chennai tragedy

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.