Flyers and handbills that come tucked in newspapers assume a new shape and use in the hands of Prema Srinivasan. Instead of throwing them away, she folds them into covers. Once she makes 100 such covers, she hands over the set to a pharmaceutical shop near her house. “I have been doing this for the last five years. This is a small effort on my part to go green. I was inspired by my daughter who involves herself in similar initiatives in Mumbai. And, I wanted to start my own campaign here,” says Prema. She also makes bags and covers with old newspapers. “I use covers made from paper bags for the dustbins. To make them firm, each cover is made with two sheets of paper so that decomposable waste can be put into it,” says Prema. Prema Srinivasan who will be turning 80 this October has been living alone at her residence in Indira Nagar since the demise of her husband 27 years ago. She has been keeping herself occupied with activities close to her heart. She conducts tailoring classes and stitches her own clothes. The cloth bags she carries with her are all made by her. She maintains a garden at her balcony. Prema loves to go to restaurants and watch films at cinemas. She is also conscious about her health. “I wake up early in the morning. I never fail to do yoga and pranayama. I ensure that I have my breakfast before 8 a.m., lunch by 12 noon and dinner before 7.30 p.m.,” says Prema. Prema Srinivasan is willing to teach others how to make paper covers and bags, without charging any fee. She can be reached at 98410 09313 or at 044 - 2441 2360.

Stay updated with all the Chennai Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.