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Will tsunami dampen New Year revelry?
THE KILLER tsunami waves on Boxing Day, which left a massive trail of death and destruction closer home and across nations, have dampened the spirit of many who chalked up plans for New Year eve revelry. They now prefer a subdued celebration.
Many who had planned to go out of city to celebrate have cancelled their bookings.
Srinivas Reddy, a newly married executive of a software firm says, "Our plan to spend New Year eve on boat house in Alleppey is off. The whole thing has such a numbing effect. I wouldn't be able to go to any sea-side or lake resort in the next couple of years."
Vandana, working in a BPO firm has no plans to celebrate. "My heart goes out to all those families who lost their near and dear. It could have happened to any one of us. I plan to be at home with my family members."
`No celebrations'
"The tragedy along the coast is simply unimaginable. So many have been lives lost and the misery of those affected doesn't even make me think of any celebration," says entrepreneur and television producer, A. L. Nitin Kumar. Mr. Kumar's travel-serial `Vihari, the traveller', on Maa TV was to feature Allepey as a tourist spot in the next episode. But he has pulled it off and replaced it with an episode on Munnar.
`Life goes on'
Sandeep Nath, Director, The Consultative Network, has decided to usher in New Year with family at home. "Tsunami or no tsunami, the city is going to rock and people are going to party," he says. "I will not say society is turning insensitive. Life has to go on. As long as it does not happen to you or the immediate family, you are not affected. It is sad but true," he says.
"This is the time to mourn the deaths. I do not feel like celebrating New Year at all," says Adibhatla Varun, a third year engineering student of Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology, Gandipet.S. Srikar, a second-year engineering student of Vasavi College, feels New Year celebrations should be toned down.
Help first, party later
For Adhish Nimbalkar, a software engineer with Infosys, celebrations will be there, but only after doing something for the affected. "We at Infosys will be donating a day's salary apart from giving old clothes, amenities and whatever support we can extend. The celebrations come only after that," he adds.
By M. L. Melly Maitreyi
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