Recently I was part of a disaster situation in Chennai– the place I have stayed for almost all my life.Torrential rains lashed continuously for a few days that resulted in many families being marooned or losing their belongings.Fortunately,I was able to come out unscathed as the roads around my place had been laid just a few months ago and the storm water drains around my house were pretty robust.

While watching various news clips,various reports revealed possible reasons that could have possibly worsened the situation:

1.Overcrowding (many unapproved real estate projects)

2.Poor Storm Water Drains

3.Poorly constructed roads

4.Properties located close to lakes

Anyone who had visited Chennai atleast once would agree that there is an element of truth in the above reasons.All these reasons even suggest that most people operate under a cloak of self-interest and do not give a damn about their neighbors .

However, the aftermath of the disaster showed that grief can sometimes be the glue that binds together the troubled masses as many calm heads came together to help others instead of just nit-picking.

Though there is a long way to go towards complete restoration,the fact that most people are willing to take micro steps is in itself a sign of redemption that should give hope to many souls who contemplate the future of the city with apprehension.

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