Saravanan's Blog

When Chennai Mayor M Subramanian could order renovation of big parks like Tower Park at Anna Nagar and Thiru Vi Ka Park at Shenoy Nagar, why this step-motherly treatment meted out to smaller parks in the locality? This question haunts residents of L Block and Kambar Colony, which have a children's park and a playground respectively, but both in a shambles for over a year now. After receiving complaints from residents in this connection, our reporter visited the places and spoke to a few residents. Kumar, a fifth standard student of a local school, said, 'In school, everyone from the physical education teacher to the principal insist upon us to spend time in parks for fresh air. But the park which is close to my house at L Block is more or less in dilapidated condition and I risk getting infected with diseases if I visit or play there.' 'The park at L Block is in such a state that no one can go anywhere near it to have fun. It is sad,' another boy said. 'The...

The tussle between TNHB office complex, Thirumangalam, and the residents of Asiad Colony, over illegal use (according to residents) of drainage service by the former, is reaching flash point as the residents plan to stage a protest pressing their demands. The residents say that the board, for its commercial interests, is creating an adverse environment near the peaceful and well-maintained residential colony. It may be noted that several weeklies carried a news item about the issue a year ago. The TNHB officials then held talks with the residents and promised to solve the problem as early as possible. Things were smooth for a few months. But the same problem of drainage overflow at the Asiad Colony has again started and strained the relationship between the two. Speaking to this reporter Ratnasingam, president of Asiad Colony Flat Owners' Welfare Association, said, 'We want a permanent solution to this problem. Asiad Colony has 312 flats with a population of about 3000. The co...

Most people after a bypass surgery or a serious illness are afraid to return to an active life, they say they are not able to keep up with others. But that does not seem to be the case. Take 75 year-old J B Shah, he is a real turnaround. Shah, who had under gone a critical bypass surgery almost three years ago and advised to stay indoors has shown that one can bounce back to a new life. 'They only have to practise pranayam,' he said. Today not only is he back to his normal way of life, he also helps many shape their lives without problems. It is a sort of 'giving back to society' says J B Shah. He was a busy man once, Shah could not able to sit idle at home after the surgery, found a new lease of life. While convalescing, he came to know that pranayam, ( breath control) would help him a lot in recuperation and it would even make him fit to venture outside. So, he gathered all information about it through a popular television show, broadcast in the mornings. He did no...

A traffic restriction, which came into force from the first week of this month on the movement of heavy vehicles on the National Highway-4, has (relatively) eased congestion on several roads including the busiest stretch in the locality, Koyambedu Roundtana to Padi junction. After the introduction of the restriction, motorists are a lot happy. As movement of heavy goods vehicles and container-laden trailers are prohibited both ways on National Highway 4 (Chennai to Bangalore) from the junction of Chennai Bypass (Maduravoyal junction) to the Madhavaram flyover junction (on NH 5) between 8 am and 9 pm. Narendran, a resident of Korattur, said, 'After the introduction of this restriction, traffic on this stretch has become smooth. Earlier, it was so terrible that many motorists bound for Korattur and Ambattur areas started using the 'not-so good' Park Road, Anna Nagar West Extension, to reach TVS Lucas junction to avoid getting stuck at Padi Junction.' 'Now that (Park)...

Here comes good news for Anna Nagar residents who have expressed and persistently advocated for a multi-purpose hall at Anna Nagar. On 2 August, Chennai Mayor M Subramanian along with a team of officials visited Anna Nagar and identified a suitable location for the hall and ordered the officials to speed up the process to set it up. Confirming the spot identified for this project, Assistant Commissioner of Zone-V M Krishnamurthy told this reporter that 'a vacant plot of around 90 grounds in A Block, located near the local MLA office and Crescent Park, has been identified as the place for constructing the multipurpose hall'. According to sources in the Corporation, the Mayor had ordered his officials to complete the 'survey and layout' works within a month. It may be noted that the need for such hall at Anna Nagar, the one like P T Thiyagaraya Hall at T Nagar, has been felt for quite sometime now. A few months ago, for the first time the issue over the hall was br...

