Left in the drain

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 colony is a model colony in many respects as it was one of the oldest in the area. The problems are persisting for the past six to seven years. Adjacent to the compound wall of the colony, TNHB office is functioning in first floor and below that an office, a number of commercial establishments including a restaurant are functioning. For the commercial establishments, there is no proper drainage system is laid'.
'These establishments (illegally) use the drainage system, which pass through the colony. All the waste is let into the drainage system. It not only affects the free flow of drainage water but also often chokes and as an effect of it, houses in the colony gets inundated with the overflowing drainage water'.
In view of this problem, we held a general body meeting recently and at the meeting it was decided to hold a dharna infront of the TNHB office pressing for an early settlement of the persisting problem, Ratnasingam added.
A resident, who has his flat close to the compound wall and TNHB office, says, 'People coming to the TNHB complex for various purposes, are causing nuisance by using it (a small space kept vacant between the construction area and the compound wall) as a public convenience. The residents nearer to the compound wall are affected by bad odour emanating from that side'.
Another resident added that, their sleep has been disturbed in the last few months, after the opening of a fastfood stall very close to the compound. 'The customers make a nuisance of themselves till late in the night,' he said.
When this reporter tried to reach the executive engineer of TNHB for clarification, no one was available for comment. Will the concerned official take note of the problem?

Take a breath

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 not stop there itself by practicing those exercises at home for his wellness alone. His zeal drove him to master the nuances of it from Hardwar-based organisation, and as a social responsibility, Shah now teaches it free at various centres located in and around the city.
He says he has fully recovered, and helps others get cured from heart related diseases and diabetes through these breath control exercises.
This reporter met Shah at his residence at Anna Nagar a few days ago and asked about the success story. 'It was a rebirth,' says Shah. 'Immediately after that critical surgery, I too thought, it was all over for me, as most of the heart patients are (advised to) spend time at home only. But my will and with the help of pranayam, I have made it'.
Now, I am happy, not just for that recovery I had, but for those all, to whom I have made a difference through the breathing exercises, Shah said.
According to him, the concept of pranayam in short is nothing but practising inhaling and exhaling systematically to attain perfection in keeping sound health. Good health can be achieved by practising pranayam regularly at least once a day for 30 minutes preferably in the morning on an empty stomach having only one glass of warm water. Pranayam can be practiced by all ages from five years onwards.
Shortly after completing formal training and insistence by his fellow friends, Shah started his first free pranayam and yoga classes at the Anna Nagar Tower Park in December, 2004 . Since then, the popularity of his classes has swelled up and now the number of centres in the city has risen to 21. Based on enquiries, Shah plans to open another 30 centres in the city very soon.
After successfully imparting pranayam to the residents of different areas, Shah has embarked to another mission: teaching it to school children. When asked why he is keen to teach pranayam to children, Shah says, 'It has a dual advantage. Children can grasp the concept very effectively and mastering breath control at a tender age does good for their future. By practicing it, they can develop an immunity towards hereditary diseases.'
Many individuals have benefited by pranayam. Diseases and ailments, which have been tough to cure, have been cured with pranayam. For further details about pranayam and for conducting free classes, contact J B Shah at 98404 80345 or D V S Gupta at 98840 48380 or Vijay Khumar at 94443 77014.
Photo available
Exercise and methods
It should be borne in mind that practice of pranayam or the exercise of breathing must be through the nose. That fills the lungs with pure air.
There are three mudras (postures) dhyan mudra, apanvayu mudra and vayumudra generally practised during pranayam. One can choose any one of these mudras. One must be relaxed and enjoy the process. It helps the body to get good oxygenated blood and improved blood circulation.

Easing out the strain

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) Road is also relaid, and we have two good options to reach our homes without any hassle, he added.
Deepak, a student with Kandasamy Naidu College and a resident of Retteri, said, 'Earlier, to reach college on time, I used to start before an hour. But it has been reduced to just 20 minutes'. 'See, how a small restriction has made our lives easy,' he added.
But the same restriction, which was well received by the motorists, has turned out to be a big problem for heavy vehicle drivers. Mithu Singh, a resident of Kambar Colony and driver of a container lorry service, said, 'The new restriction has added pressure on our travelling schedule. If some delivery has to be made from Andhra Pradesh to Anna Nagar, and if the vehicle reaches Madavaram by 9 am, I've to wait till night time to get into the city. By wasting so much time, we tend to incur losses on our companies.'
Like every action has both positive and negative impact, the new rule too has both. What is good for motorists are bad for the container lorry drivers.
By and large, the traffic snarl, which has become a regular occurrence near Padi Junction, has now become a thing of past.
-G Saravanan

