KOCHI: Latha Nair R, deputy director of Radio Kochi and Dean of Research at St Teresa’s College, wants the most suitable candidate to win the Thrikkakara bypoll.
“The election mood has taken over the city. The streets are filled with posters, flags, and announcements. You can see many campaigners going around with placards and posters, seeking votes for their respective candidates. However, the promises made by candidates have a history of never materialising post the elections. Unless the elected representatives start taking people’s issues seriously, history will keep repeating,” says Latha.
She bursts into laughter at the thought of becoming an MLA for a day. “A day is not enough to solve all the issues. If ten years ago, people used to enjoy the rain, now, they are worried about waterlogging after every downpour. That is where I would begin — finding solution to the frequent flooding that has been plaguing the constituency for a long time now,” she says.
She adds, if given a chance, her top priority would be eradicating corruption. “It is the root cause for shoddy execution of developmental projects. We should be ideally practising sustainable development, but at this point, we are unsure if our advancement would come at the cost of people’s lives,” she says. Yet another concern for Latha is ethically overseeing the use of unds meant for these developmental projects.
“Systematic planning is vital. Though traffic congestion may not be an issue that first comes to mind in Kochi, proper planning could help prevent it from escalating. Waste management should also be a crucial area of focus,” says Latha.
“I wouldn’t say the government is not doing anything, but we are looking at a sustainable future and our development should be aligned with this goal. Politics should be focused on the welfare of children,” Latha concludes.