Accepting one of the main demands of the residents of Anna Nagar, Chennai Corporation Mayor M Subramanian has ordered speeding up the process of identifying a location for a multipurpose auditorium at Anna Nagar. He was speaking at a face-to-face meet with the residents of Anna Nagar, organised by the Exnora Club of Anna Nagar last week at Jaigopal Garodia Vivekananda Vidyalaya. More than 150 representatives of block associations and residents welfare associations attended the meet. It may be noted that the area did not have such a hall: the CMDA had not provided for it when it planned this part of the city four decades ago. The Mayor said, 'Most of the representatives have asked for an auditorium. And we also feel that an auditorium is very much needed here to conduct various public programmes, as Anna Nagar holds numerous programmes either by the residents associations or clubs throughout a month'. A few residents have suggested places for the proposed hall; One was a pla...

"A MAN SETS ABLAZE AN ABORIGINAL TRIBAL WOMAN" Aspect (REPRO) Port Blair, July, 2 IN an incident that took place on Saturday at Port Blair, an woman of Great Andamnese tribal community was set ablaze after pouring petrol by a local man named Dayanand, S/O. Bharat, who is a group "C" employee in APWD. This incident took place at the "Basera" Nivas , which is the stay home for Great Andamanese tribal people here. The woman named Nu, W/o. Pege has sustained 60% burn all over the body and is admitted in the G.B. Pant Hospital;. The police has arrested the culprit behind the incident. A vigilant citizen, who saw the tribal lady at the hospital, as questioned whether the Administration is really serious in extending security & care t the aboriginal tribal people here. The said incident has exposed the level of care , the Administration is giving towards the poor aboriginal tribal people, particularly women of the community. This incident and the past inciden...

The question of who is to be blamed for errors and miscalculations of interests and subsequent faulty closing balances on National Savings Scheme (NSS) deposits haunts M S Ramachari, an elderly resident of J Block, Anna Nagar.Ramachari, who retired from a reputed private firm, had opened two NSS accounts, ANE-20453 and ANE-20454 when the scheme was first introduced, at Anna Nagar East post office. One account was in his wife's name and the other in his name. These accounts were maintained and controlled by Park Town HPO. But, his NSS passbook, which was supposed to be neat (without additions and deletions) in terms of interest entries, looks like a revalued mathematics answer- sheet. The 'revaluation' had begun in 2001, well after computerisation in Postal Departments, and still continues on his passbook. For the last seven years, since the problem began, he had paid many visits to Park Town HPO near Ripon Buildings to get the figures corrected. During his visit every yea...

Repro (Article)By Sai SilpMay 28, 2007 Researchers say there may be as many as 200,000 North Korean refugees living illegally in China, Laos and Burma, and many of them are waiting for an opportunity to enter Thailand to seek political asylum. Tomoharu Ebihara, a Japanese lecturer at Payap University in Chiang Mai who is a volunteer with a Tokyo-based aid group, Life Funds for North Korean Refugees, says there is no way to know for certain how many refugees have fled North Korea, but Thailand is a destination of choice, because of its humane treatment of all political refugees. He said that a typical North Korean refugee will live in China for three or four years in order to earn enough money to make the crossing into Thailand. In 2006, about 900 North Koreans were arrested for illegal entry into Thailand and are now in custody. Most entered through Chiang Rai Province or the northeast. Almost all will be sent to South Korea. Thailand is a favorite destination because of its commitmen...

World Book and Copyright Day is being celebrated on 23 April to give due importance to books. It is United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (UNESCO) aim to promote reading and copyright laws. But in the Indian context, it seems withering, with the 'pirates' unscrupulously invading the industry by 'dumping' pirated books and siphoning off revenues meant for the original publishers. In connection with the World Book Day, News Today spoke to Gandhi Kannadasan, president of the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), on various issues related to books and importance of copyright for writers and publishers. Kannadasan said, 'First of all, for bookworms and any serious readers, every day is Book Day. Books are as good as our father's and mother's, who nurture good values in us with their guidance so also, books which nourish us with good thoughts'. Seeking celebrations for the day, Kannadasan says, 'For...

