MM XXVII No. 23.Pmd

Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/18-20 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/18-20 Publication: 1st & 16th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) INSIDE G Short ‘N’ Snappy G Ill-repute no more G The beat of happiness G The eco-tree G Player for the future WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI Vol. XXVII No. 23 March 16-31, 2018 D’Angelis hotel when it was opened. The rear of the hotel building brought to dust in 2018. More heritage ground to dust INTACH and agreed to in toto G by The Editor – As citizens watch helplessly by the High Court. Had this been done, a lot of time would had even graded its state of that it is only the facade of a earlier body evidently still re- lose on the heels of the have been saved, as would maintenance as fair as late as in building that needs to be pro- mains in operation. But in a de- demolition of Binny’s countless heritage structures. C 2006. From then to demolition tected. cade and more of its existence Building on Armenian Street, On the other hand, the Com- within a decade is monstrous to The Heritage Conservation it has done precious little. Man- the old D’Angelis building, mittee is still debating on the say the least. Committee of the CMDA is dated to study and notify the which stood at the corner of best way to identify and list the Rather ironically, it is this wholly to blame for this situa- 400-odd buildings listed as be- Anna Salai and Blackers Road structures and has, when it felt modified exterior that is being tion. Given that the other Heri- ing of heritage value by the has been ground to dust. Those like it, enlisted college students retained after the interiors have tage Committee following the High Court in 2006, it never not so familiar with its past will for assistance. The net result is all gone. This is to comply with passing of the Heritage Act by went about this task. For a start know of it as Bosotto’s or, bet- that ten buildings or so (out of ter still, associate it with the the Government’s interpreta- the Tamil Nadu Assembly in it declined to accept the list that Bata Showroom that func- tion of the High Court order 2010 was never constituted, the had been put together by (Continued on page 6) tioned for long from its ground floor. That it was not in any weakened condition is evident from the fact that it has taken more than a year to bring it State’s Public Health Services need down. That the High Court of Madras listed the structure as NITI Aayog survey, in health centres are not open in Grade 2a in the Justice Acollaboration with the to work better the evenings. It must be said, Padmanabhan committee re- World Bank, published in Feb- ment. By then people have spent pre-project sociological survey however, that as high as 69 per port obviously did not offer any ruary 2018 ranks Tamil Nadu as considerable sums of money ensures that every feature of the cent were satisfied with services protection to it. It just goes to the third best State in India for besides losing valuable time in project recognises the target by doctors. show that the builder-bureau- 2015-16 in terms of medical early detection and timely treat- beneficiaries’ needs, cultural The report of NITI Aayog fo- crat nexus can thwart any legal infrastructure. At the ground ment. Delay could lead to compulsions and habits. cuses on one aspect of health – ruling. There will always be a level, however, results of a complications besides commu- child health, i.e., neo natal mor- way. That the core of the build- grassroot study by an NGO re- tality, under-5 mortality, etc. ing dated to 1906, has also not veals unsatisfactory working This basic aspect of health made any difference. conditions in Primary Health G by A Special Correspondent could well serve as a reliable The exterior of the building Centres and tertiary hospitals. proxy for all other facets of had undergone considerable al- In Tamil Nadu, according to public health. The Study has teration in the hands of several the local study, state-run hospi- nicating the disease to others in The report of the local NGO compiled index numbers for successive owners. But the in- tals are not the first choice for the community. Quite often records that 49 per cent paid performance by States for three terior, apart from sections gut- treatment of TB. In rural areas, what seems like minor features bribes for service, 73 per cent components – Health Out- ted by a fire that invariably especially, three out of five, that have an important bearing on experienced poor/average comes, Key Inputs and Gover- comes to all heritage buildings is, 60 per cent, go to private hos- the usefulenes of the service to drinking water availability, over nance. Based on the index in the city, retained much of its pitals before enrolling in public the beneficiary – example: 45 per cent had to suffer long scores, it has ranked the States. original grandeur. INTACH centres/hospitals for free treat- working hours of the facility. A wait and most said that public (Continued on page 2) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS March 16-31, 2018 Health Services disappoint Of mugs given & taken f late The Man from ders as to how many mugs balls all the shawls, sweaters OMadras Musings is invited would constitute a kilogram of and other woollies that had (Continued from page 1) 56.3 per cent in the State com- to all kinds of events. The ex- baggage. not seen the light of day since pared to a benchmark of 76.9 pression all and sundry would Having come to the conclu- the last time everyone went to The NITI Study assigns per cent in West Bengal. The be the mot juste with emphasis sion that he has been made a Bangalore. The nights are Tamil Nadu an Overall score ease of effecting improvements being on the sundry. MMM mug out of thus far, MMM has pleasant as well and as for the of 63.28 in 2014-15 and 63.38 over a very short period is illus- imagines his position to be taken to asking event day, while it is warming up af- in 2015-16, the two years being trated by Rajasthan’s determi- equivalent to that of an ageing organisers who invite him if ter the harsh and dark winter and waterlogged boot that gets they intend gifting him a mug we had, it is not yet summer. the Base Year and the Refer- nation – from 2.9 per cent in regularly caught in the fishing for his services. And then, not Considering that it is already ence Year respectively. Based 2014-15, they made a sustained nets cast by event organisers. waiting for their response, he mid-March, we are a puzzled on the index score, it is nation- effort and equipped 76.9 per They cast him back into the also makes it clear that he is lot. Heat we understand, but ally ranked second for overall cent of the districts with cardiac waters after their respective not in the market for any mugs all this cold? No way. This is performance in Health and units in one year. Primary events are over so that other and would be glad if they de- Madras, or at least was till we Family Welfare services. Health Centres functioning organisers can then haul him sisted from offering him any took to calling it Chennai. On Health Outcomes, the 24/7, on a norm of one per in. memento. He then proceeds to All over the city, quarrels State fell from 64.04 in the Base 100,000 population, is 35 per Perhaps it is the way MMM list the other items he does not are happening over the tem- Year to 62.56 in the Reference cent of the norm whereas States looks especially when being want – shawls of brocade or any perature in which the air-con- like Assam and Haryana set the photographed that inspires other variety, black lacquer or ditioners are to be set. The Year and is ranked third. these people, for by way of me- silver plated Tanjore plates, majority of our citizens some- On Key Inputs, Tamil Nadu benchmark with 76.9 and 77.6 mento (or momento as MMM papier-mâché figurines, photo how imagine that office spaces scores 78.06 in 2015-16 and is per cent coverage respectively has often seen it spelt in this frames, tinsel filigree garlands need to be at arctic tempera- ranked Number One. Governance of infrastruc- our land), they invariably gift with balls of sandal that leave a tures in summer and oven-like On Governance aspects, no ture determines outcomes. him a coffee mug. MMM now yellow stain on your clothes heat in ‘winter’ (you know the index score could be compiled has a huge collection of these, thereby making you remember Chennai winter – a slight re- Here is only one example of by the Study due to limited data varying in size, design and the event forever… the list is duction in the overall heat). governance deficiencies. The availability, but several indica- overall ghastliness.

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