The price rise a major concern

The price rise is a major concern for all.

However, the effect of the same is mainly confined to the lower and upper middle class.

The rich class do not have problem of the price rise as they pass on the burden to the market as they are mostly in business or trade. The poor class's main need is food. They get the main food items like the pulses at a very cheap rate of Rs 2/- or even free in some states. The balance amount of their income is available of  their daily necessitates. Their necessities are also limited. Any way if the prices are stabilized, this group can improve their living standard.

If we observe over a period of 2 - 3 years we can observe that the prices rise on the once hand and on the other we find that the farmers in trouble of not getting enough support prices for their produce. This anomaly is because of the middlemen hording the commodities and release the same in such a way that they can make huge profits. This profit is accumulated as black money and is ploughed back into the market to further horde the commodities. It is a vicious circle.

Who is to regulate the supply and demand? The Government of course. They are not in a position as they have to do things in such a way to get elected the next time. They have to adopt a strategy to retain, if not increase the vote base, and to counter the opposition's strategy. In between this there is the position of dependence on regional parties for support as no single party gets majority. This dependence make it difficult for the major parties to take any firm steps.

Even the public organizations like the anti corruption movement of Anna Hazare is only a fooling program of the public. The real issue is a corruption free Governance. Is it possible by having one more institution like the Lok pal to eliminate the corruption? Corruption is a mental attitude of each person and this becomes the collective as far as the nation is concerned. The Lok pal or any other new institution will be like the existing institutions like the C A G, C V C, C B I, Enforcement Directorate etc. Immediately for a few months it may be effective. After that this also will be like its predecessors. Then another Hazare has to come and fool the public to contain their resentment.

What is really required is correction of the mental attitude. What is the way for the change?

One way is for the spiritual organizations to co-ordinate with each other and have a common program to arise the attitude of followers. Since around 95% of the spiritual institutions suffer from the same attitudinal deficiency, they cannot do any service to the nation.

The other way is the communist method. This method in theory, is to produce for the nation and distribute according to need. This method is most impractical as it involves a dictatorial way of enforcement. No human being wants to be dictated. If dictation was tried, it may succeed for a very short time but it will be overthrown at the earliest available opportunity. We have the examples of USSR, East European countries and China. In China it is still prevalent in a truncated form.

The what is the remedy? The remedy lies in each of us. We should go for self development. We should, individually stick to the principles and try to persuade by discussions with our family members, neighbors and friends so that it become a different type of mass movement. Once we do this irrespective of what happens around us, this movement will become strong as majority of the people of the population is good. Once the majority become effectively good, the persons standing elections will be good and the government elected will be good and the governance will be good and the condition in the country will be good. To me this is the only way out.

Osama Bin Laden

Osama Bin Laden's Killing and the hide and seek play of USA & Pak

On the basis of what is reported in the media about the killing operation of Osama, we cannot conclude that Pakistan is cornered. In such sensitive matters there will always be some factors not made known to the outside world.

Both for USA and the Pakistan there are domestic compulsions to be taken into consideration. For the USA the Presidential election is coming in the next year. So it is a crucial point to score a point for Obama over his possible opponents both in his party and the opposition party. Besides, Osama is the declared enemy No 1 of USA and if Pakistan was to have supported Osama, the operation would have been in a different way. At the same time he may have to protect the Pakistani interest also. Therefor it is quite possible that he is projecting only part of the facts. Pakisthan is one of US allies since over 60 years. So US cannot dump Pakistan into lurch. The full truth may be known only to 3 - 4 persons as such an operation has to be done in a quiet manner. If any such matter is to be done in a public domain, nothing could be done.

As to Pakistan, Osama Bin Laden and the Al Qaeda are both a helping hand and a liability. Since Pakistan is fundamentalist Muslim Country trying to project as a champion of Muslim countries, they cannot appear to be against the Osama. At the same time they also know that Osama is the number one enemy of the USA and giving protection to Osama will put them against USA. Pakisthan is surviving only on the strength of the lavish aids being received from USA. Pakisthan also know that it is no match against America. Hence they will not take a stand of antagonizing USA by supporting Osama. Would it have been possible for USA to strike without anybody in Pakisthan being aware in such a strategic spot like the military base and within such close proximity to the Capital of the country?

