The team was represented by Aswin, Mouli, Dinesh, Subbu, Bushan, and Karthik (C). Karthik said, “Thanks to the Bangalore teams for all the hospitality shown to our mates and for making us feel at home. More than winning, it was the fun, sportiveness, camaraderie, and networking that exemplified the spirit of the sport. No wonder tennis is such an addiction—a good one, at that.”

Surya, a 21-year-old resident of Urur Kuppam, was run over by a BMW car on June 17 at night.  Intoxicated, Surya was lying on the Besant Nagar Pavement close to Tiger Varadhachary Road when he was run over by a fast-moving vehicle.

Without delay, Surya was admitted to the hospital and unfortunately passed away from his wounds. Residents of Urur Kuppam gathered at J-5 Shastri Nagar Police Station demanding the arrest of the perpetrator. 

The Adyar Traffic Investigation Wing Police have filed the case under Section 304 A of the IPC (causing death by negligence), which is a bailable offence, and summoned the automobile owner. 

Following the examination of CCTV footage, the police determined that the car belonged to the BMR (Beeda Masthan Rao) Group and was registered in Puducherry. 

Madhuri Beeda, the daughter of YSR Congress Party Rajya Sabha MP Beeda Masthan Rao, was arrested but later released on bail by the police.

The team won by the score 3-0: 

• Vivek Vishwanath and Suneel Shankar bt Nikhil Samuel Akilan and Ramanan Sekar 6-3, 6-1; 
• Venkatesan Visweswaran and Arjun Bharat bt Abinaya Sweeton and Siddarth Bommanan 6-1, 7-5; 
• V. N. Chandramouli and Ashwin Krishnamurthy bt V. Ashwin & Ajit Ashok 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.

On Dec.3 along with EBFO Welfare Association, Besant Nagar

The residents discussed the below points:

During the meeting, the following points were discussed:

• To ensure the safety and well-being of the colony residents, vehicle traffic has to be regulated by introducing one way on the 3rd and 4th Main roads. 
• Parking restrictions in cross streets namely: 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th, by putting up “No Parking” boards etc., during weekends.

“This kind of interaction strengthens the relationship between residents and  Chennai Police departments to resolve issues that come up periodically,” said the residents. The meeting was well attended by EBFOWA members, who thanked the Police officials for taking time to engage with the residents to understand  issues to come up with possible solutions for safety and peaceful living.

On Dec.1 with residents of Kasturba Nagar, Adyar

The following suggestions were provided to ease the traffic flow in Kasturba Nagar.

• The 3rd Main Road, to be connected to OMR through the entry point in the service road near the Miyawaki Forest park, presently kept open for bus stops for vehicles heading towards Thiruvanmiyur.
• The Canal Bank Road to be treated as main road, thus necessitating the removal of all encroachments by commercial establishments, haphazard parking, loud commercial activities continuing till late and extending to the road, large vehicles parked for a long time (loading and unloading items) to be regulated, vendors occupying the roads during peak hours, extended parking by vehicle service centres etc., thus enabling all traffic to pass without hindrance.
• The 3rd Cross Street, Kasturba Nagar, has narrowed due to the storm water drain, and is presently narrowed down due to extending the storm water drainage and entire parking of vehicles including two wheelers. The parking needs to be removed on the entire stretch since it is the main reason for traffic congestion from Ambika Appalam signal till Indira Nagar.
• The roadside vegetable vendor in the entry of 1st Street, Kamaraj Avenue, from 3rd Cross Street, Kasturba Nagar, has to be removed for safe turning of vehicles.
• Parking of vehicles on the entire stretch of 6th Main Road for the whole day by a media office. There has to be a regulation for such parking by commercial establishments in narrow streets. 
• The traffic signal at the Ambika Appalam signal should favour the pedestrians. There should be more time for the pedestrians to cross, and more rules need to be put in place for controlling commuters who disregard rules.
• Residents requested installation of cameras that detect rule breaking and auto-generate challans, at the Ambika Appalam signal.
• Removal of TASMAC at the Canal Bank Road, as it is causing a hazard for vehicular traffic. Residents pointed out that more than often, people buy alcohol and many a times consume it outside the gates of the apartments and roam around aberrantly or pass out. Such actions hamper vehicular traffic on the road as well as entry and exit of vehicles and residents of the surrounding apartments.
• Residents requested some mechanism to control the traffic at the junction of 3rd Cross and 3rd Main Road.

“The news of the closure of 500 TASMAC shops a couple of months back, was welcomed with jubilance among many residents, but we never thought that it would spell doom for some residents because TASMAC would open a new store here,” said Karmegham, a resident of 1st Avenue, Sastri Nagar.

