Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/12-14 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/12-14 Publication: 15th & 28th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI INSIDE • Short ‘N’ Snappy • Help Corporation Schools • Kilpauk kindles • Four pages on Madras Week • Tamil journalism Vol. XXIII No. 11 MUSINGS September 16-30, 2013 The vanishing story at Ripon Buildings. The annexe built in the 1950s is a joy to behold while the later Vista additions are terrible and falling apart. From the point of view of a eritage buildings, always quick demolition of the erst- property owner not overly con- Han endangered lot in our while Southern Railway book- cerned about heritage, building city, are faced with a new threat ing office, which by any stan- a new structure to hide the old – being hidden behind modern dard was a heritage building makes much sense. The hidden high-rises, built on spaces sur- (but was not in the Padma- building can wither away due to rounding them and originally nabhan Committee report lack of maintenance and even intended to give an approach and so did not qualify as one). collapse, without anyone notic- vista and an impressive setting. There are many more such ing, thereby making space for Thanks to realestate hungry examples. still newer buildings. A tough owners, unimaginative archi- Heritage Conservation Com- There are several reasons tects and an indifferent admin- mittee can choose to object but why new buildings have to be istration, most of the familiar in our case we have a largely hi- built, all understandable – ours heritage structures we know are bernating and comatose com- is a space-starved city, institu- soon going to become lost to mittee, which prefers to look tions need to modernise and view. the other way. We can only require space to grow, etc. We hope for better sense among the Not many of our readers may are not objecting to any of this. owners themselves. The SPCA building hidden by an arch and a new block. be familiar with Moore’s Pavil- What we are concerned about ion, a handsome double storied is the manner in which it is tiled-roof structure that stood being done. It sometimes G by The Editor The mosquito (or probably still stands) behind appears that the new ones are Central Station. Over the years, built only to weaken the older menace all its surrounding space has buildings or at least hide them been built over and it is impos- from view. Secondly, the new ome the rains, and along to trap the mosquito eggs and of a new variety that breeds in sible to even catch sight of it wings are built in styles that do Ccome the mosquitoes. And kill them. A year later came clean water- such as in over- now. Long admired the Quaid- not remotely resemble the heri- they do not proliferate just what was then touted as the head tanks. This caused the e-Milleth Government Arts tage structures thus destroying when it rains, having become a best possible solution and one dreaded dengue fever. The Cor- College as you drove by? A new the delicate fabric of the entire year-long feature. Chennai now that had met with some success poration has now taken on the block is rising fast and is going precinct. Perhaps the only two has the dubious distinction of at what was then the Alandur task of educating the general to hide the old building from exceptions are the new exten- being identified by the National Municipality (now a part of public on the risks of keeping view. The Egmore bungalows sions to the Central Station and Institute for Malaria Research Chennai) – the eco-treatment water stagnant – be it clean or that were residences of the Su- the DGP Buildings on the as an ‘endemic area’ for the ill- sullied. But it is going about it perintendent and other officers Marina. And yet it was not ness. The Union Ministry for in such a slow fashion that it has of the Government Hospital for always like this. The Presidency Health has ranked Tamil Nadu G by A Special hardly made any impact. The Women and Children now College campus has two later as a state with a high incidence move to penalise house owners have several construction additions to the original of dengue – another illness Correspondent who do not cover water tanks, projects on their premises, some Chisholm-designed building. caused by mosquitoes. What sumps and wells has also been so close to the old buildings that The first, done in the 1930s by has the city’s Corporation been lethargic at best. Earlier this windows in the latter are for- Jackson and Barker is so akin to doing about it and, more impor- of sewerage so that it ceases to year, the Mayor launched 150 ever sealed. The CSI Rainey the original that only the clos- tantly, are we citizens doing our support larvae. This too was hand-operated larvicide sprin- Hospital has a new block that, est inspection can detect that it best to help in the battle against given up after some initial dis- klers and 15 fogging machines, true to its name, completely was constructed 70 years later. mosquitoes? cussions. All three schemes, to be used in the various zones. blocks the old building from The next one, close to Tripli- There has been no dearth of praised when considered, failed These are now doing the view. The old Kardyl Building, cane High Road and built in the solutions. In 2009 the great idea in implementation, thereby giv- rounds. Last heard, the Corpo- which has long suffered thanks 1980s in a manner as to block was the introduction of ing us an idea as to how our ration appeared to have given to the Bharat Insurance Build- all side views of the old college gambussia fish, a variety that civic body works. up on mosquitoes – its much- ing built in front, now has a building, is shockingly ugly and, feeds on mosquito larva. In Mosquitoes had all along touted announcement of giving Metrorail structure coming up not surprisingly, the most di- 2010 it was the spreading of been believed to thrive in stag- beside it. Space for the latter lapidated of all the buildings in certain chemicals at strategic nant and dirty water. Then a has been made thanks to the the campus. Similar is the breeding spots. These were said few years ago we came to know (Continued on page 4) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS September 16-30, 2013 Can corporates The Fort where it all began... help improve …thus begins one of the That said, MMM has to he came and rather reluctantly Chief’s magnum opuses (or is confess that the moat and what opened the case. MMM and it opi?) and so whenever any lay below it were really the high group were shocked to know Corporation friend or visitor arrives asking point of the tour. Never again the prices – they were that for the history of the city, The did the group display the same low; the church obviously did Man from Madras Musings enthusiasm as they did when not keep tab of inflation. The takes the person to the Fort. they all speculated about the group, or at least a few from it, schools? And much like the city, MMM provenance of the UFO and bought books and postcards all finds that the Fort too is how it came to be there. of which did not go down too steadily going downhill. It Once inside, MMM had to well with pop-in-charge of the here are 284 Chennai Corporation schools. The Mayor of would not be too much of an explain as to why the whole items, for it meant additional TChennai, Saidai Duraisamy, himself a philanthropist, offers exaggeration to say that the central quadrangle resembled a work for him. free coaching service for IAS. In 2012, 34 candidates from his In- place is now rather shabby and vast unkempt rubbish tip. Cars The Fort Museum had stitute got selected for the Services. So he is only too aware of the gone much to seed. were parked hither and thither, MMM all excited but how was value of education and the need for a strong foundation. He was This impression was only garbage bins overflowed and in he in for a disappointment. receptive to a suggestion of involving large corporates in joining reinforced during MMM’s re- midst of it all was a shop that This must be the only museum hands with the Corporation to upgrade the schools as a pilot cent visit when he, along with sold refrigerated drinks and where the methods of display project at the primary level. a set of partially interested visi- snacks. Those who extended deserve to be kept in museums tors, performed the pilgrimage. patronage to the outlet simply and preserved in amber. With the kind reference from the Corporation, we visited five Rather carried away by the threw wrappers and bottle caps Printed paper stickers, lami- primary schools in and around Kodambakkam. In this part of the sight of the moat and the gates, all over the place. To think that nated boards and rather dirty city the Corporation has 18 schools that offer from primary to MMM made the singular error plastic bottles abounded where cloth curtains flapping in the secondary and higher secondary education.