Illegal Construction, Real Estate & Satellites!

--

“In any country there must be people who have to suffer. They are the sacrifices any nation has to make to achieve law and order”…. Idi Amin.

Well actually no need to intro this guy as my genre grew up reading his horrific stories the way he ruled yet for those who are not exposed to the name Idi Amin, was a Ugandan politician and military officer. He was the President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979, and his rule gained notoriety for its sheer brutality and oppressiveness. Yet his above this quote I dared to use as the subject is such, yes it’s about as usual Illegal Constructions & the System which makes it grow! I really wonder when every day I read the news papers which are in a way a window to outer world at the same time a mirror also showing us reflection of what we are because when we read news about our Pune city & the citizens somewhere we forget that it’s us only about whom the news is mostly yet we conveniently forget this fact & go on with the life cursing every other but the face in the mirror! I might sound a bit frustrated but then the news was such, so not fetching your patience more will share; the news rather two news wee there which on face may look separate but very much connected in actual. First news was the case going in Hon. High Court regarding issue of Illegal constructions which by now has spread like stage three (final stage) cancer in not just PUNE or Mumbai but entire State. Only thing is Pune, Mumbai & Thane are always in lime light & here land is more in demand due to millions migrating every day so here the illegal constructions ( read any construction) comes on radar of many NGO’s , Politicians, Govt, Media & lastly Common Man for their respective interests associated with the same! And that’s the reason illegal constructions issue is always burning hot here & in that context Hon High Court has suggested or the govt itself has come up with the idea (does it matters actually?) that here after help of satellite (yes you read correct, it means flying real satellite) will be taken to keep eye (don’t ask of whom) on illegal constructions so as to control them. Well, superb, wow, innovative, out of the world, fabulous & what not are the reactions come to mind, so over helmed I was when I read the news but finally no word came out of my mouth! By the way this was obviously for new illegal constructions is what govt meant as for govt there is no illegal construction exists in Pune or Mumbai as all are being regularized or at least is what the millions of people living in such constructions thinks & their elected leaders assures them so! Well, there are some fool citizens too who don’t accept these illegal constructions necessity & cant se the good they are bringing to poor fellow citizens who resides in these constructions as well the builders, politicians & few officers who eventually make some money out of all these constructions & keep on banging doors of  “Andha Kanoon” i.e. Hon Courts. Outcome is not only innocent people living in such illegal constructions has to live under constant fear (actually I doubt about it) but such court petitions makes our "Mai Bap" govt also to run around all the time. After all its govt & its govt’s job to take care of voters first, law comes later as laws don’t make you win elections but voters does! How can these fools who goes to courts against illegal constructions don’t understand these basics of today’s system which we call society, I fail to understand!

And then it’s because of such fools even the courts has to take cognizance of the cancer named illegal constructions ^ chess govt to demolish them as well control them. Actually the whole illegal construction thing makes me remember a mythological demon that used to trouble entire world & when gods finally thought of killing him, a war started. The problem was whenever the gods weapons use to cut or injure this demon as soon his blood use to spill on ground, from that more his clones’ demons used to generate, that was the blessing this demon has got from none other than Lord Vishnu. Now how to kill such demon was the question in front of gods, so they went back to Lord Vishnu with their inability to kill the demon. Lord Vishnu then asked Goddess Lakshmi who the in the form of Kali, started fighting with the demon as she also created her many clones & whenever the blood from the body of the demon spilled out the Kali used to lick it by her long tongue thus not allowing the blood drops touch ground & finally she cut the head of the demon! Well, sorry if the readers are clueless with this story; the demon in our story is illegal construction, gods are the fools who are fighting against illegal construction (yes there are still such around), Lord Vishnu is our Mai Baap govt which includes political leaders & bureaucrats who protects such constructions under various names (read policies) & the problem is we don’t have goddess Lakshmi who can take form of Kali to cut down illegal construction named demon! And result is you raise down one building which is illegal (even that is difficult now a days) & hundred such comes up around is the scene!

