Nagar route rist vehicle as the engine is right with Sashi Kumar, Chairman of the said, “We have tried to go to the under the driver’s seat. The more it Media Development Foundation, at RTO [Regional Transport Office] heats up, the more dangerous it is the Asian College of Journalism in and fight for a different permit but for everybody. But the public loves Chennai, followed by a question they just leave us hanging.” Share autos at Guindy it, hence it is still running.” and answer session, Winkler said The Tata Magic share-autos that | MEGHNA M However, the white share-auto “This is the most exciting time to were introduced in 2010 initially ver on that street said, “I started dri - and obstruct people from getting drivers are hopeful that these diffe - be a journalist. You have access to ran in the city without a permit for ving this auto in 2011. We run only into their busses during the peak rences can be resolved. information in a way that we never a year before being granted the tou - three routes in this part of the city. hours. This causes traffic jams. If “We need to fight the bigger did. You can acquire perspective rist permit. The tourist permit al - Our day starts at 7:30 a.m and we they don’t stop and keep going then cause, our rates and work permits through voluminous sets of data Matt Winkler.. making a point with data lows them to take up point to point make about four trips. We make a it wouldn’t be such a menace.” which the government is overchar - that were otherwise unavailable to long distance travel. paltry Rs.600 everyday excluding “These share-autos are peoples’ ging us for. I paid nearly Rs 1.5 people like me at the beginning.” for people to make informed dec - leadership and experience requi - The Tata magic share-autos with the fine we pay every three days. livelihoods and snatching them lakhs at the RTO for this year’s fit - Talking about Bloomberg’s work sions.” red”. the tourist permit have permission The government does not do anyt - away would be unfair. The produc - ness check up. We need to come to - in India, the former-editor-in-chief While talking about founder Mi - “He was completely committed to only taken in six passengers. But hing in our favour and when we ask tion of the vehicle can be stopped gether. But it does not seem like of Bloomberg News said “We pro - chael Bloomberg’s reason to con - and devoted to carrying out his they accommodate 11 passengers. for it, we are denied.” as that itself is faulty. But that can - something that will happen any vide the greatest value with what test for the 2020 Democratic Party goal. His tenure as the Mayor of Shyla Mary, Head Constable, S.V Ravi, an accountant at Abi - not be expected. For every person, time soon.” we can do with respect to Bloom - race for nomination as the presi - New York city for 12 years is a re - traffic at St. Thomas Police Station ramapuram RTO, said “There are the police stops two more people People however have complaints berg in India. We can show how dential candidate, Matthew Wink - flection. It contributed to a form of said, “They do not have permission about 50 break inspectors and 5000 will buy the auto and come. So they on the share-autos overcharging India, compared to every other ler said, “Someone had to do it. total Renaissance.” to take passengers from any stop - share-autos; they can only catch don’t stop them,” she said. and the delayed time management. country…to or toTurkey or Michael is passionately committed Bloomberg reportedly spent ping. We fine them not only for these autos when they see them. Yellow share-auto drivers see “The share-autos stop at every any nation for that matter using any to everything that the country is more than half a billion dollars of permit but also for obstruction of And the fine rates came into effect these Tata magic drivers as encroa - given opportunity even if the per - number of criteria.” today.” his own money in the Democratic traffic movement and for parking at only after the Motor Vehicle Act ching on their business space. son outside is not interested in Talking about the media in gene - Referring to the problems that primaries. But Bloomberg bowed no parking places.” (1974) was passed and they have The stage carriage permit allows boarding it. And if it is a major ral, he said “Figuring out and pro - the US was facing, Winkler said out saying that it had become evi - There is a long line of white been revised periodically. That is the yellow share-autos to pick pas - stopping then its 15 minutes down viding context and perspective, “There are many fundamental is - dent that former US Vice-President share-autos on T.Nagar parked on how the rates are fixed.” sengers up at any point on any the drain