Poor helps Poor

By Tuesday evening the downpour which had continued incessantly for the last 24 hours began to flood the roads of Chennai.Quality of life in Chennai over the last week depended on your household income and house’s location both. While some patches of Chennai – including the upper-income were not able to maintain reasonably continuous electricity coverage, everything  continue to be in the dark , according to city officials. On the other hand, ordinary white candles, normally sold for Rs.5 to Rs.10 apiece, retailed for a little over Rs.50, with shopkeepers warning that prices would skyrocket over Rs.80 in the coming days. These prices put them squarely out of reach of the impoverished. Now after the rain has stopped there are lot of rehabilitation work going on ,take a look at few places which were least affected.

Montieth road which is one of the most sought after place in chennai is known for its restaurants and road side food. " there was no much water stagnation in this road , i had my shop open on that day (dec 1) and as a part of my contribution i supplied free food my my stall" says prakash a bread omelet stall owner .

The rapidly rising prices of essential commodities hits the city’s middle class in unexpected ways as well. The widespread power outages downed the payment machines of most retail stores, restaurants and hotels.

Vestin park , a three star Hotel in montieth road did not provide any releief and rehabiltation work for the affected people . whereas small stalls in the same road has given free food packets (sandwhiches ) for the affected areas . 

 

Lock Nagar : lock nagar slum  is a huge area of around 300 to 500 people with no proper integral facilities and the problem of sanitation they faced last year is now an least affected area from flood.

" Rehabilitation and Resettlement in tenements in nearby locations with necessary infrastructure is taken up, the government is now building housing board for us and the place is not affected due to rains as there is koovum nearby ". the most highlighting factor was these good souls who already with a small house in the slum provided shelter to the other unaffected  areas in the nearby slum.

A private group of youngsters volunteered and organized for a Measles Vaccine camp here in Alwarthiru nagar, South Chennai.  Parents having children from the age group of nine months to 15 years can get their children vaccinated. This camp will continue to function till the target numbers achieved.

So…. we can be proud to be an Indian and more proud to be a Chennaivasi.

Cleaning and sanitation work of the deluge on full fledge in Adayar: residents feel otherwise

The deluge that struck on Chennai last week has sedimented with lot of wastes in the well known posh locality. As the damage has been done and the disaster is no longer a threat the government of Tamil Nadu became quick on his feet to reconstruct the damage caused by the deluge.

Today the government went on full swing by bringing in buyount fitted with JCB to clean the infamous Adayar River.

With the Possibility of epidemic at door, the sanitation department brought contract workers to spray disinfectants on the stagnated waters.

speaking to us Mr. Sugumar one of the contract workers said “i am from Tanjore and have been doing this job from this Monday and we are yet to cover a lot of places as the disaster has spoiled a lot.”

A resident from the neighbourhood Mr.Satish complained that the authorities are not reacting quickly to the woes of the residents.

With a look around the neighbourhood for minutes it has become evident that satish is not the only one with this reaction.

One of the contract workers also complained that the residents are grabbing them by hand to help them in bringing their beloved homes back to habitual.

   

The corporation workers are joined with volunteers across the city the restoration of the city back to its feet is going to take a few months at hand

Chennai floods has crashed not only the houses but also lives of people

12, December 2015

The rain that started on November that continued till the month end due to the raise of water in large reservoir, which caused heavy flooding in major parts of Chennai. The South Cooum River road, Pudupet has been badly affected and houses was been washed out due to the raise in water in Cooum.

Mrs. Kala who is a resident of that area around 15 years says, this is the third flood that took away their homes. She says the water level raised suddenly at 2:00am in midnight so they were not able to save any things and households. Before they could even realize the water rushed into the hunts so they were able to move only people to safer place.

There are around 600 hunts in the banks of Cooum which has been badly affected due to this flooding. They say no prior information was given by the government or by the area counselor to move out or find a safe shelter. If they had been informed they would have atleast saved their belongings says Mrs.Fathima who lives there around 6 years.

