Presently absent or absently present?

CITY LIGHTS

Presently absent or absently present?

“Present, Miss” said a new voice when the attendance was called out. The surprised teacher asked the student where he had been for the last three weeks of school. "This is the first time you have attended class since we opened school in the first week of June," said the miffed teacher. To which the student squeaked, "Miss, I have been attending my old school for the last three weeks. I didn’t know that my parents had switched me to a new school for Class XI. And I promise I've been present every day but over there.” The mystified ‘Miss’ had nothing to say. Clearly, another of the travails of remote learning. And to think the school year has just begun!

— Kamini Mathai

Casual sexism meets veggie shopping

A mobile vendor selling vegetables and fruits recently had a crash course on casual sexism as it seems many expect only women to do the shopping. The vendor in question drove into an apartment complex in Nungambakkam and called out the customary ‘Vaanga ma vaanga’. A few minutes later, he drove to another building nearby when a woman came running behind him with a basket in hand. She said, “Why do you always say ‘vaanga ma vaanga’ and call only the women? My husband uses this as a silly excuse to refuse to go out and buy vegetables. I have to take care of my children and by the time I come out after looking for a mask, you are gone.” The visibly awkward vendor said, “I will wait for a few more minutes in every block hereafter, madam.”

— U Tejonmayam

A short-lived respite

Many residents are going through lockdown fatigue. But not those in a certain neighbourhood in Thilaiganga Nagar and Jeevan Nagar. For them, the lockdown has offered some peace of mind as the restrictions made the giant piling machines working to build the metro fall silent for almost two months. Early this year, they rejoiced when work started on the MRTS after more than a decade’s wait. However, the joy soon turned sour when huge, noisy, piling machines started boring the earth, disturbing their peace. Then the lockdown began, restoring the serenity of the neighbourhood. But now restrictions have eased, and with the state government allowing construction work, they looked with trepidation as workers arrived to move the piling machines and brought more loads of steel bars for concreting. Till the next lockdown, life is going to be jarring for good.

— V Ayyappan

Council matters

On June 21, governor Banwarilal Purohit in his address to the state assembly announced a five-member Economic Advisory Council, surprising people across the country. The names included Nobel laureate Esther Duflo and prof Jean Dreze, besides former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, former economic adviser to the Centre Arvind Subramanian and former Union finance secretary S Narayan. Naturally, everyone was curious whose idea it was to form a council with such high-profile economists. “The idea did not come from the bureaucracy. It came from the political executive. It came right from the top,” a senior state government official told this journalist. "Given his background, the finance minister, PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, would have reached out to connect with them too," said the official.

— D Govardan

Lockdown woes

When this reporter had to move into a new house and needed the help of carpenters, electricians, plumbers, little did she know it would be a huge challenge. She had to scout for more than two weeks to find them. And then it turned out that most of these workers either did not have the necessary equipment or charged double the usual price. With the pandemic and numerous lockdowns, most had moved to smaller cities or sectors that give more job security. Paying rent for accommodation in the city is very difficult, especially during extended lockdown, said a carpenter. Though the state has eased rules and let these workers move around, the demand for their services has dropped significantly.

— Mamtha Asokan