If you are thinking I am exaggerating the issue then read any news paper & find the statements by local authorities about the illegal constructions; right from inadequate staff to machinery to no police protection, govt gives every possible reason even filing an affidavit to the court that such construction are a must so as to give homes to poor! But the govt sees that illegal constructions not only survives but grow & the news like using satellite for keeping eye on illegal construction is one more ace in the pack! The joke is this govt thinks courts (read judicially) is real blind & deaf & dumb too or else they wouldn’t have continuously come up with such genius ideas on the subject of illegal constructions as first a technology like satellite is used to give us information to us from the areas (read locations) where human can’t easily reach i.e. the place is in remote inaccessible part of the land or sea. For e.g. in dense forests of high mountains ranges or desserts, here if some activity is happening then as you can’t easily reach there physically then you can use satellite to check the progress or present scene of such activity but what we call illegal constructions is happening in day light in front of very eyes of all the system (read PMC/ PCMC/ PMRDA)& they have all the authority as well back up to not just keep eye on such illegal constructions but to demolish or stop it but they are not doing it, so what difference satellites can make but adding expenses in the form of fat bills for such service to some consultancy as well such service provider firms! May be that’s what the govt wants in first place!

And then there was second news about corruption & the problems in convicting the accused in such cases by judicially itself as well the system we call govt. One will say what’s the relation of these two news but it’s the delay in convicting the corrupts , may it be concerned officers, elected members or even the private players (read builders) is what main reason behind growth of illegal constructions is a hidden fact! As who is supposed to keep an eye on illegal constructions & who makes it, not some aliens but they all are very much humans like you & me. And its only the system (read judicially also, with due respect) which protects such humans who are responsible for illegal constructions so they dare to build such buildings & looking at them their clones also starts doing the same. That’s why govt puts forward ideas like satellite monitoring for illegal constructions as who will monitor the satellites, but these very humans so what assurance that use of satellite will stop illegal constructions, someone needs to ask  this question in first place!

The issue of illegal construction is the worst thing that can happen to real estate as on  one side polices like GST as we hundreds of NOC’s are making building the projects difficult every day. On top of it the very same govt which speaks about use of hi-tech things like satellite, can’t even run successfully simple things like issuing online 7/12th extract types primary document essential for real estate. Then the clumber-sum process of getting plans sanctions by obtaining things like demarcation of land to water/drainage nocs’, oh yes environment clearance too & now feather in the cap is Aviation NOC!  The time taken in all these is years not just weeks or months, the Mai Bapp govt don’t have time to make use of technology & reduce this time so as more projects (read legal) will roll out in lesser time which in itself is sure way of reducing illegal constructions. But No, we want to show Hon Court how much keen we are to stop illegal constructions that’s why we are going to use satellite for this, see how serious we are but in actual reality we turn a blind eye on illegal constructions as now satellites are watching it, great! And when I say illegal constructions I don’t mean just buildings, I mean every that activity which occupies public space like roads, govt lands, river, gardens, forests which are supposed to serve the society but are being used for some other purpose benefitting a few while the masses suffers due to such use, that’s what I mean illegal! For e.g. even a book or CD stall on footpath of FC road is also an illegal construction as it occupies public space illegally & makes nuisance to pedestrians who has first right on the foot path! Now why you need a satellite for that & if you don’t then why every footpath of this city is not encroachment free from such illegal occupations, is the question I want to ask entire city, not just to some govt dept!

