The problem, at the moment, is that garbage is not segregated in Chennai.Mostly, homes don't recycle and in the few cases that they do, the 1500tricycles that pick up the garbage mix them up causing citizens to lose themotivation to recycle. However, from April segregation will be a must accordingto Mayor M Subramanian. "We plan to rope in film stars and school childrento popularize the concept of source segregation of garbage," he hasannounced. In addition fines will be imposed for littering, spitting orurinating in public places (Rs 50) dumping of construction debris and burninggarbage (Rs 500) and for keeping surroundings untidy (Rs 1000). So Chennai willbecome a "fine" city. Move over Singapore.
Kicking Butt?
The tea kadais (tea shops) that dot the pavements are a smoker's paradise. Yourarely see smokers hanging out outside their air-conditioned offices andlighting up. Restaurants are a no-no, even autorickshaw drivers dare not smokeon duty. But tea shops are where they all converge to gossip and indulgethemselves no matter what the WHO says.
Anbumani Ramadoss may have got Rajnikanth to give up his style statement infilms and nettled Shah Rukh Khan no end because the union minister of healthfeels SRK is terrible as a role model, but smokers will kick the habit only whenthey want to or when their wives want them to (I know many men who kicked thebutt because the missus said they smelt like ashtrays). The jury is still outwhether pictures of a cancerous lung or some other frightening future prospectwill make men and women quit the cancer stick.
Chennai, the directorate of health promises, will be smoke-free in two years. Ofthe 125 million USD that New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is spreading aroundthe world to fight smoking, Tamil Nadu is expected to get Rs 4-5 crores whichwill go towards spreading awareness about the "cancer stick". Expectto be fined if you are caught smoking in public places. Well, hiking excise dutydrastically over the years has helped many quit because, let's face it, a blowto the wallet immediately beats all the fears drummed up about the scary thingsthat might befall you in the future. So fining is probably the best way to go.
Chak De Illavazhagi
Even as the Dhonis, Tendulkars, Yuvraj Singhs and other cricketers are raking inbig time moolah, spare a thought for players like Illavazhagi who won the WorldCarrom championship at the Palais Des Festivals, Cannes, France early lastmonth. Illavazhagi, who won her maiden national championship recently, beatcompatriot P Nirmala in straight sets at Cannes.