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TINA

There Is No Alternative

Margaret Thatcher’s oft-used phrase was never more appropriate than it is today in our city.
It is time to stop blaming the authorities, the neighbours, the traffic or pointing fingers at other such contributors to the general mess. It is time to take responsibility for our own mess – TINA.
Residents of this beautiful city of Chennai that was Madras have to take ownership of its problems, and join together in a crusade to say ENOUGH! The rot stops here!

This is best done through co-operation with neighbours in manageable groups – Residents’ Associations (RAs).

There are a number of areas that do have well-functioning, active RAs. They need to up the ante by refining what they are already doing. And the rest need to learn from them and follow suit.

At 4th Street, Abhiramapuram, we have initiated the process of forming an RA. The response so far has been very encouraging. Flyers giving a broad outline of our initiative were personally delivered by a core group of us to each household, and a tear-off with contact details was collected. This will help form a database for future communication.

The obvious first step is to deal with garbage disposal. Beginning with a simple 3-bin segregation. With the help of Ramky (garbage collectors in this area), we hope to considerably reduce the quantity of garbage that reaches the landfills.

Other concerns, like roadside trees, pavements, RWH systems, reduction of plastic usage, a session for domestic workers and other ideas, will soon be taken up for action.

Our plan is to have an informal inauguration some time in August, as a tribute to Madras Week. The plan is to have the local MLA and some other concerned powers present, so that the lines of communication are opened up.

Formal registration of an Association will be done a few months down the line, when our working is more defined.

If more areas in the city follow suit, a uniform system can be set up, which will hopefully benefit all residents and the city itself.

Do write in if you can do this in your area. Keep the number of households manageable (about 200-250). We can then network, hold a seminar to bring our ideas to a common table, and involve the service providers and others who work in allied fields in a meaningful dialogue.

Chennai-ites – our city needs us. Let us be there for her.

Sushi Nataraj
Chennai Heritage
Sushi_1952@yahoo.co.in

Fires in Govt. departments

Besides Neal Baker’s article (MM, July 1st, 2017), the authorities and the general public should read The Economist of London (June 24th) for three articles on the Grenfell Tower fire in London and the causes of similar fires all over theworld.

When I was with the Ministry of Urban Development in Delhi in 1990, I learnt to my horror that more about 300 fires had taken place in government buildings, including the famous Vigyan Bhavan, during summer every year. Hope Grenfell will teach us to use the proper material the proper way.

Dr. G. Sundaram, ias (rtd.)
A-601, Dugar Apartments
Keshav Perumal Puram
Greenways Road
Chennai 600 028

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