Because real estate suffers from every such illegal constructions or occupation & dying a slow death is a brutal fact which we are ignoring. As the legal building has to compete with illegal buildings, they either have to perish (read, bare loss) or follow a path of illegality directly or indirectly. Ever increasing ratio of carpet to salable area is the outcome of increasing product rates without poor (read foolish) customers knowing so & what a legal builder can do as he has to pay every single premium which govt charges under hundred heads, pay the interest charges for the delays to start the project due to so called on line systems (which never works) by the govt which talks about use of satellites & yet he has to compete with some  (read many) illegal builders who can sale way below than the legal one as illegality comes free of cost while its legality which is tagged as costly! And on the top of it the system (read again even judicially) helps illegal constructions in both ways, one by turning blind eye towards them & second delaying conviction of any such personals involved in illegal constructions! Remember if for an innocent person, "justice delayed is justice denied” then for a guilty person, “justice delayed is justice killed”, is the logic! When I say justice killed that means loss of fear or respect for the law, in the eyes of common man! High time for the good people in real estate (yes there are few left still) to raise the voice against illegal constructions & more than that govt’s false, two mouthed stance about the same. As a city grows only by following & respecting law or else why to make Development Plan (DP) or have Development Control rules like things, remove everything & let anybody build whatever he or she wants! As what next after using satellite to keep an eye on illegal constructions, hire aliens to demolish them, I am sure next reply filed by the govt will include my this idea as aliens are not from this planet so no one (not even ministers) can threat or pressurize them, neither will they take bribe nor they will ask for cream posting like things!

Rather I suggest let’s remove the word (terminology) “Illegal Constructions“, itself from the law books. Believe me just imagine how much good it will make to society (read govt) as no more law suits & paying heavy fees to lawyers to defend such constructions, no more pressure on govt officials t demolish such constructions, no more accusing on bureaucrats as well politicians for accepting bribe to allow as well protect illegal constructions, no more staff required to demolish or stop such constructions & that  staff can be used for some more creative works (like generating ideas like satellite use), no need to spend years in making DC rules of DP of the city & then again getting it through General Body like procedure, taking time of our  "Mananiyas" i.e. elected members! And mostly everybody is free to build by his will & then clients also won’t be bothered to check whether their life time’s earning is being put in a home which is legal or illegal as there won’t be anything illegal itself! Wow, that will be real Smart Way to make this city Smart & free of illegal constructions, what say Smart Citizens? Till then keep reading such news about illegal constructions & get entertained; by chance if you are a law abiding builder then do follow every rule/law, even if you make loss & if you are law abiding flat buyer then pay more EMI yet book your home in legal construction with such law abiding builder only (read fool builder). But if you are a Smart builder then don’t bother, just build what you want to, without any permission & sale to some Smart buyer, who are always there in search of Smart builder like yours!

Sanjay Deshpande 

Sanjeevani Dev.

Please view my sharing about real estate in Pune at U-Tube link below..

https://youtu.be/g3lx1Nq7pBs

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.com/2018/08/pune-city-no-1.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

www.punecorporation.org

Take your issues to Hon PM at link below..

https://secure.mygov.in/#

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com

Team India & Gentleman's Game!

-- 

“A lot of things have changed since I made my debut in 2004. The way cricket is played has changed. The kinds of players that are coming in the Indian team are drastically different than what we were used to. My role is quite the same. You only evolve with time, and that's what I am trying to do”... MS Dhoni.

----

 “I will prove myself strong when they think I am sick.
I will prove myself brave when they think I am weak.”… E. Lockhart.

Emily Jenkins, who sometimes uses the pen name E. Lockhart, is an American writer of children's picture books, young-adult novels, and adult fiction. Well Emily’s introduction was necessary but no need to readers for the person of which I used the first quote! Rather Emily’s quote made me use it to describe that person as he lives by it time; yes, I am speaking about M S Dhoni, India’s former (well I hate to use that word for him) cricket captain of all formats & still captain of Chennai Super King’s IPL team. This sharing when I thought of writing was not about MS but it was history created by Indian Cricket team in Australia by defeating them in test match series but by the time I sat on my PC even One Day series was over with India winning that too & MS becoming man of series for it! So I have to start my sharing with MS’s quote as how can present Team India’s story will be complete without MS’s name in it!