Under the above circumstances both the USA and the Pakisthan are just leaving the world to discuss and conclude in any way they want. Only time will tell some more facts of the case. The full truth may not be known at any time.

General Insurance Employees' Layout

I came to Bangalore from Bombay during 1977 on Transfer by my employers, The New India Assurance Co Ltd. During my observations here, I came across the feeling and efforts of some of my then colleagues to form a housing layout for members from the company. After a year or two I happen to note that similar efforts were going on in the other 3 subsidiaries also of the GIC. Then all the 4 groups felt to merge together and make a layout for the General Insurance Industry.

The persons who were active in the  project of forming a layout for the employees of the Insurance Industry proposed to form a House Building Cooperative Society, buy land and form the layout. There were representative from all the 4 subsidiaries of the General Insurance Corporation and the pioneers worked hard for about 10 years. By that time some of the active persons were either about to retire or were on transfers. Hence they decided to call for a meeting and elected a new committee with N R Krishnaiah as the president, my self as the General Secretary and  S V Nagaraj as the treasurer with 2 members each from the subsidiary companies. This committee also tried to form a layout and found it not easy. They met the ministers concerned through some of their relations who were members of the Society. As the circumstances existing at that time the situation was not favorable to form layout by employees associations by themselves. Hence it was decided to form an Association as a collective Representative of employees members interested in plots and find out and negotiated for the members with the established cooperative societies who may have sites to offer to the members. Accordingly the General Insurance Employees' Welfare Association (GIEWA) was formed.

Synopsis of Layout

The General Insurance Employees' Welfare Association (GIEWA) was formed with the idea of having a housing layout for the employees of the General Insurance Industry. Earlier there was a ‘proposed House Building Co-operative Society’ with committee members from National Insurance, New India Assurance, Oriental Insurance and the United India Insurance to develop a housing colony for the General Insurance Employees. The committee tried sincerely for about 10 years. Due to the political circumstances prevailing at that time, the committee felt it will not be possible to pursue the objective further. Most of the Committee members were either transferred out of city or were due for retirement from service. Hence they called a meeting and elected a new committee. This committee after holding a general body meeting decided to form a layout through an existing house building co-op society and refund the amount collected by the ‘proposed house building co-op scy’ to the respective members.

Processing of Proposals

The new committee got about details of 20 proposals where registered House Building Societies having plots to offer. Out of these only on Housing Society by name the Amarajyothi House Building Co-operative Society (A J) was in a position to meet with our requirements and after discussions with the society an agreement was reached. As per the agreement we are to be given 250 sites as bulk allotment in one place. The agreement was reached in 1989. Till 1995 the society had to fight  with landlords in courts and during 1995 The supreme court gave an order that this society along with 7 others were not having enough genuine members and are indulging in real estate business in the name of housing society activities. Hence the lands acquired by the State Government for these societies were to be given back to the respective landlords. The landlords were to repay the payments received from the societies by installments to the State Government.  The Government in turn is to repay the amounts to the societies in installments after receiving from the landlords. With that background a meeting of GIEWA members was called to ascertain their opinion as to the future course . Most of the members felt that the Association should request the A J to renegotiate with the landlords and buy enough land to form lay out for our members. A J authorities promised and they had shown us some places. But after sometime they intimated that it will not be possible for them to provide a layout for us due to the complications they were expecting and wanted to stop their activities in housing. They agreed to refund the amount paid by our members through us in installments as and when they receive from the Government.  However, by that time the procedures for formation of layouts were comparatively easier and our Association decided to try to form a layout for its members.

