Working the middle class magic

SELF HELP is the best help. A well-worn cliche, but it is working for residents of Swamy Pillai Street in Triplicane. They have taken this up seriously and achieved something which is a model of its own.

Way back in 1993, with the formation of an Exnora club in the street, the residents decided to shift gear and change the environs of the stinking, filthy and unhygienic street.

Though a debatable move, residents identified a badly maintained public convenience at the end of the road as the main problem.

The Corporation was told about it and the civic body quickly demolished it (could not there have been a better way, some ask). This removed the source of a major nuisance. So what next? It was suggested that the flowering tree species and avenue trees have to be planted on the stretch to beautify it.

But the residents have created their own unique system, that has won them honours: their next move was to collect the garbage from every house. For this, a tricycle fitted with a bulb horn would go around. A rare discipline was introduced to deposit the garbage in the tricycle when it announced its arrival with the blowing of the horn between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. everyday.

Later, the collected garbage was dumped on the Victoria Hostel Road. This is the system functioning in the street for seven years now, says Mr. V. Thirunavukkarasu, president of the Exnora unit on the Swami Pillai Street.

Not satisfied with mere beautification of the street, the association went a step further. It acquired a mosquito repellent sprayer and twice a week it is spraying time on the street, says Mr. A. Paneerselvam, secretary. The spraying service is also available to individual residents who want to fight the winged menace in their house.

However, the seven year ``clean street'' operation has become a little complicated, with the private conservancy scheme launched in this Zone of the Corporation. The conservancy staff of the company are refusing to pick up the garbage collected, from the tricycle. They want the garbage dumped on the road, a setback for the civic association, which has been campaigning for clean streets.

The tricycle collects the household waste early in the morning and the private company staff come at noon to collect it. ``Till that time it is not possible to keep the garbage in one place and it is strewn all over, turning the clock back. We hope to solve the problem soon'', say the members.

By P. Oppili

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Section  : Features
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