Chennai is on par with other metros today, we say proudly. We have malls, we have cars, we have flyovers and we have traffic jams.
A 10 minute distance took me around 40 minutes yesterday on my two wheeler at 11 in the morning on the arterial road - The Mount Road.
Was I mad to be out on the bike - not only did I ask myself this, but many of my friends. Pressed between cars of all sizes, not an inch of the road visible, there was heat radiating from all sides. Not one apology of a tree to provide shade against the merciless sun that glared at all the foolish citizens of Chennai that were out at that hour.
But I was on a bike, and other travellers on car. I could not help thinking of so many old people - inlcuding my father - who depend on the shank's mare regardless of the time of the day. The sun is no more merciful to them than us, the trees as absent. And they as used to the comforts as us... And yet I have seen them do it - two old men from my building can be seen out in the sun on bank work and other sundry things.
I wonder if development has to mean cutting down of trees. If a road is broadened, can't a provision be made for some shade somewhere? Is the lust for the metal so much that anything green is an anathema?
For those of you who read my blog The Silence of the Geese - there is some good news. Of the 172, only 28 are to be cut - a HC order was passed to this effect. I am hoping that this will be followed and not forgotten.
In the early days, kings had a rule - if they cut 1 tree, they had to plant 5 or something in its place. This ancient law should be made mandatory today.
A 10 minute distance took me around 40 minutes yesterday on my two wheeler at 11 in the morning on the arterial road - The Mount Road.
Was I mad to be out on the bike - not only did I ask myself this, but many of my friends. Pressed between cars of all sizes, not an inch of the road visible, there was heat radiating from all sides. Not one apology of a tree to provide shade against the merciless sun that glared at all the foolish citizens of Chennai that were out at that hour.
But I was on a bike, and other travellers on car. I could not help thinking of so many old people - inlcuding my father - who depend on the shank's mare regardless of the time of the day. The sun is no more merciful to them than us, the trees as absent. And they as used to the comforts as us... And yet I have seen them do it - two old men from my building can be seen out in the sun on bank work and other sundry things.
I wonder if development has to mean cutting down of trees. If a road is broadened, can't a provision be made for some shade somewhere? Is the lust for the metal so much that anything green is an anathema?
For those of you who read my blog The Silence of the Geese - there is some good news. Of the 172, only 28 are to be cut - a HC order was passed to this effect. I am hoping that this will be followed and not forgotten.
In the early days, kings had a rule - if they cut 1 tree, they had to plant 5 or something in its place. This ancient law should be made mandatory today.
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