For non cricket lovers, yes there are still such souls in India & for those who are still reading this piece, Indian Cricket team has made a history in its recent tour of Australia in many ways. It’s about Team India winning (retaining) Border–Gavaskar Trophy which is a Test cricket series played between India and Australia. It is currently played via the International Cricket Council's future tours program, with varying lengths of time between matches. If the series is drawn, then the country holding the trophy previously retains it. The series is named after Australia's Allan Border and India's Sunil Gavaskar, both of whom have scored over 10,000 Test runs in their career, captained their respective teams, and was world record holders for most runs scored in Test match cricket. The first edition was held in 1996 in which India won by seven wickets. The series is mostly a four test series with the exceptions being the first four editions and 2010. By doing so, this team became the first Indian team to beat Ausis in their turf in test cricket. Then become first Indian team to beat Ausis in one day series too. Leveled the T 20 series & in doing so became the first cricket team visiting Australia & went back home not losing any series in any format of the game; “whoohoooo Alexa give me applauds”…!

Well for cricket lovers, they must be knowing all this but then my sharing is not just to tell you what history Team India has wrote but why this particular team & a dash of words as tribute to MS! Like most other kids I too grow up in a small town playing cricket & thinking one day I too will play for Team India (please don’t laugh most of us did so, when we played in galli cricket) & my first memories of Indian cricket team in Australia are from 1977-78, when Bobby Simpson the great was Aussi captain & all we can do is wake up at odd hours & try to tune in radio as TV wasn’t yet come in Khamgaon. Since then as I grew up, playing for Indian Cricket team dream has long vanished but to see India winning in Australia dream remained & now when I turned fifty, it has come true. Many will laugh & criticize cricket for its being played in just ten odd countries & yet getting so much importance but then even with just ten countries yet there remained a country named Australia which was like some unbeaten fort for nearly seventy years for us & I am happy for knocking down that fort as a diehard cricket lover. As the game has given me much more than just joy of watching India play or win! In these seventy years team India visited Australia nearly 12 times barring present series & every time it has returned with defeat. Out of these seventy years last fifty I am witness & indeed during this Team India has won every other tournament including World Cup twice in One day format, once in T 20 format, team India had been ranked number 1 team in tests for quite some time yet to beat Aussis’s in Australia has not been achieved by any Indian Team & this team did it, “Whoohoooo, Alexa give me more applauds..”!

If you think I am over reacting then ask any cricket lover (who understands this game a bit seriously) & he will ask Alexa for still more applauds, such is worth of this victory! Well, is this team very talented or special than all  earlier teams, is the question that  many will ask; just have a look at the names of some earlier team members who has visited Australia in last 11 attempts. Bishan Sinh Bedi, Chandashekhar, Vyankat Raghavan, Ajit Wadekar, Pataodi, Salim Duraani, Vijay Hajare, Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavskar, Dilip Wengserkar, Gundappa Wishvanath, Mohindar Amarnat, Kapil Deo, Sachin Tendualkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguli, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Sing, Jvangal Shrinath,Virender Sahewag, Vyankesth Prasad, Gautam Gambhir & many others! Are these names were not special, well some of them are legends, few of them are Gods in this country not by just the faith fans put in them but by sheer record books & look at the names in this cricket team, barring Virat Kohali & MS in one, tell me one name which goes at par with one to one basis with the names in that long list I have mentioned above! Many will say at the same time the present Aussi team was the weakest t team till now which we have faced, may be so but then our team too was immature, in-experienced & then even the team under captaincy of Kim Hughes during Carrey Packer days was considered as weakest then, yet we couldn’t beat that Aussie team is a fact. Frankly game of cricket (or any game) is not about weak or strong but the team which held its nerve on the day of game wins! And who better than this Indian team knows this as it has proved the basic rule of game about temperament! And that is the difference between earlier teams & this team as this team knows wining a match isn’t about just talent or having big names in the team but it means everyone performing his best on the day of match, which they did. Indeed we have our own lacunas but important is with those lacunas also we won the series.