as he needs to fill every that's probably where much of our sues, climate change, health issues, Joe Biden was the candidate to the narrow street with a board But there have been mounting given route. single seat,” said Varun.R who tra - profession falls short because we hostility towards migrants.. Mi - unite behind with the best chance at above that says “No parking for complaints about these autos. “We filed a case against them vels from to Loyola via don't have the discipline or the chael looked at the contestants for defeating US President Donald 100 metres” which they utilise. Shyla said, “These share-autos back in 2011 and we won. But they one and has to start an hour early to rigor to acquire sufficient facts to presidency and he didn’t see Trump in the November presiden - M.Vasudevan, a share-auto dri - go into bus stops and terminuses continue to run. Our business has reach college on time. get the perspective that's necessary anyone providing the necessary tial elections. ‘India needs pro-business Private parking lots Chennai student mushroom in wins eco summit not pro-crony policies’ MANTHRA KOLIYER MAHERA DUTTA opaque financial statements and MANTHRA KOLIYER transactions, labeled as “willful de - A project for making car parts with Chief Economic Advisor to the faulters” from 2012 to 2014. “The Many private two wheeler parking the help of orange peel and coffee Government of India, Krishna - amounts lost by some of the de - lots have mushroomed near Chro - filterate has won the first prize at murthy Subramanian, called for faulter companies run parallel to mepet suburban station because the the Eco Summit conducted by the pro-business policies which provi - spending on health, education and parking lot at the station is unable Green Brigade Club of CEG (Col - ded a level playing field for firms the social sector,” he said. to cater to the increasing demand. lege of Engineering Guindy) at to enter the markets and busines - He was of the view that a focus According to the two-wheelers . ses and enable wealth creation in on ‘specialization’ absent for al - association they currently have 22 Joshua Richard, a first year BE the country. most one and half decades would parking lots at Chromepet itself. student, was awarded a trophy and Subramanian, who prepared the create more jobs and wealth, thanks Each of them houses a minimum of cash prize worth Rs 20,000 for the Economic survey for the financial to the availability of a large work - 200 to 600 vehicles depending project that seeks to make steering year ending March 2020, was deli - force and the country’s demograp - upon their respective shed. wheels and cup holders. The college vering the 7th Raja J. Chelliah Me - hic dividend. Velu and Bhaskar, the workers at has decided to fund his project and morial lecture at the Madras School Comparing ’s edge in the government parking lots under look at aspects with which it can be of Economics (MSE) on Wednes - specialization, Subramanian said it Ranjana enterprises (contractor), made commercial. day. assembled every iPhone that was have an issue on a daily basis. Private parking lot in The event was open to all Engi - The economist stressed the need sold all over the world which hel - Bhaskar says, “People lie to us that Chromepet | MANTHRA KOLIYER neering departments. They went by for ethical wealth creation in the ped it become a large exporter. As - they will take their vehicle back but the slogan, “Be a part of Solution; country as he spoke of the necessity sembly of network products, do not return in time, we do not ders.None of the private owned Not Pollution”. of combining the “invisible hand” according to him, was one of the have space at all for newcomers”. parking lots can increase the rates Printing technology students, D Joshua Richard, winner of of the market with the “hand of few sectors that offered huge scope Murugan, who parks his cycle at by themselves. Rishikesh D, S Viniksha and trust”. Addressing the distinguished Subramanian addresses au - for the Indian economy. The export the parking lot right outside the sta - The president of the two-whee - Vidhesha Shetye had come up with the quiz | MANTHRA KOLIYER guests, faculty and the students at dience at Madras School of of network products is expected to tion says, “on Saturdays it is easier. lers parking association, Ramakris - a compact plastic recycler. They had MSE, he said: “We must consider Economics | MAHERA DUTTA grow to $7 trillion by 2025. The private ones aren’t feasible. I hnan, issues them a notice every created a machine that shreds plastic and makes it reusable with the help all the means to an end. Wealth C Rangarajan, former RBI Go - can only afford to pay Rs 10 for my four