Date:21/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/21/stories/2006092104310600.htm

Tamil Nadu

In samathuvapuram areas, new TV sets are owners' pride

Staff Reporter

Women and children delighted by the Government scheme Women and children delighted by Government scheme to give them 14-inch sets

KANCHEEPURAM : It's a small screen television, but that doesn't stop residents from displaying it proudly in the living rooms of the `samathuvapuram' houses.

Beaming children excitedly show off the 14-inch colour television sets bearing the Tamil Nadu Government seal to visitors, switching channels with ease using the remote supplied with the set.

In many houses at Siththerimedu `samathuvapuram' near here, the arrival of free television sets has indeed made the children stay back at home instead of going outdoors to play under the scorching sun.

As far as the women are concerned, the TV has made them forego an afternoon nap as a majority of the Tamil channels play movies during the afternoon hours throughout the week.

A woman at Siththerimedu was seen busy grinding rice flour in a conventional grinder while watching a movie on the television, when this reporter entered her house around noon on September 19.

"Earlier, I use to complete my daily chores in a hurry in order to be done with them. Now, I take it easy and carry out the same chores while watching a movie or a programme of my choice on the television set provided by the Government", she added.

However, for a section of men, the free gift is a source of inconvenience, as they are neither able to convince their wives to switch off the sets nor find an alternative place to get a good sleep in the morning hours after an arduous night of duty.

"If we ask our wives to switch off the sets, they shout at us saying we have no right to ask them to do so because the equipment was not bought with the money earned by us," lamented Murugan.

But residents of another `samathuvapuram' at Enathur village, just 4 to 5 km away from Sitherimedu have a different story to tell.

Cable television connections to their houses remained live only for the first 24 hours after the distribution of free sets on September 16.

It got cut off on the second day for reasons they are not aware of.

"May be the service provider does not want to provide the connections since we have expressed our displeasure towards collection of Rs.100 per month as cable fee," said Munniyammal.

While she was explaining the difficulties in this regard to this reporter, a person claiming to be a local ruling party functionary objected to the visit of reporters to Enathur samathuvapuram.

"You journalists want to paint a wrong picture of the whole scheme," he shouted.

However, he left silently when asked to explain why cable connections have not been provided to the houses in the samathuvapuram.