GIEWA Layout

In view of the above position the General Insurance Employees’ Welfare Association (GIEWA) in a general body meeting decided to form its own layout with the help of developers. Accordingly the Managing Committee of the Association consisting of S/s N R Krishnaiah of National Insurance, R Mohan of Oriental Insurance, A R Ramanathan of New India Assurance Co as the office bearers; and the following committee members: Sri V Narasimhan from National Insurance Co; Sri P Suresh Babu from New India Assurance Co; Sri S V Nagaraj and Sri K M Sadanandamurthy from Oriental Insurance Co; and Sri L Chandrasekhar and K E Vijaykumar from the United India Insurance Co was elected by the meeting. The Committee got the Association registered. It took a lot of time and some committee members ( Krishnaiah, Narasimhan, Mohan, Chandrasekhar and Vijaykumar) resigned and Sri R Sathyanarayana and M N Viswanath were elected as committee members. GIEWA  Committee saw many proposals of prospective places for the layout shown by prospective developers. Finally the committee zeroed in a place in the Kembathahalli Village near Anjanapura Village about 16 km from City Railway Station and Town Hall. The Committee felt that none of the members being experienced in layout procedures decided to take the help of real estate developers to form the layout. The Committee tried 4 -5 developers (Lakshman a contractor of BDA; One Srinivas nephew of the Konanakunte Village Panchayath President who was to give the land; Basaviaiha & Nagaraj associates of Amarajyothi Society; the Secretary of the Vysya Bank Employees credit society who was also trying to form a layout fr Vysya Bank employees and Pegasus Promoters private developers). and finally felt that the Pegasus Promoters and Developers will be able to help us and an agreement was entered in 1999 with them to let us have around 85 sites in the first phase and another 150 sites in the next phase. But the members were not indicating clearly as to who were all interested to own sites. In the absence of this indication it was felt that 'silence is confirmation' and considered as all were interested for plots and we proceeded towards forming our layout.  

BDA acquisition notice of our sites and land.

After registering about 80 sites, we had a setback. The BDA issued notice to acquire all the lands around our layout including our sites. We had to represent and pursue with the BDA through our Developers, M/s Pegasus Promoters & Developers (they were also GPA holders of the landlords involved) to get the sites released from BDA. It took around 2 years. This caused some fear in the minds of the members waiting for sites and the response for further sites was lukewarm. Because of this further delay was there and the developer was not in a position to wait for us and sold the proposed 2^nd phase area to another private developers by name Classic Developers, Koramangala. During this process some of the Committee members withdrew themselves and no new ones were willing to come forward. Many members who had expressed their desire to have the sites also left the association taking back the deposit amounts paid by them for sites. 

We had based our calculation in such way that the rate for the first phase will be on an even basis without making any profit as our Association is founded on the principle of 'No loss No profit'. We presumed that after registration of some sites to members there will be confidence in the minds of the prospective site owners and new members will join for sites. We felt that we can charge a higher rate for the plots from these new members and the extra amount will take care of the completion of the layout works, build an overhead water tank, a mini wind mill for standby electric power during power cuts, planting of selected species of trees on Road sides, proper public light system and to meet the regular maintenance expenses of the layout. But the response as stated earlier was lukewarm and we had to abandon the further registrations. Those few members who were waiting for sites were given back their deposit amounts. On account of this we could not generate extra funds for the completion of the layout works and provide for the maintenance expenses of the layout. In view of this a call was given on the basis of the general body decision of the Association for extra contributions from the registered site owners of the layout to fulfill the above mentioned requirements. 

Due to some misunderstanding about the integrity of the Office Bearers and delay the response for the call of additional payments from members was not encouraging. Only about half of the registered site owners paid one installment of the proposed two installments. This response was discussed in a subsequent General Body meeting of the Association and it was decided that after trying one more attempt to collect the amounts from balance members refund the additional amounts collected if the response is not encouraging.Since the response was poor the amounts collected were refunded to the concerned members. By March 2002, Mr Sadanandamurthy, the then President who was active with the Secretary was transferred to Mysore. He was at Bangalore only on weekends and holidays. Since he had 2 establishments one at Mysore and the original at Bangalore he could not give much attention. Another active member Mr S V Nagaraj was having serious health problems and could not give much assistance. One of the Commi9ttee members Mr Suresh Babu was made as Branch in charge by his employers  and had very less time to spare for this activity. Due to all the factors mentioned above the layout work could not be concluded to the extent of 100 %. Some final touch ups were to be done.

During 2006 a new committee was formed.  This new committee after some starting troubles took up some repair works. By the time the work was being done some persons tried to encroach the sites in the layout. The encroaches in one place put up a compound wall and in another place fixed fence posts. The office bearers of the then committee expressed their inability to attend to this matter as their office work did not permit them to move out during office hours and an Ad hoc committee was formed with Mr S V Nagaraj as the Secretary and other members as Committee members.  This ad hoc committee with the help of some previous office bearers took up the matter of encroachments with the Police authorities concerned and partially succeeded in removing the encroachment and demolish the compound wall. However the party went to court against us and the case is pending. But regarding the encroachment by those fixing fence posts the police suggested to go for joint survey by the Survey department of the Government. The Police officials themselves wrote to the Survey department for survey. Even after persuasion till now the survey department did not do the survey (till 31.5.2012). The effort is continuing by some members under the present committee of the layout management.

