A group of transgender people and children from the Perumbakkam Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) tenements have started painting massive awareness pictures at important junctions in the city to create awareness about COVID-19 and the need for vaccination.
Perumbakkam panchayat officials said that this is part of an awareness campaign. “The government has repeatedly asked people to stay indoors and venture out only if absolutely necessary. However, many people still go out unnecessarily. When they see such paintings, they may realise the danger of the virus and the importance of vaccination,” said N. Murugan, Perumbakkam Panchayat Secretary.
For this awareness campaign, the Panchayat first roped in R. Sriram, an artist and M. Nila, founder and director of Pharm Foundation that works towards education, employment and healthcare for the needy and a few transgender people known to her from Perumbakkam TNSCB tenements also joined in.
“Art can convey messages quickly. People will be attracted to colourful paintings and through this, we can pass on important information. We made a painting spanning 15 feet at the Perumbakkam junction and it took us one and half hours. We will do it in front of the TNSCB tenements in Perumbakkam and Semmenchery too,” explained Ms. Nila.
L. Ajay, a class 8 student of Santhome Higher Secondary School, residing in Perumbakkam TNSCB tenements also volunteered to draw. “I love painting. I am sure we can express a lot of things through art,” he said.
Mr. Sriram said that in the first wave, the paintings carried awareness messages about physical distancing and staying indoors. “This time we have added the importance of vaccination also,” he said.