years. The rates are determi - of injection moulding. must be created without destruc - vernor and Chairman, Madras cycle everyday”.The rates at the ned accordingly.The private owned “What about the plastic that is regenerated again with the technique of tion.” Urging budding economists process of wealth creation accele - School of Economics, delivered the government owned parking lots two-wheeler parking lots work 24 moulding?” The students themselves raised this question since their pro - in the audience to not make deci - rated during the liberalisation phase vote of thanks honoring late Raja J. near the station charges lesser than hours. Many of them also have ject could not provide a solution for it. sions based on anecdotes, he said in 1991. Liberalisation, he claimed, Chelliah for his contribution to re - the other private ones. The govern - CCTV cameras installed. While Sandhya and Praveen Kumar from Textile technology, Alagappa College “Post the global financial crisis, it helped people from non – privile - forms in public finance and policy. ment parking lots charges Rs10 for many commuters insist on keeping of Technology, displayed an air purifier that can work in a 10 by 10 room. was widely believed that markets ged backgrounds move up the Asking the audience to ponder over every vehicle and the pass is Rs300 their helmets also at the parking lot, Sandhya says, “This project has been tested for the past two months. It cannot achieve prosperity hundred socio-economic ladder by helping the subject of the lecture, he said: for every month. some private owners take care of assures 99 per cent cleaner air than the one we breathe right now”. per cent of the time. Economists entrepreneurs grow from “remote “One must ask how far we’ve im - The rates differ for every vehi - them. Green Brigade president Renith Kumar said, “Though the projects are should consider averages, aggrega - parts of the country.” plemented the basic principles of li - cle. Jammal, the owner of the par - Residents from Asnapuram, Lax - only on display, for now, we will surely work towards making them a rea - tes and functions of the market Making a case for pro-business beralism in policy. In the event of a king lot at Radhanagar market says, mipuram, and Tam - lity until they are functional.” while making such conclusions.” policies rather than pro-crony ones, market failure, it is the responsibi - on an average we have 200 pass baram also park their vehicles at Volunteer Deeksha said, “Our department students have come up with Subramanian claimed that the Subramanian spoke of firms with lity of the state to intervene.” holders and 150 daily coupon hol - these parking lots. the innovative idea to earn money from waste college notes as well” Great Bombay Circus running on borrowed money and time MEENAL VASHISTHA shirt and black trousers and wea - They met at the age of 18 in Gol - ring black rubber sandals. His feet den Circus and after three years of Former presidents and prime mi - dangle nearly one foot above the courtship, tied the knot in 2010. nisters, renowned politicians and ground and head bent over the They're saving up money to open a actors smile in old photographs smartphone. beauty parlour back home in Guja - hung on the bamboo poles holding “That’s the history of Great rat, so Poonam can be with her son. up the giant tent of the Great Bombay Circus,” says Balagopal, For Sabina, 40, the circus is her Bombay Circus (GBC). The en - pointing to the old man. only employer. Her family—a hus - trance, carpeted but dusty, is clut - Tulsidas Chaudhary, hailing band and two boys in their twen - tered with empty red chairs. At far from Chapra district in Bihar, has ties—live in Kerala. But there is no left, behind the bamboo boundary been a joker at GCB for 61 years. work for her there, she says. She is a stable with a few horses and He joined the circus at the age of was seven or eight, when she left two camels. twelve or thirteen, he says. In all her home in Hetoda, Nepal, to join All is not well with the Great these years, the three-feet tall Golden Circus. Bombay Circus at the SIAA Chaudhary never demanded a sa - Looking at the empty seats with Grounds near the MGR Central lary but says he's living well. All a few dozens of uninterested spec - Railway Station. his medical expenses are paid by tators, it was hard to believe that it “For the last three years, I've the Circus, including a major sto - was an iconic show. Children with been running the Circus by borro - mach surgery in Indore, a few years their mothers and grandparents Tulsi Das, the oldest joker at GBC. MEENAL VASHISTHA wing money. A Circus is like a vil - ago. The crew at GBC. MEENAL VASHISTHA made up the majority