And then as MS said in his quote, this is new India because look at the way every player retaliated Aussies on every front, right from sledging (taunting opposite team’s players on field) to shot back nasty looks after every wicket taken or a four has been hit! Look at all the names from my list, they were great names with great character but when you play with Aussies in Australia, it’s equally a mind game too! Right from the Aussie captain & wicket keeper, all slip  squad continuously taunting the batsman for his game weakness as well personal front, you need a cool composed mind as well a fire within to give it back, both by words as well by bat & ball & this team has it full! Recently I saw a movie about Surgical Strike, “Uri” in which the Captain of commando team while selecting his team for mission says, “jawano me me sirf Jajabaat nahi Jajba bhi jaruri hai”. Means the soldiers must have anger for the enemy & fighting spirit too along with patriotism & exactly this team India has perfect combo of Jajbat & Jajba! As average age of present team is mid twenty & most of them have been born in well to do families (indeed there are some from middle class families too) but then the game has given them good money & it indeed has boosted confidence in them. Many of them can speak fluent English & not just understand taunts thrown at them but can give back nastier words with perfect assent, ask our wicket-keeper Rhishabh Pant who is not even twenty by age but took on none other but Aussie captain himself by commenting while Tim Penn was batting, “have you ever seen a part time captain & then went on hitting a big century which made him maximum run scoring wicket-keeper in one inning! This has been never done before, as all our earlier players were great in their own way but represented old school of the game were you are taught to neglect sledging & play the game as Gentleman! This team’s members are no more Gentlemen is sure but at the same time they do understand, just words are not enough & it should be backed by equally with the performance with ball & bat as well & they did that too!

One very important aspect with Aussies was their aggressiveness backed by their extreme physical fitness in the field, may it be bowling or fielding or even throwing the ball at stumps (actually at batsman), they were always way ahead on fitness front & that had been a major wining factor over our team always. But not for this team India as look at our captain, Virat Kohali himself is one of the fittest players on world & that does push other players to raise their bar of fitness & it reflects automatically on field body language! Aussies are known to play total cricket, may it be sledging (mind game, off & on field), fielding, batting to make more runs, every ball bowled to take wicket & every move is to win the game, that’s the way they used to play the game. This Indian team was not better by just the way you bat or ball or field, this team is better than Aussies by the entire attitude towards the game; they want to win every game & in cricket you do it only by hitting four on every ball thrown at you, by taking wicket on every ball you bowl & catching every skier comes in your direction & then you are bound to win the game, which they did!  What I meant was the way you look at the game, with extreme positive mindset & then you deliver too! Yes one credit I can’t take away & that is fast bowling as never we have got four pacers firing the ball above 140 km/hr toward the batsmen like a wave coming after another! It was indeed a pleasure to watch our fast bowlers show as all these years we have witnessed only the like of Lily, Thomson, Stark, Mitchell Jonson, Bruce reed making our batsmen run from the bouncers but rarely did we have that fire power for Aussies which we have now!

Cricket has given me not just the joy of watching the game while India win but it has taught me attitude to life as we are part of team always, may it be at home or at work or with friends & fight is most of the time with our own self!  In the match of life, not necessary every time you can see the opponent but whenever I see it I see it in green baggie cap; as adverse time is just like Aussie team, it taunts you, tease you, try to demoralizes you & takes away game from you! This Indian team has taught us the only way to defeat an aggressive & competent team is by being more aggressive & more competent than them & that’s the biggest gift they have given to me personally by defeating Aussies in their home!!

