Our Readers Write

Beautifying the Marina

I read with interest the latest MM newsletter on the above subject.

While we Chennaites would like to beautify and look after the Marina Beach (claimed one of the longest in the world), I think that the overall approach to looking at it has been all wrong. The fundamental lacuna is the failure of all of us including the Corporation and other authorities in terms of our attitude to the beach and looking after its environs.

As long as the public are not properly educated and even coerced througha “Carrot and Stick Approach,” the beach will continue getting dirty and polluted due to sheer public carelessness and apathy. There is no point in deploying all those equipment and technology solutions with mechanical sweepers et al; and the umpteen public initiatives from time to time to periodically clean up the beach through NGOs, school and college students.

What is the point of them all when the very next day, there are hordes of beach visitors who have no compunction of riddling it again with food waste items, plastic bags and with bottles et al? And such folks will claim it their right to sully the beach sands again! But where is their responsibility to the well being of the beach?

It is high time the Corporation authorities and along with other well meaning public bodies like NGOs, schools and colleges all evolve an integrated approach to the whole issue and make building public awareness and bring about an attitudinal change. This is still possible, when we see from another realm of public behaviour how Indore and Surat cities have consistently got top ranks in the National Swach rankings. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Today, whenever we have outstation guests who want to visit the Marina Beach, I refuse and take them all the way to somewhere beyond on the ECR or even up to Mahabalipuram. The beach situation in Chennai is made even worse when one also sees the Adyar Elliots Beach which is another eyesore, to say the least!

As a well meaning citizen of Chennai, I only hope that those concerned will find a permanent, positive and sustained solution to our Marina and Elliot’s Beaches.

I do hope you will be able to give expression to my views here in your subsequent MM newsletter.

Sashi Rao
ksashirao47@gmail.com

On Kalikambal temple

The narration of the origins of Kalikambal temple ( MM, Feb. 1, 2024) was interesting and “more interesting” was the mention of “here say” sources of the story!

Rev. Philip K. Mulley
Anaihatti Road
Kotagiri 643217

The error is sincerely regretted.

– The Editor

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