of the crowd. lage in a city; you have barbers, He visits his family in Dehradun, Occasionally, some middle-aged electricians, cooks, welders, tailors; But with the government ban on Founded in 1920 by Baburao once in every two years. He had men took out their phones to record everybody is there. We only get child artists and animal training, Kadam, the Grand Bombay Circus, four brothers and three brothers, all ning into black hair falling on her future also means raising and edu - scantily dressed female performers. crowd on weekends now, earlier followed by the waning public in - after merging with K. M. Kunhi - of whom have passed away. He had left shoulder, dressed in a saree, cating their five-year-old son Vi - Nobody laughed at the jokers; the every day was a holiday,” says San - terest and logistical challenges, the kannan's Whiteway and Great Lion also three girlfriends in his youth, was smiling in the picture. haan who's currently living with his acts barely scored loud applause jeev Balagopal, Managing Director circus is struggling to make ends circuses, was renamed Great Bom - he says. Holding the giant Samsung "Abhi Bhavishya ka main kya - grandparents in Gujarat. and the only artists to get some en - at GBC. meet. bay Circus in 1947. After K. M. smartphone with his tea-(Chai)-co - batau. Mujhe kya pata kya hoga, "Achanak mein bhayanak ho gagement were the Ethiopians who At the height of its glory, the By 2021, as GBC celebrates its Kunhikannan's death in 1953, his lored bloated left hand and tapping (What can I say of the future? What gaya,(It all happened very sud - tacked on some dancing to their act. century-old Circus had over 700 101st birthday, the Circus MD is nephew K. M. Balagopal succee - the right index finger through the do I know what will happen?)" he denly)" Suraj says, bursting into a efore it is turned into a smaller people—both staff and perfor - left with no choice but to downsize ded him, taking the Circus to inter - gallery, he hunts for his first girl - wonders, adding "Jo aata hai, usi ko peal of big laughter and his wife show. mers—and a zoo of animals inclu - it into a smaller show—trimming national waters including Sri Lanka friend's picture. dehnahai" (Whatever may come, I joins him. The joke was about his But for its people, life must go ding lions, tigers, black panthers, the current staff of 180 artists and and South Africa. "Baby," he pointed to his first have to see it). marriage being a tragedy. on, as each of them chase their chimpanzees, gorillas, lamas, gib - 70 temporary staff to 50 to 60 all- Sitting in the first row on the girlfriend, "She's a grandmother But for younger members of the Both born and raised in families dreams in carefree retirement or bons, polar bears, orangutans and rounder artists while outsourcing right of the entrance is an older now. We're still in touch." A circus like Suraj Jadav and his wife of Circus Artists have seen no other with a well-educated son. or with over 26 elephants, among others. the rest. man. The man is dressed in a blue woman, with a grey hairline tur - Poonam (both 30-years-old), the world than this show business. the thought of a lost legacy. Edition 7 Page 4_Layout 1 10-03-2020 11:28 Page 1

4 THE WORD CITYSCAPE CHENNAI March 09, 2020 Work at Museum Tribal items at women’s bazaar KEERTHI KRISHNA come from this would help tribals given they are not allowed to col - Potteries, paintings and artefacts lect Minor Forest Produce (MFP), made out of bamboo and coconut which was allowed earlier. The tri - hinders visitors waste by women from the tribes of bes use discarded waste to make MARIAH DINS Nilgiris and Andaman were the these products” he added. highlights of a tribal exhibition This tribal exhibition is one The ongoing work to build a park from the Women’s Bazaar, inaugu - among the many stalls at the 5 day at the Government Museum at Eg - rated at the C.P. Ramaswamy Art bazaar, organised to bring out the more is giving its visitors a difficult Centre in Teynampet, Chennai to talents of women. time. The once well-maintained mark International Women’s Day. Colourful collections of sarees, green campus is now history with Soup bowls and spoons made by customized earrings and pouches, trees cut down and construction Kota tribes; paintings depicting tri - and a wide array of readymade material piled up in the place. bal life and forests by Kurumba tri - food like pickles were spread The loud sound of construction bes; baskets, earrings and other across the hall. Clothes, crafts and jewelleries put for sale at the women’s work disturbs the peacefulness of jewelry of bamboo by tribes from Inaugurating the event, actor Su - bazaar at Teynampet | KEERTHI KRISHNA the place and