Lastly about MS Dhoni, as at age of fifty also this guy who is at least thirteen years younger to me makes me awe by the way he thinks, he speaks, he behaves, he plays & he handles success as well criticism! With due respect MS may not be even in top hundred by just going with figures in record books but does that matter? Right from the days with his long hairs flowing over his neck to the crew cut he has come longest way as player, as a captain & more than that as a man who has seen failure as well biggest of success & survived from both! Just 37 years yet the hardness those eyes carry & whiteness of beard shows the price Dhoni has paid for being one of the most successful captains of Team India & do mind we the Indian fans are worst lot, as we can make a player God & in least time we can booo the very same player; ask Ajit Wadekar the Gentleman Captain, Gavskar the Great, Sachin the God, Shastri, the Champions of Champions & Yuvraj, Man of Tournament of World Cup 11, they all will vouch for it! And for fourteen years to remain popular in this country to such extent that when he is playing from Chennai in IPL vs Mumbai in Mumbai, still the Mumbai crowd cheers for him, such is charisma named Dhoni & that’s not for just the runs he makes or the way he keeps stumps, that’s because the way he lead, he play or he live! The man is ideal subject for any management course by him-self is all I will say about him! This Australia tour was historic for him also as age is cruelest enemy & it defeats best of the players but not Dhoni, not yet is what he proved by becoming Man of the Series at 37, probably oldest in history of One Day games! Does this guy has left to prove anything; I think no, all he does is keep playing. Someday he knows he has to stop but the finisher he is, he knows when his game is over & I wish the day should get delayed as long it can be!

Finally,  Virat & Team India, thanks a ton for making me part of history by allowing me to live it & do mind for Champions it’s not some win or loss but it’s the way  you play every game is what makes them a Champion; just keep playing as that’s best way to write new history every day, so you will!

-- 

Sanjay Deshpande 

Sanjeevani Dev.

Please view my sharing about real estate in Pune at U-Tube link below..

https://youtu.be/g3lx1Nq7pBs

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.com/2018/08/pune-city-no-1.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

www.punecorporation.org

Take your issues to Hon PM at link below..

https://secure.mygov.in/#

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com

Ujani; Habitat of Hope!

--

 “Men will spend billions making inhospitable distant planets habitable. And yet we spend trillions destroying the abundant ingredients for life on our home planet.” … Freequill.

Activist and writer who goes by the alias FREEQUILL and chooses to remain anonymous though I wonder who can write such wonderful quote & yet remain anonymous as I personally feel that unless the words gets a face behind them however wisdom they carry yet they seldom reach to masses & above words too are not exception to my logic! Well, if you are finding me a bit philosophical then it’s about my latest trip of birding to Ujani a backwater hardly some 90 odd kilometers from Pune & whenever you go to meet nature in its raw form if you are not having a philosophical effect then you really haven’t meet the nature is what I will say! And I am very much human so the philo effect while I start sharing my Ujani time with flamingos & loads of them along with many other wonderful creatures we just tag under the specie birds! I had been to Ujani some six years back & for those who are unaware about the place, it’s a water-body created by Ujani dam on east side of Pune hardly two hours drive. Actually Ujani has catchment area of entire Pune district but as there are some five odd dams on upstream as well located at flat terrain, Ujani dam get filled only when all upstream dams are full & its overflow is what makes Ujani dam’s storage. Spread on huge area because of flat plateau, it’s this geographical location which has blessed Ujani to become home (read breeding ground) for hundreds of species of migratory as well local birds. Because the flat land makes shallow water body so the formation of algae is more in this stagnant water which is food for many insects as which then becomes food for fish & all this makes this as a perfect shelter for birds like flamingo to breed here. Still a wonder that how these birds travels for thousands of miles from places like Siberia & few from Ran of Kuchh but every year come winter & the back water of Ujani becomes a heaven for bird watchers.

