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January 31, 2005
Who Heeds When the Mother Nature Cries?
I was quite appalled when I saw this construction work happening at the heart of the Chennai’s only wetland. Many people in Chennai would not have heard about this place, but this place is very important for the delicate eco system of the city. The Pallikaranai’s wetland at the southern outskirts of the city, flanked by Velacherry, Taramani and the new christened IT High Way, is already looking like overpowering stench of garbage. Now it is being obscured by the heaps and heaps of steel and concrete.
The wetland is believed to have spread across 50 square kilometres few decades back. However, it is gradually giving away to dumping of garbage, encroachments and developmental activities shrinking it to less than five square kilometres at present.
In the name of haphazard and ill-conceived urban development, the Chennai only wetland, which is home to rich bio diversity and a vital aquifer for the city that depends mostly on fast depleting groundwater supplies, is being destroyed relentlessly.
This wetland was once home to more than 100 species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals which have been entirely wiped out because of the dumping of garbage and constructions activities. The entire waste generated by the city (including yours and mine) is fully dumped at this place and the same is set ablaze to keep the growing heaps at a manageable proportion causing air pollution of greater magnitude.
On top of all these, the Chennai Corporation and the other adjacent municipalities are hitting the last nail on the coffin by dumping sewage waters onto these already threatened marshlands.
Posted by Vasanth at 03:21 PM | Comments (5)
January 25, 2005
An Empire in Shambles???
A nice quote on the Reliance Industries episode which I really liked.
“A poor, ill educated man created billion dollar Reliance Industries. Two business graduates from Stanford and Wharton Business School, busy breaking it up. That's education.”
Source:NA
Posted by Vasanth at 11:23 AM | Comments (1)
January 24, 2005
Thirupachi – Oh it’s Veruppachi!!
It’s been long since I have been to the theatre to watch a Tamil movie expect ofcourse Mani’s and Kamal’s. But I thought it’s high time I watch Tamil movies also in the theatre and decided to take the plunge on Saturday. It was a sunny afternoon, big deal it’s always sunny in Chennai, and I zeroed in on Tirupachi. Just made it to Mayajal before the start and paid Rs. 150 bucks for the ticket.
So far so good, got the tickets without a hitch, pop corns for munching and seated comfortably. But sadly, the honeymoon came to an abrupt end. Oh no!! What are you thinking?? I am talking about the start of the movie. The movie started with the usual song and dance sequence in front of the Aiyannar temple. It’s a village backdrop you see, so the start has to be that way only. Kudos to all our directors who think alike on this aspect and don’t surprise us with anything else.
The debutant director has not scratched his head for any new script, but rather latched on to the old Indian Masala story. Hero from a village goes to the City and takes on the villains in their own courtyard. Ofcourse with lots of songs, fights and brother-sister sentiments in between.
First half was a total disaster. A bit of comedy, a bit of songs, quite a bit of sentiment and a bit of everything, but nothing of substance. Even the vivid Vijay fans couldn’t stand the torture that many of them left before the break. I was almost tempted to follow suit as I did a month back while watching Veer Zaara, but somehow decided to stay put. Thank the stars for that, the second half was lot more better and looked more like a Vijay movie except for the songs in between with no link whatsoever with the screenplay. But I could guess what would have gone through the director’s mind!! Where on earth can he bring in Trisha having signed her, I am sure, for a hefty sum.
But I should appreciate the director for thinking of such colourful names for the bad guys. Ohh my god, I couldn’t stop laughing!! Panparaag Ravi, Patos Balu and Saniyan Sakatai. They looked more like comedians than bad guys to me.
Vijay as usual has done his part well without any hint of over action. Trisha, can’t tell whether she is the heroine or Mallika, sister of Vijay.
The director could have been better off (and we too), if he had opened the movie from the second half minus the songs!!!
Posted by Vasanth at 12:39 PM | Comments (5)
January 21, 2005
Weekend Titbits
Men and women do think differently, according to this study. I told you so!!
Bad odour, don’t worry that keeps the mosquitoes away.
Want to become a millionaire. Try your luck
Twixters the people from 18 until 25 and even beyond have become a distinct and separate life stage, a strange, transitional never-never land between adolescence and adulthood!!
Posted by Vasanth at 03:07 PM | Comments (2)
January 19, 2005
It stands world tallest!!!
Its open to public!! Taipei 101 Tower in Taipei, Taiwan, the world tallest buiding as of now is opened to public today. At 508 meters (1,667 feet) high the tower and its spire, outrank the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
But Center of India Tower, Katangi, India will be the tallest building in the world when completed in 2008.
Posted by Vasanth at 04:40 PM | Comments (3)
January 17, 2005
Social Responsibility – Is it a myth?
Be it Corporate Social Responsibily or Celebrities Social Responsibility, you always find many people going overboard on it. They have little hesitation in accusing the corporate world or the celebrities for the lack of social responsibility. This has been in my mind for some time and always wanted to write about it. In fact I have been googling for the past few days for any article on this.