When flood came in her husband who is a physically challenged was stuck in water and there was nobody even to rescue him says Fathima. All youngsters residing there helped people vacate from houses and they have been temporarily made to stay in a Stadium backside to police quarters. Food was provide for first three days from Dec 1 by government but after that nobody even visited them says, Kala.

So far no rehabilitation work has been done by the government or by the area counselor who refused to even meet them says another resident. There are kids, elderly people who are suffering without food, no proper cloths and even shelter.

The government has not taken any efforts to even help people clean their houses which if filled with muddy water and insects. The drainage water has entered in all most all huts bringing in snakes and other small reptiles. So they are not able to stay there after dusk and prefer to stay in stadium at night times.

“The day-to-day work has been badly affected and even school children are not able to go because they don’t have uniform” says a mother carrying her 7 year old daughter in hand. “I don’t know what to do for earning even my shop has been washed away” says Kala who owns an idly shop on road side.

They all wanted government to help them move out of that place to nearby area which could be help full for them where all facilities provided like school and hospitals.

South Cooum Main road

Damaged hunts on banks of Cooum

YOUTUBE LINK:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tCW0ACDGic

கண்ணகி நகரில் வீடு கொடுத்தால் போதும்

புதுபேட்டை டிச.14 : சமீபத்திய மழை வெள்ளத்தால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட தென் கூவம் சாலைக்கு சென்றதும் சோர்வடைந்த முகத்துடன் அடுத்து என்ன செய்யப்போகிறோம் என்ற கவலையுடன் சாலை ஓரத்தில் அமர்ந்து இருந்தார், உமா. அவர்களிடம் சென்று என்னை அறிமுகம் செய்து கொண்டதும் மழை வெள்ளத்தால் ஏற்பட்ட இழப்புகள் பற்றி கேட்டதும் கலங்கிய கண்களுடன் விவரிக்க தொடங்கினார்.

“ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு முன்னால் பெய்த மழையின் போதே எங்கள் வீடுகளுக்குள் மழை வெள்ளம் வந்து விட்டது. ஆனால் அப்போது சேற்றை வாரி போட்டுவிட்டு வாழ தொடங்கிவிட்டோம். அதோடு மழை நின்று விட்டது என்று எண்ணியிருந்த போது அடுத்த மழை பேரிடியாக அமைந்தது எங்களுக்கு. கடந்த 1ஆம் தேதி போது பெய்த கனமழையின் காரணமான அன்றிரவு எங்கள் வீட்டுக்குள் வெள்ளம் வர தொடங்கியது. எனக்கு கணவர் இல்லை நானும் எனது நான்கு மகன்களும் அந்த மின்சாரம் இல்லாத இரவு நேரத்தில் எங்கு செல்வது என்று தெரியாமல் நடுரோட்டில் நின்றோம். பின் அருகிலுள்ள போலிஸ் கோட்ரசில் தங்க இடம் கொடுத்தனர்.

எங்கள் வீடு கூவம் நதிக்கு மிக அருகில் இருப்பதால் முதலிலேயே பாதிக்கப்பட்டது. மண் அரிப்பு ஏற்பட்டு கூரை மொத்தமாக சரிந்து விட்டது. வீட்டில் இருந்த எந்த பொருளையும் எடுக்க முடியவில்லை. என்னுடைய பர்சில் வைத்திருந்த என்னுடைய மகனகளின் அடையாள அட்டைகள் மட்டுமே தற்போது என்னிடத்தில் உள்ளது. மேலும் எங்களுக்கு அரசாங்த்திலிருந்து எவ்வித நிவாரணமும் கிடைக்கவில்லை. வெள்ளம் வந்த பிறகு மூன்று நாட்கள் மட்டும் அரசு உணவு கொடுத்தது. அதுவும் சுகாதாரம் இல்லாமலே இருந்தது. பொதுவாக காலையில் பொங்கல் கொடுப்பார்கள். அதில் பெரும்பாலும் புழு இருக்கும். மேலும் உப்பு இருக்காது. மதியம் கொடுக்கும் உணவில் உப்பு அதிகமிருக்கும். கேட்டால் காலையில் உப்பு இல்லததுக்கு இப்போது உப்பு சேர்த்து போட்டிருக்கோம். உங்களுக்கு இதை தருவதே அதிகம் என்று அலட்சியமாக பதில் வரும்.