And not just flamingos many other species like ducks, gull come here in winter for breeding & brings along prey birds like Marsh Harrier & Falcons & Eagles too. Though the main attraction is flamingo & I wanted to click them on the background of sunset so I started by early noon with two of my friends towards Ujani & reached there by late noon. In six years not much has changed the same scene of no signage to place like this which could be one of the best tourism attractions. No public facility (as usual) leave apart toilets etc & no garbage beans as we the Indians are such a great community when its displaying our civic sense that we leave behind all signs of what we have ate & drank in form of carry bags, bottles, cartons & what not while we visit place like Ujani! Then there is no proper way to actual water body which is accessible only by boat. One good thing was the boats now are fitted with diesel engine so as the distance can be covered faster to the birds nesting & when you close in the guide as well boat driver cuts of the engine & rows to a safe distance from the bird. Another good change was now the guides cum boat men were available (local boys only) who has been having good knowledge about birds & with information of birds’ breeding grounds. This year rains were pretty less, obvious the dam wasn’t full & water shallow making a better situation for flamingos which loves shallow water & there they were, from shore itself we can see the pink white wall on one side of the water & as the boat started travelling towards the flamingo wall my eyes (read mind) were mesmerized by this wonder of nature. Hundred, thousands of birds silently moving in lines searching for food, some sleeping, some communicating with each other’s by touch, doing all sorts of moments of that long turning neck supporting a pink beak! For a moment I forgot to click as such sights makes you realize what a wonderful creator nature is & suddenly few of the flamingos started running & spreading their wings lifted themselves up in sky. Because of its heavy body structure, flamingos can’t fly like most other birds i.e. strait lifting their body up in sky but needs a start just the way our bigger aero planes does. May be the idea in the mind of first aeronautical engineers about flights take-off, must have come by looking at such flight of some flamingo itself, such is the similarity between to watch a flamingo took flight & a plane taking off from the ground. As we were watching the stylish take-off of these nature’s aero planes one by one, in next moment entire sky above us was shade of pink & white & red leaving us below to envy these birds which can fly so gracefully! 

And if this isn’t enough to make our appetite full for nature’s wonder then up ahead the water surface was covered with thousands of common coot with glossy black wings & white beak, rudy shell ducks, bramhni ducks, spotted bill ducks & Gulls of many types. As the boat advanced through them towards another group of flamingos, the ducks took of flight in hundreds at a time, making us feel like we are moving through black clouds on our head! And obvious there were prey birds like marsh harrier silently awaiting their chance for the kill among these so many smaller birds! Though the prey birds you can get to see mostly at late morning or noon as that must be the time when the prey i.e. other birds can be found in bit relaxed phase post their meal, is what my guess. And then as the sun started touching horizon on western sky, the entire backdrop got washed in crimson gold color making the water glow in its reflection & on that background flamingos silhouette were moving & if this is less the on sky also like warli painting flying flamingos were making sketches indifferent form! Trust me I have been lucky enough to witness many nature wonders but so close to city & so unprotected by human encroachment, Ujani back water is one of the best of them!

Now if you have had visualization of what I experienced then let me tell you my sharing is not to make you awe about Ujani back water but to make you aware that this habitat is in grave danger & it’s none other than by we the Punekars! As whatever garbage, sewage, chemicals & what we generate upstream, finally flows here polluting the fresh water of this reservoir which is most essential for the formation of algae which in end becomes main reason for these birds making this place as their home. And then there is literally no protection to the birds from scavenger dogs as well humans by any govt official. Neither the place is known to outer world except die hard birding people! The only way we can conserve such places is by making the locals love the place as well join in conservation of the same. Fortunately there are locals like Sandip Nangare who along with his fellow friends doing a wonderful job to not only guide the visitors about the rich heritage of Ujani (bhigwan) but assisting them for basic things like stay as well rest rooms via his home stay facility! Had this place been in some European Country or in USA, those people would have made it a world tourist site by now such is the potential of Ujani back water but its only fault is it’s here where people (read from govt to Pune citizens) are more interested in things like traffic, fsi, water supply (read cuts) & Metro. Just 90 km away from our city we have one of the best treasures of nature & as it’s free we are ignoring it rather killing it by our negligence!