Vijay Rana of History Talking.com writes in Bollywood`s silence on tsunami about Bollywood’s indifference to the tsunami tragedy and lack of it’s social responsibility. Finally he concludes by saying “After initial silence and after this article was written some of the Bollywood stars have come forward with donations. Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukherji and Karan Johan have donated Rs 1.5 crores and Ashwarya Rai has made a contribution of Rs 5 lacs. Javed Akhter and Dilip Kumar have made appeals for public donations”. I find this very amusing!! He has said as though all these bollywood celebrities have contributed only after this article was published… Nice story Vijay, but a bit difficult to digest though.
The corporate and the celebrities are certainly helping the social cause in their own way. Some publicize it, but others keep it to themselves. I don’t contribute to social cause, either financially or physically, just because some celebrity or a corporate contributed to it. I do it because of the urge within myself to help people. So the talk of publicizing the charity work in itself will induce people to do social work, I think, will not hold water.
I anyways don’t think high of people who wait for others to do something before they start moving.
Is the feeling mutual??
Posted by Vasanth at 04:03 PM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2005
Pongolo Pongal
Though Pongal has lost its relevance in city life, it still brings cheers!!! Yup, you don't have to go to office for 2 days!!!
Wish you all a very happy Pongal.
Happy Maatu Pongal for all those who only celebrate Maatu Pongal.. lol!!
Posted by Vasanth at 05:37 PM | Comments (2)
January 10, 2005
A Pleasant Suprise!!
A pleasant surprise awaited me yesterday when I took the car out of my office. My office is right on Mount Road near the Nandanam Signal. It usually takes 2 to 5 minutes to get into Mount Road from my office in the evening peak hours and another 5 minutes to cross the signal. Since I need to take a U-turn at the Nandanam Signal, I always struggle and wait for the traffic to die down, which incidentally never happens, to cut across the road to reach the other end.
But yesterday it was all done in just 2 minutes. While coming out of the office, I was at the office gate probably for 15 seconds. Surprisingly a bus which was going straight stopped in front of the gate and the driver waved me to take the turn and also protected me from the traffic behind.
I waved him back with lots of appreciation and took the turn. Luckily for me the signal was also on and everything done in just 2 minutes (Enough to cook Maggie, though I entirely disagree with that claim!!).
I always despise bus drivers for the way they drive on our roads. They show little patience and little respect to fellow motorists. They always think that they are the kings on the road and no one can shake them off.
But this incident was a very pleasant one to me. Though it didn’t alter my belief about bus drivers, it was certainly an eye opener. There are after all few bus drivers who are considerate for fellow drivers on the road.
Posted by Vasanth at 01:45 PM | Comments (3)
January 07, 2005
Out of Sorts!!
Very appropriate article in The Times of India on Disaster Tourism.
Though volunteers are always welcome in any disaster relief operations, but as a newcomer they should have been prepared for these kind of activities before reaching Ground Zero. Probably they should get hooked on to some reputed NGOs like Indian Red Cross or Aid-India for the relief operations.
Well co-ordinated efforts will always yield better results than doing something in isolation.
Posted by Vasanth at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)
January 05, 2005
Tsunami Syndrome
Is there some sort of tsunami syndrome developing amongst we people? The day started off like any other normal day. After watching fresh set of images of the tsunami tragedy that were shown on the television, I as usual came to the office in the morning and settled down with the normal routine. At around 11 am, one of my colleagues told me that a fresh tsunami has hit the entire coast line of Tamil Nadu and sea water has entered Marina beach and Mylapore.
Ohh god!!! Only now everything seems to have settled down and one more tsunami!! Frantic calls made to everyone you could think of (including me, ofcourse), to get an update on the situation. I was so paranoid that I even went to the 12th floor of my office building to look around the city. There were already quite a few curious onlookers on the terrace just to see if water has indeed come in. But I could see only this.
Finally, it turned out that a warning has been issued by the government and people within a range of 2 Kms from the sea have been asked to move to the higher ground. There was news of evacuation of the Port at Chennai. Immediately, most of the offices on the beach road and all adjoining roads were also evacuated. Even some of the staff at offices as far as Guindy have been asked to go home!!! At around 1.45 PM, there were rumours that there is an earthquake warning and it can strike anytime. To the best of my knowledge, we still don't have any technology to predict earthquakes!!! The relief operations at most of the places along the coastline were called off due to the fresh tsunami warnings affecting millions of people.
Are we guys getting paranoid about earthquakes and tsunamis? Though we cannot be lagging in terms of warnings and getting people to safer places, we need to strike a balance between taking precautions and false alarms. We are already panic stricken and a slightest news that there a tsunami approaching will send shock waves which could lead to commotion and stampede.
Guys please restrain yourself from spreading rumours. It's not going to help anybody!!!
Posted by Vasanth at 06:46 PM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2005
This Was Called Marina!!
On 1st at around 5.00 PM, I set my foot on the Marina and this is what I saw...
Side facing the Anna Samathi, fully deserted... 
I could see only this tractor on the entire sterch 
Side facing the Lighthouse
Broken pavements on the inside road.. 
Few brave guys. Only 3 I could see,ofcourse that includes me also!!
Posted by Vasanth at 10:55 AM | Comments (3)