the deep pits that the Andaman and bowls, holders hasini Maniratnam said that the ex - have been dug make it hard for the and vessels made out of coconut hibition is a landmark for women visitors to move from one building Construction work at the Government Museum shells by other tribes from the Nil - empowerment. Shopkeepers like Rajini Surana, event aims at bringing women out to another. giris were on display in the event. “This is a celebration of women who runs a saree shop in the event, of the house. The massive collections at the | MARIAH DINS Events like this are a way for tri - and women entrepreneurship,” she said that the event was a getaway “There is a chance for every museum are housed in several dif - bal women to showcase their ta - added. from her daily routine. woman here and there are around ferent buildings, with sections de - king the initiative to build a park “Some of the exhibits are cove - lents according to Dr Sudhakar, the The bazaar was filled with cus - “I work as a teacher, this event 50 stalls run by women here,” she voted to anthropology, stone with better seating facilities and red in dust, which clearly shows executive director of Green Skills tomers. “Having earrings, sarees, gives us something different to our added. sculptures, bronzes, zoology, natu - greenery for the visitors who would how much attention is being given Development Programme (GSDP). pickles and vadams under the same daily lives. I buy sarees from Ra - The event is funded by collecting ral history, numismatics, national like to sit down and spend time rea - towards preserving these exhibits. “GSDP, which comes under the roof certainly helps us,” said Su - jasthan, Ahmedabad and Kolkata some amount of money from the art and a children’s museum. ding and studying. We are aware It is very disheartening to see such Ministry of Environment and Fo - jatha M, a customer. and sell them here.” she added. shopkeepers and all the profit from Marie Elise, a tourist from about the inconvenience it is cau - a great place being maintained rests, organises livelihood pro - Another customer Hema said, “I Shantha, the exhibitory officer sales goes to the shopkeepers,” says France, said she had high expecta - sing to the visitors, therefore we are shabbily,” said Meena Kumari, a grammes for tribal women with a regularly visit this place and buy cum manager of the Art Centre and Shantha. tions, but was completely dispirited taking steps to finish the construc - visitor. motive to enhance their lives. In - stuff. People here are like family.” organiser of the event, said that the after entering the premises. As so - tion within six months.” The digital displays installed to mebody who admired art and cul - India’s second oldest museum show information about all the ex - ture, Marie said she expected to had approximately 500 people visi - hibits are not in proper working spend quality time going around ting it everyday and there is enough condition. Many of the hallways the place to observe and learn about in store for everyone who would are pitch dark without proper lights the exhibits, but could not do so be - like to spend an hour there. But and the walls look worn down. Saying a lot Yoga for Corona cause of the noise from the cons - there are several aspects of the mu - “The vast collections in the mu - truction work. seum that are crying for attention. seum are being maintained with a Justifying the work being taken The Zoology and Natural His - very few staff which is difficult to with ceramic up, K. Parthipan, Assistant Engi - tory section leaves much room for maintain,” said Vikram, staff. neer, said “The government is ta - improvement. MEENAL VASHISTHA

The Varija Gallery at Dakshina Chitra displaying pottery works of eight ceramic artists—4 each from Futsal turf comes to the rescue of India and Korea— drew a poor crowd because of its distance from the city. football players in Chennai “It took us 40 minutes, and a cab-ride of Rs.360 to reach here, NIMA He added that cricket playing friends for recreation. which dictates what kind of public folks used most grounds making it “I played football on a bigger can come here and engage with the The locals interested to play less possible for locals and children ground during my college and exhibit,” says Solomon Benjamin, football rushes to book a slot at interested in football to find a space school days only. After that it was 59, Professor at IIT Madras. Jawaharlal Nehru stadium or to play. difficult to play despite being The exhibition, that started on reserve one of the artificial Futsal He said that over the years, interested. And we could hardly February 26 and ended on March 6, turfs installed by private people who love