In the meantime Mr S V Nagaraj could not spare time for further actions and he called for a General Body Meeting in 2009 or 2010 and a new committee and officer bearers were elected. The Office Bearers are: President - Sri S Ramesh, Secretary - Sri S Prabhakar, Treassurer - Sri P Nitiish and Committee Members - S/s M L Venugopal, T Tammi Reddy, R Ganeshan, L Domanic Mariya, C S Balasubramanian, A S Natesh and K M Ramachandra. Subsequently I presume the committee co opted Smt K S Manjula as additional member. Smt K S Manjula with the assistance of Sri R Ganeshan agreed to follow up the legal matters with the advocates. It is heartening to note that the new committee has collected additional funds from the members and have called quotations for construction of compound wall and the work is nearing completion.

My idea for a model housing plot colony for insurance employees

As explained, my idea was to have a housing layout of about 250 to 500 sites. Those who are already members (about 85) will be given concession in rates (almost one third of teh then prevailing rates in the area) and new members will be charged more so that on the whole it will be even. Later when the demand increases for sites from new members the rates were to be increased in proportion with the market rate increase. Accordingly the formation of the layout was proposed in 2 to 3 phases. The increase in the price will generate some extra money which could be utilized for providing amenities to the colony. The amenities proposed was for leveling of the entire layout and raising the level to higher than the road level, providing 2 overhead tanks for supply of water to the entire colony, arranging for one or two bore wells for water supply, a windmill for producing electricity for the colony and also for lifting the water from the bore wells to the overhead tank with the wind power, establishing a school in the colony, having a compound wall all around the colony, an emergency nursing room facility, persuading nurses, doctors, railway employees and KSRTC employees, persons form police department or having connection with police department and some advocates etc so that the colony will become a self contained one with all facilities to members. These were informed to some members, but many could not be informed. Since response was not there for more sites as expected because of various factors, I proposed a higher amount to be collected additionally so that these ideas could be implemented and make the colony a model one. Unfortunately for various reasons it could not materialize and I am very much disappointed. 

My lack of skills a stumbling block

I had the ideas but could not effectively communicate to the members and others who might have been interested in joining the colony. I used to discuss the matter to some of the close associates but in retrospect I feel that I could not enthuse them towards the ideas. I could not also inspire other committee members and other associates about the project and there was not much pushing from the side of the committee members and others. With the result the the ideal colony remained as an unfulfilled dream only. As mentioned in an earlier paragraph, most of the committee members, due to other pre-occupations could not spare much time after March 2002 when the  BDA problem came. Then there was a problem of a storm water drain canal of huge size made by the BDA on the Northern border of our layout. They took some land from our layout and the neighboring property to make the canal. Consequently some of whose sites were at the Northern end had lost some portion of their site. Some others had gained. One person had lost most portion of his site. Since many members were not coming forward because of the developments mentioned, the remaining land reserved for the 2nd phase of the layout was sold by the Developer to another developer. Unfortunately 5 members had already registered sites in then proposed 2nd phase portion and the sites were gone to the purchaser of this portion, M/s Classic Developers. Myself and Mr Sadanandamurthy had been pursuing this matter with our developer who used to promise to sort out the matter. But nothing happened. In the meantime I had the health problem of prostate enlargement and was under treatment  which ultimately was surgically removed in April, 2007. My age,  health and distance between my house and the layout and the developer's house being about 25 km did not allow me to have frequent visits to him. Besides he being a real estate business man and has his own properties to develop was not available when we go to his house. He never used to attend the phone calls from us. As mentioned elsewhere I had to give up the active participation due to my age, health in addition to the misunderstanding about my integrity  by some of the members. Under that circumstances if I continued it would have created further complications. Hence in 2006 a new committee was formed with many of those who had doubt about me.

The Present problems

There are mainly 3 problems affecting some of the members. One of the problem is the inertia of members. Another problem is court cases. The third problem is the mischief of the greedy land grabbers.