How about a return of historical artefact? Though the Tamilnadu government had announced year-long celebration of the 2550th maha parinirvanam of Lord Buddha in February this year, it would be more apt and befitting if the government could bring back the copper plate inscribed with details of Chudamani Viharai (Buddha temple) built in Nagapattinam in 1008 AD by the then Chola king Rajendra -I but are now in Leiden city in Holland, where it is kept in a museum. In this regard, News Today spoke to V Nagasundaram, secretary of Anna Nagar Tamil Peravai and Anna Nagar Tamil Sangam, who has an indepth knowledge about the issue. He says, 'If steps were taken in the right direction to bring back the inscription record (copper plates) and place it back after renovating Chudamani Viharai, importance of Nagapattinam would increase, and in other words, it would bring a good number of tourists there'. According to South Asian history between 985 AD and 1014 AD, when the great emperor Raja R...

REPRODUCTION OF NEWS 'I am still fit enough to play for India' Indian hockey has plumbed to new depths. The team's performances in recent times has been abysmal, to say the least. Controversy over various matters, including team selection has cropped up now and then. Veteran star Dhanraj Pillay, who has figured in three Olympic Games and has represented the country in over 400 matches, today took a dig at the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) top brass saying 'the IHF president K P S Gill and secretary K Jothikumaran ruined my career and that he was still fit enough to play for India. Speaking to the media after presenting awards to meritorious students of Velammal School (West), who brought laurels to their school by participating in national and international-level competitions, he said, 'the duo (Gill and Jothikumaran) had been instrumental in bringing down the standard of Indian hockey to new levels, as a result of which the team needs to go through qualifying tour...

Public audience by LG Port Blair, Jan 16 The Lt. Governor will be holding public audience on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 3.30 to 4.30 pm whenever he is available in station, a communication from the Secretary to Lt. Governor said here today. Baby show at ITF Port Blair, Jan 16 As part of the ongoing activities during Island Tourism Festival a ‘healthy baby show’ for 6 months to 5 years age group of children will be held at 2.00 pm in the Island Tourism Festival (ITF) ground organized by the Directorate of Health Services, tomorrow (Jan 17). Interested parents/ guardians have been asked to bring their children alongwith birth certificate & immunization cards for participation in the show at the venue, a communication said here today. Rs. 10/- Fee under RTI Act Port Blair, Jan 16 The fee to be deposited alongwith application for obtaining information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 will now be Rs. 10/- instead of Rs. 25/- earlier . Such fee is to be paid...

It was a joyous day last week, when 23 meritorious sports persons of Velammal School, who represented Tamilnadu and India in various disciplines and sports. The chief guest was none other than Kapil Dev, who brought laurels to our country by winning the Cricket World Cup in the 80s. As expected, the 'Haryana Hurricane' won the hearts of the students. And when the moment came to award scholarships to the students (to the tune of Rs 15 lakh), Dev started with a catchy phrase, 'I love you all and I love Chennai.' He was right, as students bestowed him with such a warm welcome. In his motivational speech, Dev advised the students to be honest and perfect, 'that is the straight route to success.' To a question raised by a student about how to orient them to a single sport, he said, 'Every student should try all kinds of sports, as no one knows what he or she has in store. After identifying the sport which the student likes most, start proper training til...

Raising a stink 'The administration will never let anything good to continue.' That was what every other family in Anna Nagar said and Talk and spoke to all of them over the past two weeks. They were justifiably angry. For, after four years garbage clearance, which was privatised in about 25 wards out of 52 in Ambattur Municipality is facing rough weather due to lack of dumping place at Athipet. The scheme kicked off in 2002 with great enthusiasm Since then houses and apartments in Ambattur Municipal area have grown multifold. Figures show that 150-200 tonnes of garbage is generated every day. Private operators clear 90-100 tonnes. Taking into account the enormous volume, the Ambattur Municipality bought 18 acres at Kalli Kuppam and the Avadi municipality 10.45 acres. Both municipalities were using this place, but now the local residents objected to Ambattur garbage being brought to Avadi. The officials were in a fix, so they identified another 22 acres at Pamm...