to play football find bigger ground in the city,” he displayed a wide-range including individuals in Chennai today. moved on to playing 5-sided Futsal said. terracotta, glazed rope work, Gamesha in ceramic Safe for those students going to matches and the city has many turfs He added that most football stoneware among others. Pieces school and colleges that has installed. “There are only countable grounds were in schools and like ‘One leaf could be a ’ been interesting to talk about the football ground, the opportunity to numbers of football ground in the colleges and it was restricted to by Suh Sanghee were one of the pieces,” Nideesh added, pointing to play football ends with graduation city,” said Balaji. their own school tournaments and many accounts of cultural the aerial view piece showing an for most of the football enthusiasts Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium events. exchange between the artists. oversized JCB drilling in a KRATI PURWAR in the city. received reservation to play at least “So the best option is to play Ramkumar Kannadasan’s farmland. This has led to private five matches in the morning and Futsal, which is equally interesting elephant, another piece in the The third edition of the InKo individuals installing artificial seven matches in the evening in a and the turfs are available,” he said. exhibit, titled ‘Vanishing Point’ is Ceramic exhibition, in association Futsal turfs on a space available on week from local clubs and private Pranesh S, coach at FC Madras set in stoneware, with houses in with Clayarch Gimhae Museum, the rooftops, and in small space individuals. Academy said that the academy’s front and green and yellow Korea and Dakshin Chitra, Govt work on display near their residential campuses, The stadium charges for 11-sided artificial turf, installed two mushroom-shaped trees at the back. presented a unique Indo-Korean among others. The change has government and college students years back, is the first football pitch “I like Ram’s work, especially Ceramic Residency project that come as an opportunity for sports are Rs 2,500 per match. The private to have rubber turf in the city. “We the elephant. He didn’t talk about brought the eight ceramic artists— at trade fair business while creating proper individuals pay Rs 3,500 per are not able to make it available for any other animal, just the elephant Abir Patwardhan, Debashish Das, MEGHA MALLICK Cichild and Albeno Rainbow facilities to play for the locals. match. The stadium is packed those willing to play footballt,” he in the room. He’s portraying the Neha Kudchadkar and Ramkumar in aquariums. A small pond A resident from Chennai, Balaji especially in the morning and said. binary of rural-urban existence,” Kannadasan, Hong Geunyoung, Stalls of the Directorate of is spread across the centre, for said that most public space was evening with local clubs and The artificial turf at says Nideesh, 29, PhD Scholar at Kim Mijin, Park Ja-il and Suh Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and small Koi Carp fishes to swim in. taken by private individuals to private individuals reserving the Thoraipakkam is fully engaged IIT Madras. Sanghee—in a five-week residency the state’s Legal Services Authority There is a stall for the Health and build houses and commercial turf to play weekly and daily, said with children as young as 13 years “In every piece, Ram is “The artists had to make three welcome the visitors at the entrance Family Welfare Department, apartment with urbanization taking an official from Tamil Nadu old learning to play in one of the precisely picking up issues with works at least; The pieces will be opposite to the War Memorial at the showcasing various medicinal place at faster pace. “Government Football Association. best football academies in Tamil political dimensions to them. Once kept at the Dakshin Chitra Museum 46th India Tourist and Industrial herbs and information about the took up the available space to build Arun, a 30-year-old private Nadu. The futsal turf that keep the the artwork is complete, the artist is and sometimes a few pieces are Fair 2020, at the Island Grounds department. Outside its stall, an road and for widening purposes,” official plays Futsal every Tuesday scene alive and provide a place for dead. After that, the art speaks for décor,” said Gita Hudson, a painter here. ambulance, ‘Hospital on Wheels’ is he said. at Gofutsal Velachery with his casual footballers. him. If he were here, it would have and art curator. Most of the stalls at the fair also stationed. In the Tamil Nadu belong to the various departments Fire and Rescue Services stall, of the state governments, such as various types of rope knots that the the