இந்த மழைக்கு முன்னரே கண்ணகி நகரில் எங்களுக்கு வீடு தருவதாக பேசிகொண்டனர். ஆனால் அது வெறும் பேச்சோடு நின்று விட்டது. மழைக்கு பின்னரும் அது பற்றி பேச்சி வரவில்லை மாறாக எங்களுக்கு தாம்பரம் தாண்டி வீடு தருவதாக கூறுகிறார்கள். நான் இதே ஏரியாவில் வீதியில் காய்கறி வியாபாரம் செய்து வருகிறேன். மேலும் என்னை போன்றே மற்றவர்களும் இங்கு சுற்றி இருக்கும் இடத்திலேயே வாழ்வாதாரம் கொண்டுள்ளனர். மேலும் எங்கள் பிள்ளைகளும் அருகிலுள்ள பள்ளிகூடங்களிலேயே படித்து வருகின்றனர். எனவே எங்களுக்கு சென்னைக்கு வெளியே வீடு கொடுத்தால் என்ன செய்வது என்று தெரியாமல் இருக்கிறோம். எங்களது வாழ்வாதரமும் எங்களது பிள்ளைகளின் படிப்பும் முற்றிலுமாக பாதிப்படையும். எனவே எங்களுக்கு கண்ணகி நகரில் வீடு கொடுத்தால் போதும்.

நான் எப்போதும் என் கடைக்கு தேவையான காய்கறிகளை பிராட்வேயில் தான் வாங்குவேன். அதுபோலவே கண்ணகி நகரிலிருந்து பஸ் பிடித்து வந்து பொருட்களை வாங்கிய பின் இங்கே வந்து எனது பிழைப்பை பார்த்து கொள்வேன். கணவர் இல்லாமல் எனது பிள்ளைகளை படிக்க வைப்பது என்பது மிகவும் கடிமான ஒன்று. அப்படியும் என் ஒருத்தி சம்பாத்தியத்தில் 4 பிள்ளைகளை படிக்க வைத்து வருகிறேன். அரசாங்த்தின் மூலம் எவ்வித நிவாரண பணிகளும் எனக்கு கிடைக்கவில்லை. இரண்டு நாட்களுக்கு முன் வந்து குடிசை விழுந்ததை பற்றி விசாரித்து விட்டு சென்று விட்டனர். தன்னார்வ தொண்டு நிறுவனங்கள் தான் எங்களுக்கு உதவி செய்து வருகின்றனர். நேற்று கூட சிலர் வந்து பாதிக்கப்பட்ட குடிசைகளை சுத்தம் செய்ய உதவினர். நாங்கள் தற்போது இருக்கும் சூழலில் இப்போதே கிளம்பி கண்ணகி நகர் போக சொன்னாலும் போய்விடுவோம். எங்களிடம் எந்த வித உடைமைகளும் இல்லை. எனவே அரசு எங்களுக்கு உதவி செய்ய முன் வரவேண்டும்”.

Lakhs of garbage still around the city

Goutham Prasad

Junks of home appliances, mattresses, and damaged by the floods are part of garbage littering the cities on roads. Lakhs of tones of garbage lies across the city, the amount that  the metropolis generates daily is less. Most of the workers have cleared only in few areas of garbage in 1 week. 

The corporation employees still working only in affected areas but still in these areas the people are dumping the garbage and few of the employees have health issues said by dinesh.

About minimum 10,000 workers, and tipper Lorries, including those brought in from other districts, are toiling on the streets even as more are expected to join the operation in few days.