Hall soon for Anna Nagar

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

brought to the notice of the local MLA and State Electricity

Minister by a resident while the Minister was speaking at a

function in Valliammal College for Women. It was at that time,

the Minister had assured to the gathering that the issue would be

taken up with the Chief Minister soon.
Meanwhile, the same issue was again highlighted by the residents

during a face-to-face meeting organised by the Exnora Club of

Anna Nagar a month ago. During that meeting, the Mayor, in

another programme a week after Arcot N Veerasamy's, gave further

assurances to the residents on the hall.
So, going by indications, the dream of Anna Nagarites of having

an auditorium like P T Thiyagaraya Hall at Anna Nagar would no

longer be a dream, but a reality.
-G Saravanan

Auditorium for Anna Nagar soon: Mayor

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 place near L Block which houses a public library

would be a right choice, while another proposed a spot at W Block. The Mayor has consented both of them and said

suitable place would be selected.
Exnora Cub secretary I V Sashikumar, said around 55 petitions have been collected from the residents and handed over

to the Mayor for future course of action.
Outlining some of the complaints to the Mayor, Sashikumar said most of the residents have highlighted three major

problems in the area: An auditorium for public programmes, public convenience on Second Avenue (shopping nerve

centre), as the whole stretch of nearly two kilometres does not have even a single public convenience, and the third one is

about the arrest of mosquito menace in the area by timely desliting Cooum river and Otteri Nullah'.
Besides residents' complaints, the Club wanted revival of the bi-monthly meeting with Corporation officials, which was

abruptly stopped, and trimming of avenue trees at Anna Nagar, as it blocked beams of street lights. The Mayor assured

them that decision would be taken after consulting with officials on these issues soon.
Councillors P K Sekar, Ward 64, Pushpalatha Jayashankar, Ward 66, R Elumalai, Ward 67 and Vasantha Paramasivam, Ward 68, and Exnora International founder M B Nirmal, attended the meet.
Purpose behind more visits
During the meet, the Mayor jokingly said, 'Many in the city are wondering why the Mayor accepts more and more appointments per day even after knowing that he cannot make it to all programmes on time. My answer for those critics is, whenever I make a visit ( though very late) to a part of the city, the area and its adjacent streets would be spruced. On a single day, I attend morethan five programmes and more that 50 streets get a facelift.

"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 incidents involving tribal people have defeated the tall claim of Admnistration that tribal are in the safe hands of AAJVS. If the factor safety was something really existing, how, could a person enter into the "Basera" home and pour petrol and set ablaze the poor women.
It is a matter of shame that the facilities and monetary assistance which are sanctioned by GOI and which are supposed to be distributed among these tribal people are being looted away by the Administration authorities. And these poor tribe people are not even provide even the basic need of security and care.

Samir Acharya adds,


The tragic incident that took place in Adi Basera on Saturday last once again calls our attention to the following:
a) That the Administration is not too concerned about visits of non-tribals to the members of PTGs, unless the visitor happens to be a journalist.
b) Adi Basera was a Guest House for PTGs since long. It was declared a protected tribal reserve only after a lady correspondent of NDTV interviewed Lichu and Nu at Adi Basera and NDTVs broadcast of the damaging interview.
C) Adi Basera is guarded throughout the day but not at night, presumably because the journalists do not normally try to interact with PTGs at night.
d) There was no guard at Adi Basera that night, although Nu's son was sleeping in another room. The main building was under repair and as such other tribals were not present. Reportedly the miscreant regularly visited Nu in Adi Basera at night.


Even for the Jarawas the Administration's Efforts stop with religiously publishing to cease and desist from taking tourists into the tribal reserves and allowing interactions


--
Society for Andaman & Nicobar Ecology
P.B.No. 63
Middle Point
Port Blair-744101
A & N Islands

Ph: (03192) 232929, 234624
Fax:(03192) 236014

Faulty entry in NSS

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 year, he got an assurance from the officials concerned that things would be sorted out this year and from next year onwards, there would not be any problem with the calculations. But it still continues.Upset over the Postal Department's callous attitude, Ramachari spoke to News Today a few days ago.'Just tell me what is computerisation? Was it for miscalculation and revaluation?', he asks angrily. His point of contention was right. When the officials said that all the interest calculations were computerised, how could the difference in interest calculation arise? Valid question indeed. Ramachari says, 'I was surprised that the Postal Department cannot calculate simple interest accurately and maintain an NSS account properly'. 'Regarding the issue, every year since 2001, I spoke to the person in-charge at Park Town HPO, but nothing was done. Normally, interest for the amount deposited in National Savings Scheme is credited annually on 1 April. Whenever I seek credit-entry at Anna Nagar East post office, they ask me to submit the passbook. Once the statement of interests reached them from Park Town HPO, they enter the figures and return the passbook to me'. The problem starts here. 'When I verified the figures, I found it inaccurate. So, I approached the Anna Nagar East post office. They advised me to go to Park Town directly, so that things could be sorted out at once, as the accounts were maintained by them. It is painful for a person like me, being a heart patient to climb three floors. Initially, the officer incharge would argue with me citing those interest calculations are computerised, so there was less chances of an error. After my detailed explanation, he got convinced and asked me to come after 10 days. I have to visit once again to get the correct figures entered.'When contacted, a Postal Department official attached to the Anna Nagar post office said, 'It is the problem with the official concerned. Every interest calculation is made only on the figures provided to them, and any sort of manipulation is very difficult at their level.' When asked about whether they get such type of complaints from depositors, he said, 'we get very few complaints, but this case is seems to be very peculiar'.