That way it's more significant day than even 15 Aug because on 15th Aug we got liberty but on 26th Jan 1950 we wrote the meaning of liberty. Being free doesn't mean we are free to do any thing but being free is a responsibility & there has to be a definition of responsibility which we prepared for the people of this free nation on 26th; that's why this date is more important. If we study history then right from French revolution to recent Egyptian revolution there has always been examples of people coming together & get their freedom against wrong rulers but because they were lacking of what next after freedom & didn't been defined the revolutions have failed. Here is where success of American revolution is important as after independence they wrote down exactly what next is to be done & so our leaders did.
Here is where greatness of our freedom leaders like Nehru & Ambedkar is marked significantly. As they didn't wasted the freedom which we have got out of sacrifice of millions. They studied our culture, heritage as it was very difficult to keep a country as diversified as ours to maintain on one platform especially when the freedom has achieved. And it required a very balance as well futuristic approach to make a document which will bind this nation not for few years but for many to come. This task needed inputs of many wise & balance men which we were fortunate to have. Those were the leaders who used to put interest of the nation above their self interest, a character which we are lacking now a days & that's why in mere 60 years from freedom we are facing problems which we never use to have in past & that is corruption by the people in power.
On 26th Jan 1950 Constitution of this country was made available for the people of the country & still today every person in this country is enjoying its fruits. Had the constitution wasn't in place I really wonder where we would have been by now? Like Russia we would have been split in many states as separate countries & disparity amongst the various religions or castes would have been worst. The Constitution gives right to every human being who is resident or citizen of this country to be equal on all fronts like justice or speech or following his/her religion but without disturbing others. It taught us to respect individual human being the way he or she is & conserved secularism which was & is backbone of this country.
Here many will wonder where this write up is going, especially in context of Real estate! As what 26th Jan i.e. republic Day has to do with our Real Estate Industry? Well I think if you have gone through the above content & the recent advertises of the majority of the projects as well the availability of the homes in & around Pune or even in major Metros of the country then you will realize we are forgetting the basics of our constitution! It mentions Equality, Fraternity & Freedom to choose our own way of living! But look where all these terms are when it comes to choosing your own home? I am not being too philanthropic but its high time we should think whether we are building the homes for need or greed? Recently I observed many of the advertises in the news paper of home where in bold letters the price of the unit is marked & the figure is above
Rs 1crore! Meaning only those who have got paying capacity above that mark should contact for more information. Well nothing wrong its a open market after all & any home maker can decide what kind of product he wants to build. Yet the question tingles in my mind that isn't home making a service also for the society? As a home is not just a luxury product but a very basic need for many. If it is so then why more & more developers are trying to make the product more costlier by designing flats with big areas & luxurious amenities? Why can't they come up with some simple specifications & moderate size flat making the homes more affordable for masses?
Is it that the mind set of society changing & its only the people with more money will get better service or better life? Again many will say going on same line is it a crime that we earn more & if we have money then why we should be deprived of using or spending it by our choice? Very correct argument going by logic of it but then when we earn money then isn't our responsibility increases towards others who don't have it enough to fulfill their basic needs? Recently there was a controversy over Ratan Tata commenting on Antalia, the famous 24 storied Mr.Mukesh Ambaini's residence in Central Mumbai. While Mr.Tata lives in a mere 4 bhk apartment, Mr. Ambani resides in a nearly Rs 1000 crore ( going by today's rates) home whole monthly electricity bill in itself is said to be over some Rs 30 lac per month! Again its individuals choice though we are not in position how Mr Ambani should live but surely coming from the level of Mr.Tata it does carry some weight. What I am trying to put forward on the occasion is the same point when it comes to home & living styles.
An affordable home is the very primary need of Urban India. From 1950 to 2013 in 63 years the pendulum of the population is clearly shifted towards cities; with more & more people have been migrated from Villages to Metros, the face of rural India is fast becoming urban. So what we need is homes & many of them with infrastructure to this migrated population. But what is the scene today on that front? Only two types of people now can afford home in Metros like Mumbai or Pune & they are super rich or super poor! Super Rich with money can have as per there wish & choice any where with their buying power & super poor take shelter any where they can get i.e. slum to illegal constructions as they hardly care for outcome. It's the middle class or higher middle class which is in fix while finding a home. As with their limited income source they cant afford a home in well developed locality where all basic infrastructure is available like water, market, roads, drainage, schools, hospitals etc; because of high rates & at such places with present trends the sizes of units are also designed keeping in mind super rich customer only! And then they can't survive in slums because of their so called white collar attitude! So all they can do is wait for something in their budget or go away from city center & spend their half of the life in paying EMI's & remaining half in travelling from work place to their home. That too in city like Pune with poor public transport they have to burn their own money & risk their life in traveling by their private vehicle!
Here is where the linkage comes between 26th ie Republic Day & real estate; as after all what a Republic means? It was supposed to be "by the people for the people of the people"; where as the situation in real estate is "by the few for the few & of the few"! The job is not just of developer's but of every one related to real estate to introspect & think about this aspect of life.
Last but least, when we can't think even for the homes of major middle class human beings, no wonder we don't see sparrows & other little birds in & around the cities any more! As for their homes we don't even bother at-all while building for our special customers.
Its high time that we shouldn't forget the efforts our past leaders have put in to make the constitution & carry the torch ahead. Celebrating 26th Jan isn't just flag hosting & giving speeches but to get in act what the constitution is telling us. Be committed to the job we are doing & put the country & country men ahead of our individual selfishness. I think if each of us can do that then we can say we deserve the freedom & what better day than to start the process than
Republic Day!
Jay Hind!
--
Sanjay Deshpande
Sanjeevani Dev.
Envo-Power Committee, Credai, Pune
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In a era back, 'Home' had a sort of feeling -- a satisfaction, mental peace etc. associated with that... Now, its a possession to flaunt.. For many an investment avenue....there is 1st home, 2nd home, weekend home, vacation home etc. The jargon is not complete yet...... So much so, that for the real needy, it has become a dream..... Our urban landscape has changed considerably in past 20 years.... (I feel), not in harmony with Nature..... We now have a concrete jungle in our urban landscape.. Now a days children may not know what it means by chirping of sparrows, pigeons etc.. There is plastic invasion at all the places..... It will be interesting to see whether we can exist peacefully and camly in 'delibrate absence' of harmonious Nature... We happen to live in the most intelligent period of human exsistence
ReplyDeleteyeah thats why the fight is up on the shoulders of those who understands the danger ahead!I personaly feel that we speak but we dont act, i try to do what ever best I can againgst the concrete jungles!
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