Fisheries Department, Chennai fire-fighters use while Metropolitan Development extinguishing fires, their uniform Metro users unaware of Authority and Information and are on display. Some major fires Public Relations Department. that the department fought are also Surender, an official at the put up in pictures. Fisheries Department says, “Our Raju, a visitor to the fair, says, “I free bicycle offer department is a century old, and we have been coming here since I was have been attending the fair since a child. This is a really good place NEIL CORNELIUS its inception. ' to know about the plans, “The common public knows programmes and schemes of the The Rail Limited many things about the revenue and government. The public gets useful (CMRL) has been offering com - the road departments, but they do information.” muters bicycles for free use by the not know about the fisheries At the Youth Welfare and Sports public for more than one and a half department. When they visit this Development Authority, the Kapaleeshwar temple goes green | MAHERA DUTTA years now and yet most metro- stall, they can get to know the trophies won by various state teams goers are either unaware or feel that schemes for fishermen and in sports such as volleyball, the cycles aren’t not useful. beneficiaries from the fisheries athletics and fencing are exhibited; The cycles are given to the peo - sector,” he adds. and at the Tamil Nadu tourism stall, ple for 24 hours over a caution de - In this stall, wooden models of some major tourist destinations of Temple goes green, posit of Rs 3000. A late fee of Rs the various types of fishing boats the state like Kapaleeshwarar 50 per day is deducted from the de - are on display, alongside various Temple.The fair is open from 3p.m posit amount. The deposit is retur - types of fishes like Gourami, to 9 p.m. on all days. ned upon return of the cycle. but streets are dirty Arul Kumar (34), who works at MAHERA DUTTA for the temple garden. Inside the the Metro Station, said that temple, there are bins at every none of the passengers wanted to ’s greatest historical corner along with the availability of use the cycles. Smart bikes available outside the Metro stations treasure, the Kapaleeshwarar clean water. Sweeping, in the State “We have four cycles in this sta - temple, was recently in the news Government administered temple, tion and none of them have been the huge caution deposit,” said Sat - really useful to me. If I’m not using for going “green” with garbage takes place at regular intervals. used even once,” he said. Arul who hish. He also said that there were the metro the next day then I will being segregated and sweepers Sundaram Iyer, a visitor said “The worked at the Ashok Nagar Metro currently six cycles in the Koyam - either have to pay a fine or come cleaning the premises regularly. green temple initiative remains station earlier said that the situation bedu station out of which three cycling all the way to the station But the streets outside the temple much appreciated but is limited in was the same in that station as well. were taken out by commuters who just to drop the cycle off and then are dirty and littered. its scope. A proper segregation of S. Sathish Kumar (32), the sta - paid the deposit. return home by other means.” The drains remain clogged with the waste is not followed by tion controller of the G Karan (22), a student at Guru When asked if the CMRL is plastic bottles and milk packets vendors outside the temple Metro Station, had a different ex - Nanak College, who uses the metro going to scrap the cycle free faci - thrown by vendors and visitors to premises. The visitors also planation for the underuse of these regularly said that he had not heard lity Sathish said that there were no the temple. contribute in littering.” cycles. about the cycles till date since there such plans and that the facility Under the Mission Sunehara Kal Ranga from Adyar said “Many “Since there are very cheap (Rs. weren’t any posters or boards in - would be available for the public to initiative by the ITC, launched by initiatives can be introduced but 10) feeder services to and from the forming people about this facility. make use of whenever they want the Mangaldeep Green Temple, until citizens have a basic civic metro, people do not want to take V Kuberan (19), a student of to. decomposable waste collected in sense, nothing is going to work. It the cycle out in this heat. They are M.G.R University, said “I’ve used Every metro station other than the premises is turned into manure is worse during Panguni festival.” also very apprehensive because of the cycle service once and it isn’t CMBT had these cycles. 46th Industrial & Tourist Fair 2020 | MEGHA MALLICK