Tragedy in Chennai: Some random thoughts
In the aftermath of the tragedy of calamitous
proportions that has hit Tamilnadu in general and Chennai in particular here
are some random thoughts on the prevailing situation:
1) Power supply has been hit badly and
some areas are in darkness for the past five days. No one knows when the power
supply to these areas will be restored.
2) The yeoman service done by some
service organisations, public in general and some individuals is heartwarming.
3) At the same time,unscrupulous acts by
some traders selling milk at Rs 100 per packet and newspaper at Rs 20/ are, to say the least atrocious.
4) There are nauseating scenes of
political parties trying to get mileage out of the tragedy by hurling
accusations at each other.
5) There are appalling reports of
hooligans intercepting vans containing
relief materials and putting ‘Amma ‘ stickers on the packets.
6) Ithere is every chance for middlemen
to misappropriate funds for relief work.
7) While the entire state is affected,
the focus is only on Chennai. There is every chance that this may continue in
the relief and rehabilitation measures also.
8) There is a very real danger of
epidemics breaking out in the aftermath of the tragedy.
9) In view of the approaching elections,
the chances of the ruling party appropriating credit for relief work are not
ruled out.
10)
In
the light of the above,the following measures are suggested:
11)
A
State of Emergency has to be declared
12)
President’s
rule should be imposed on the state immediately.
13)
Competent
and honest officials should be posted to study the extent of damage and various
relief measures to be undertaken and ensure equitable distrbution of
compensation.
14)
Committees
are to be formed to study the reasons for the calamity and the remedial actions
to be taken.
15)
Political
parties of all hues to be kept strictly out of the committee
16)
Elections
to be countermanded indefinitely.
17)
A
forum is to be created on the various measures to be adopted to express our
outrage against the successive Governments who are solely responsible for the
present situation. Avery effective way will be to boycott the elections totally
by the entire State. A lot of ground has to be covered to achieve this, but
independent bodies may start working on this.