In fact several workers live in slums along river the side. "Many of them are unable to report to work," said a civic official. The civic body has asked private firm which collects garbage from the sadipet, jafferkhanpet, Teynampet, Kodambakkam and Adyar zone, to deploy additional workers for the huge task.

Clearing the additional garbage washed on to the streets from flooded houses is the bigger problem. "Streets are filled with garbage’s like eatable items, mattresses, pillows and nothing has been cleared yet. Even few volunteers from various places also cleared up the waste or garbage materials and have put bleaching powder too. 

People don't know what to do with them either," said by Jafferkhanpet resident  jayan.  Residents of some of the worst-affected areas like Velachery, and Kotturpuram do not know what to do with household goods and they have dumped them on the streets and few at main roads either.

Chennai keeps diseases at bay!

Preetha Shankar

After severe spells of rain flooded most of the the city and large parts of the State, Chennai and areas surrounding the city is slowly getting back to normalcy. Subways, hospitals, roads got flooded and entire localities were underwater for the better part of the week.

Even as water recedes after isolating Chennai for a week, the metro is staring at huge mounts of debris and waste that threatens to trigger disease outbreaks. Authorities and volunteers are working overtime to disinfect streets and homes and prevent any epidemic that could follow a flood.

The government said no such disease has been reported so far but efforts are being taken on a war footing to face any emergency. Almost a ton of waste has been disposed of from the city.

Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said each family will be given half kilo bleaching powder to disinfect their surroundings and 20 chlorine tablets to purify drinking water. the government is distributing 2000 ton bleaching powder and 1 crore chlorine tablets. 

“So far, we have no large-scale incidence of fever and diarrhoea, two conditions that we are expecting at this stage,” explains a senior health department official. The proven protocol in such circumstances is a combination of surveillance and prevention activities, watching out for the outbreak of diseases and ensuring that the factors that contribute to it are removed.

Several doctors, who screened patients in various parts of Chennai, said the city is so far free from any major disease. “Health situation is completely under the control. Other than usual fever and skin infections, no major cases were reported today. Some of the medicines, including ointments for infections, were also made available from Tuesday,” said a senior government doctor who has screened over 500 patients. 

Meanwhile, most of Chennai has bounced back to life. Citizens were going about their lives as if nothing had happened. Transport and communication facilities have been restored. Electricity is back but for a few places.

December deluge causes extensive damage

M.Sowmiya

Chennai, 14 Dec 2015: The past few days saw unprecedented incidents unfolding in the neighbhourhood. The deluge, many say, has caused resonable damage to the locality but Royapettah withstand it all.

Though few resedential areas escaped the wrah of nature, most of the low lying areas were inundated causing huge loss to people. The neighbourhood may be limping back to normal but not everything is okay. Many residents affected by flooding still face hardship as waste dumped on the side of roads. Debris from receding flood waters has left many in discomfort. Plastic covers, broken tree branches, abandoned footwear, snapped cables litter several parts of the area.

“There is so much garbage in the area that I feel nausted everytime I pass by. Broken roads are a problem as it is difficult to travel with all the bumps and potholes. Uprooted tress block pavements making it hard for pedestrains. Walkers are forced to use the slushy roads”, says Hariharan, a resident.

Driving in this area has become a nightmare, especially at night, as most streetlights and traffic signals on the main and interior roads remain dysfunctional. Commuters claim that the authorities concerned are yet to get the lights and signals repaired, even in areas where water has receded.

“It  is dangerous to travel on these roads due to poor visibility. Most stretches are filled with potholes and a motorist could easily lose his balance and fall, even during the day”, says Naveed. He also said that manholes also remain open on some stretches, posing an additional threat to motorists. There are also no warning boards, he added.

Pedestrians, especially senior citizens are the most affected as they are finding it difficult to walk due to the presence of waste and debris on the pavements.

“I was struggling to walk on the road because of the speeding vehicles and traffic signals have not been working here for the past few days, making it an ordeal to cross the surface”, says Nithya, a resident of Royapettah Housing Board.