The shop flaunts all the rules laid out by the The Tamil Nadu Liquor Retail Vending (In Shops And Bars) Rules, 2003. Rule 8 of the Act specifies the location criteria of the shops and it says:

No shop shall be established in Municipal Corporations and Municipalities within a distance of 50 metres and in other areas 100 metres from any place of worship or educational institutions; Provided that the distance restriction shall not apply in areas designated as ‘Commercial’ or ‘Industrial’ by the Development or Town Planning authorities; Provided also that if any place of worship, educational institution comes into existence subsequent to the establishment of the shop, the provisions of this rule shall not apply.

In this particular case, 1st Avenue is not an industrial location and has residences around as well. Also the shop is located right behind the Corporation Primary Health Centre and within a 100 m of Besant LVR School and Sridevi Ellaiamman temple. All these institutes predate the existence of the TASMAC.

“The establishment of a TASMAC liquor shop in close proximity to schools and residential areas is causing significant problems for school children and senior citizens. This liquor shop not only attracts anti-social elements but also creates an environment that is detrimental to the psychological and emotional well-being of our community members. It is distressing to witness young students and elderly individuals having to face the sight of intoxicated individuals in public places, compromising their security and peace of mind. The relocation or closure of the TASMAC liquor shop would go a long way in ensuring the safety and tranquillity of the Adyar community, especially for vulnerable groups like school children and senior citizens,” said Chaitali Shroff, Co-founder – Holistic Education and Adaptive Learning Foundation, from 1st Avenue, Besant Nagar.

Already one finds people who have passed out in the vicinity and as days go, the numbers will only increase. Residents also fear that the road, being a link to Elliot’s beach, would no longer be safe for pedestrians or school children.

T.D.Babu, Co-founder of civic body Spark speaks out, “Besant Nagar, once a peaceful residential area developed by TNHB with proper infrastructure surrounded by natural spaces, is in trouble for past few years due to many activities such as car-free Sundays choking the internal roads with vehicles; Marathons that provides a huge shock to the residents in the early mornings on weekends with high decibels of sound and leftover trash on the roads; encroachments putting pedestrians and motorists in great discomforts. Local residents hesitate to step out to the beach for relaxation as it has been converted into a food court and the beach is no longer a place for admiring nature. Now in this mix is the TASMAC which is operating without any board, very close to a medical facility, educational institute, place of worship, market and ration shop, violating the norms. It has made the local residents’ life miserable and unsafe. Hope the District Collector closes this outlet and restores peace to the residents here.”

What ideals are being set here, one wonders.

The chief guest for this event was Dr.S.Vijayadharani, M.L.A. and advocate Supreme Court, who enticed the gathering with her mesmerising speech. The arena was packed with parents, students, awardees, faculty members et al. 

The Council members were presented with the nomination certificates after a brief note was read about them. Special awards were also presented to centum scorers, school and subject toppers for Class X/XII of 2022-2023 batch and 100% attendance holders. The Students’ Council report was read out by the Head Boy and the official programme concluded with the vote of thanks by the Head Girl. 

The much awaited cultural programme was welcomed by a thundering applause. After an educative and informative performance, the entire grandeur culminated with the school song.

The event witnessed an overwhelming response from the senior citizen community. Participants had access to a comprehensive range of services, including vital health assessments, screenings, physician consultations, and specialised sessions on eye care and physiotherapy.

The medical camp introduced local residents to the services and care offered by the doctors in their neighbourhood. Jayam Home Healthcare, an elder care management organisation, focuses on bringing quality healthcare to senior citizens and patients within the comfort of their homes.

The event covered not only vital assessments but also addressed specific problems faced by senior citizens such as Shingles, IBS, and Peripheral Neuropathy screening.

Dr.R.Ganagadharan and his team from RG Eye Care educated participants about potential eye health problems and treatment options. They conducted screenings to identify any underlying concerns. Physiotherapist S. Deverajan and his team from Sri Krishna Physiotherapy provided personalised program suggestions and tailored treatment plans. Engaging demonstrations showcased the benefits of physiotherapy and offered useful tips for positive lifestyle changes.

The Golden Connect ensured the smooth flow of the camp, dedicating special attention to senior citizens during their waiting time. Engaging activities like Sudoku and crosswords kept them engaged, and assistance was provided to those interested in learning about health and diet-related apps. The aim was to empower seniors to take control of their well-being and stay informed about relevant technology.

This collaborative effort exemplified the shared commitment of the associated organisations to the holistic well-being of senior citizens, stated a press release. The camp served as a platform for community members to engage with healthcare professionals, learn about potential health issues, and gain valuable insights into their overall well-being.”All arrangements were done very well and the attending doctors took time to talk to us and give us symptoms and treatment options” said S.Chitra. “The organisers went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and the physiotherapy guidance is something that I will definitely follow up on” said 80-year old Annapoorni. For more information about the services provided by Jayam Home Health Care, RG Eye Care, Sri Krishna Physiotherapy, and The Golden Connect, checkout their respective websites.