The sites were registered to the concerned members during 2001 and 2002. From that time till about beginning of 2012 no member took any initiative to attend to their sites either individually or collectively.  This inaction, indifference t the properties of members with the steep rise in land value attracted the land grabbers. Bangalore like any other center is having large number of mischievous advocates  who find out the then minors, now majors with inducement of getting the property or share from the one sold by their guardians during 2001/2002. Some of the land grabbers too abet them in this nefarious activities.  This has resulted in some descendents of the erstwhile landlords to stake claims on the sites owned by our members. While few have gone to courts against the site owners of the layout, in some cases the site owners have to go for legal proceedings due to the encroachment activities of the miscreants. The committee has been persuading the members from 2004 either surrender the sites to the Association so that the same can be given to those who came to the committee for sites in the layout, take back the amount and give the sites - if they are not happy with the sites or make contributions to create a maintenance fund for building a compound wall  for all sites so that each site is protected and the entire layout is also walled in. The fund was to cover addition the provision for a deposit so that the interest from the same can take care of the running common expenses of the layout, make a bore-well and overhead tank, planting trees n the roads have security arrangement and other collective activities taking co-operation of the village neighbors around the layout. Unfortunately response for the same was very poor and had to drop the idea. Then 3 sets of committees were successively to take care of the common interest. However as the members had no interest in the common interests of the layout nothing much could be done. 

New Generation - Better Generation

Each successive generations are better than the previous ones. This is due to various factors. One of the reasons is that the new generations have the advantage of a better enlightened parents comparedto the previous ones. Another reason is that there is lot of intermingling with larger number of persons. One more reason is the all round progress of technologies where there is diversion for the mind. Then there is more freedom to the present generation from their parents comparing to the previous ones. This reduces the tension of conflicts allowing more time to concentrate on the work in hand. There are more avenues for furthering the interests of the individuals comparing to previous generations. The development of internet and internet sharing, social groups interactions, visual media news etc have given enough scope for development of the personality and knowledge of the individuals. We can expect to have better citizens with each successive generations and can expect a better world to live.

Cricket is an idlers game

Cricket is an idlers game with colonial legacy. This is the only game played throughout the day time.

This game was devised by the idle British Lords. When Britten was at its peak as an empire, they were enjoying their life at other countries costs by plundering these countries who were under them. The people of these countries were their slaves. The benefit of this plunder naturally went to the upper class of the Society of United Kingdom. In those days these people were not having anything to do except to eat rich food and loiter around. In order to pass time and have some physical exercise, these people devised this game so that they can leisurely play this game to burn out the extra energy they get from luxurious food and living. They used to employ servants to run around to pick up the ball etc. When some of the higher ups were posted in their slave countries like, India, Pakistan, Srilanka etc these people brought the game to the slave countries. These colonial countries adopted this game as if it is a wonderful game and continued the legacy left by the erstwhile matters.

If we look around the world, none of the developed countries play this game. It is only the erstwhile mater country (Britten) and the erstwhile colonies of this empire, where this game is played.

These ex colonies not only keep this game, but give undue importance to this game in comparison with other games.

It is high time we look at the game in proper perspective and keep the same in its proper place and not give the over indulgence to it as is now the case.

Why we go to places of worship

Why we go to places of worship

People of all religion go to their respective places of worship like the temples of Hindus, Churches of Christians and Mosques of Muslims and other religious places of other religions. Why we are going there? Majority of the human beings are having an inner restlessness. Whatever is achieved, still they feel that something is wanting. What is that something? That is the peace and tranquility.

Why go to the religious places for this? The earth is having various kinds of energy all over it. The easiest one we understand is the gravitational energy (force). In the olden days whenever, a place of worship is to built, the experts of the various fields of life like the Vaastu, architecture, diviners and the priests etc are involved and they select the place where the institution is to be built. They select the best place with the best positive energy concentration. The materials c for constructions are selected, the images, idols etc are also made out of the selected materials. So when the building is complete the positive energy of nature is maximum in the place. After the completion of the building and installation of the images, expert priests do the chanting of the almighty and sanctify the place with further pure and positive energy. This creates a positive vibration in the place. If people without any prejudice go there, they will feel a difference in the atmosphere comparing to other places. If the persons are with faith the experience will still be better. Only those who have no faith may not feel anything in the place. Apart from the positive energy, the places of worships are having codes to be observed. This also adds to the effect.

With all the above facts we get some relief in our tension, stress, anxieties when we go to the places of worship. Of course just by going and coming to and from those places, we may not gain much. We should observe the codes of the places for the full benefit.