Villagers’ initiative to halt lure of TV

Residents’ association wants effective use of prime time

Thiruvananthapuram: Declining social communication is attributed to excessive television watching. Communication within the family has come down drastically. Some of the experts opine that this trend is leading to social problems. The lure of the extravagant soap operas is robbing the time away from families that could be effectively used for bonding. One should appreciate the efforts of a small village in Kerala which came out with a plan to curtail television viewing, especially tear-jerking soap operas during the peak evening hours.

The Pothujanam Road Residents’ Association at Kumarapuram here, which comprise over 200 families, came up with the idea after a recent survey found that majority of families under them were addicted to various TV programmes during the evening hours.

“If TVs are turned off during the peak hours, families can utilise the time for quality activities like reading, interacting with family members or taking care of the studies of children,” said an office-bearer of the Association. On an experimental basis, over 30 families in the colony have already started the unique experiment since last week.

"A recent survey, conducted by us, found that majority of our family members are glued to TV sets. All main channels air tele-searials during the time. It creates a kind of addiction among viewers," association general secretary Ashwa Kumar said. The association set up a library, comprising over 1500 titles, to engage family members, who turn off TV, during the time.

Though some of the families objected to the plan, majority of the members expressed their support to the initiative, he said. "The association's general body meeting will be held later this month to take forward the initiative. We will discuss this in detail and seek the support and opinion of all member families," he said.