DGP C.Sylendra Babu, inaugurated the Drone Police Unit at Elliot’s beach on June 29, for crowd management and law enforcement, in the presence of Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal. 

The unit, set up at a cost of Rs.3.6 crores, is equipped with a total of 9 drones of various types: Quick Response Drone (6 no.), Long Range VTOL Drone (2 no.) and Heavy List Payload Drone (1 no.). The police constables have also been specifically trained to operate the drones.

The camera fitted drones will help the police in scaling and managing the crowd at large, for example, during an agitation or demonstration or during festivals / events. The police aim to monitor the crowd, keep a watch on anti-social elements and take necessary action accordingly.

The drones will also be useful to keep a watch on people venturing into the sea and take action thereon. “The heavy weight drones will be used to transport items from one place to another, for example, incase of a drowning in the sea, the heavy weight drones can be used to transport floats / life buoys,” explained Premanand Sinha, IPS, Additional Commissioner of Police.

The drones will also be used to check on traffic jams – find the source of the jam, resolve it and work on remedial action thereafter. The drones are equipped with built-in artificial intelligence (AI), thermal object detection capabilities for making night patrol more efficient, and the ability to capture number plates for better law enforcement. can be operated up to a distance of 5-10 km from the ground station.

“The Drone Unit will prove to be essential in decreasing the crime rate, and if crime happens, it will help in identifying the act and the criminals immediately. With the drone’s capability in identifying car numbers and face recognition, it will aid investigation and resolution of the crime quicker,” said the DGP.

https://twitter.com/chennaipolice_/status/1674350041413357568

Employees from NLCIL regional office, Chennai enthusiastically participated in the initiative and collected litter, debris, plastic waste including other pollutants from the beach sand, segregated them and handed over to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Urbaser Sumeet team. On this occasion, K.Prabhu Kishore, Executive Director (PR) – NLC India Limited and Dr.T.G.Srinivasan, Health Education Officer – GCC and Nodal Officer – Swachh Bharat Mission, Chennai were present. 

“The initiative was aimed at inculcating a small sense of contribution towards the welfare of Chennai city as NLCIL believes in giving equal importance to Planet, People and Profit,” said a statement from NLCIL. Nearly 200 Kgs of waste was collected and handed over.

“We are not opposing the construction of a toilet, however this is not the location for it,” added Babu as he points out that the nearly Rs.9 crore being spent on the project as part of Swadesh Darshan, should be utilised better.

Kamakshi Subramaniyam, Co-founder of SPARK, explained, “The toilets can be on either end of the beach. And it will be more useful as well to place it there,” as she pointed to the Shrine Vailankanni on one end and the many commercial establishments at the end of 5th Avenue.

The toilets are being constructed right in front of several promenade view points. “Already the view to the beach is blocked by the many shops there. This toilet will further block it. Additionally an ill-maintained toilet will make the promenade unbearable to walk past. Will the sewer lines go through the sand?” wonders S.Radhakrishnan, a resident of Kalakshetra Colony, Besant Nagar, with much apprehension.

Members of SPARK held placards with the message ‘Stop defacing the beach’, ‘No concrete on the beach’, ‘No construction on the sand’ etc. as they collected signatures from the beachgoers, many of whom enthusiastically signed. The nearly 200 signatures collected were submitted to the Corporation subsequently.

It was ironic that a couple were taking photographs at the same venue for a special occasion, but unfortunately, instead of the lovely beach, their background was the toilet under construction!

Krishnan, a Chartered Accountant from Vannanthurai and a regular at the beach expressed his annoyance on knowing about the construction and said, “I have been to 60 countries across the world and at none of the beaches have I seen toilets on the sand itself. All the beach cities I have visited have been very proud of the beaches and do everything to preserve its natural beauty. However it’s disheartening to see such construction here.” 

Over the years, Elliot’s beach has become a very popular tourist spot and pulls crowds from across the city. This has led to its abuse and degradation. While the beach was declared as a ‘Litter-free zone’ in 2020, it is still garbage strewn. It is paradoxical that most of the beach cleaning activities are conducted at this beach, the latest being on June 8 (World Oceans Day), when Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Kiren Rijiju, participated and urged people to participate in large numbers for cleaning the beaches. 

“If the government does not act on shops like balloon bursting, who do not pick the burst balloons, or the many eateries who ditch the used oil on the sand, this beach is bound to lose its pristine,” says S.Sridharan, an environment enthusiast.

Long time residents of Besant Nagar reminisce about their time at Elliot’s beach a few decades back and wonder if they will ever be able to see the foaming waves and smell the salty air from the promenade ever again.