Velachery residents put up banners to grab attention of candidates

Chennai: A week ago, when residents of AGS Colony in Velachery placed flex boards demanding solution to nine long-pending civic issues, little did they know the initiative would elicit a huge response from politicians and the pubic. The idea was to attract the attention of candidates of various political parties to pending issues. While some placed flex boards at four entry points to the colony, others opted to paste posters on the walls at junctions where the candidates address the public as part of their election campaigns.
AGS Colony was one of the worst-hit during the December 2015 deluge and its residents say they have a strong reason to place the flex boards. Apparently, they have not seen their MLA even once after the last assembly election. No action was taken on even a single issue that they raised before and after the floods. So after long meetings over a week, the AGS Colony Residents' Welfare Association (ACRWA) decided to place flex boards and posters raising 'nine points.' The demands include widening of the existing storm water drains, construction of new ones, ensuring uninterrupted Metrowater supply and creating a direct road link to Velachery Bypass Road to reduce traffic.
"It was our president S Sundaresan's idea to bring out a banner like this. We will also be sending the letters regarding the same basic necessities to all major political party offices as well as to constituency offices of those parties located in Velachery," said Geetha Ganesh, joint secretary of ACRWA.
At least three flex banners at two main entry points of the colony and posters on the walls have already given sleepless nights to candidates. "Our colony needs the following amenities (the nine points). Will you promise to provide the same in a time-bound manner?" reads the banner, in Tamil. "The colony is in a low-lying area. It was badly affected during the flood. We haven't recovered from it. So, widening of storm water drains and construction of new ones are important. The tragedy is no politicians take any interest in our issues," said Geetha. The members of the ACRWA have also pasted posters appealing to the residents to cast their vote without fail.