So many things can be done on our own as why to blame just govt, but the private tour operators from Pune must be taking thousands of tourists to hundreds of destinations but they seldom think of arranging tours to places like Ujani as that can be good source of earning for locals around as well get these places on the map of world tourism. Schools also should make it compulsory for one day trip to Ujani like spots by being associated with Sandip Nangre like locals as the nature can be best taught by meeting it where it exists than just reciting some lines from text book in closed class room! PMRDA or PMC or PCMC can join hands with local authority & help them to make such places grow on the front of infrastructure as it can be a good revenue model if marketed properly but before marketing the place has to be well equipped with supporting infrastructure like proper signage from main road, a drivable road till end, rest rooms as well stay arrangement; there isn’t even a safe jetty to park as well climb in the boats!

I really wonder how with all odds places like Ujani back water has survived still with no factor is in their favor, may be this also a natural wonder in itself! May it be water bodies like Ujani which is home to thousands of birds or forests around Pune city supporting fast vanishing wild life, all these places are like hope for not just the wild life but humans too! Because with our greed & ignorance (read negligence) we are not only becoming major threat to our own-selves but for many innocent species too & though hope still exists in the form of place like Ujani; do mind no hope can save any life unless its backed up by sincere efforts & Ujani too is not exception to this law of nature!

--

You can have visuals at link below...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/albums/72157705895555734

-- 

Sanjay Deshpande 

Sanjeevani Dev.

Please view my sharing about real estate in Pune at U-Tube link below..

https://youtu.be/g3lx1Nq7pBs

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.com/2018/08/pune-city-no-1.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

www.punecorporation.org

Take your issues to Hon PM at link below..

https://secure.mygov.in/#

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com

Client, Builder, Home & New Year 2019 !

--

“What was home, really? Just a place to lay your head.
No. It was so much more than that. It was a place where a person belonged. Where a fellow would be missed. It was a part of a man. Something that couldn't be sold or taken for granted.”…  Suzanne Fisher.

Suzanne Fisher is an American writer of children's books. Born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, she grew up in a small community around Northeastern Pennsylvania. No wonder her words about home exactly define what the difference between just building four walls is & what make those four walls a home! Come 2019 & we are facing very unique situation on home buying front (read real estate) as on one side builders thinks that the bottom has been reached (read rate per sq ft of flats) & on other side buyers thinks let’s wait for rates going further down; it’s like a dead lock or check mate for real estate actually! Many eyes (read most) are looking at 2019 with hope as real estate is one industry which may be making only the builders rich (its general & popular assumption of masses) but in the process it does helps millions of people’s life a bit livable by giving millions a home to live. Right from helping the end member of the industry, a “bigari” i.e. a labor at the site to earn his food to providing roof for the end user which may be a 1 RK (one room kitchen) flat to lavish bungalow, so many lives real estate makes a shade better which goes as thankless job! Indeed it has been more favorable to some segments but off-late it’s been more kind to the end user i.e. flat buyer & that’s better for the industry in long run. As barring last two or three years ask any person why he or she buys a home, the answer would have been ‘’rates will increase”. Unlike any other product (leave apart luxury car) right from frieze to furniture to watch to TV, which are bought for need & I mean real need to use the product, a home is mostly bought either for the fear of rates will increase or investment. So home was always on top of priority list for most of, we the Indians & still today it is but the fear factor is slowly vanishing! As this was the only product of which rates kept hiking from its launch as even the most celebrated & awaited product i.e. I Phone’s new model but within six month you get nearly 30% down & in span of one or two year even at half rate that of its launching rate! But it was only the home of which price kept of rising every year post its launching & last three years exactly witnessed opposite of this is a fact which no one will deny(may be not openly). What better thing could have been there for the home buyers that this situation in real estate! For the first time real estate client is witnessing upper hand of his in any deal & ever builder may it be 1 RK unit or Luxury duple customer, laying red carpet (literally) for him or her! News papers are full of advertises of projects launching, ongoing & more than that with loads of discounts & promises to such an extent that one will wonder is it a builder’s ad or some political party’s “electoral manifestos”!

Well, the problem is when you have many options you often end up with waiting for more options than finalizing one, is the human psychology & real estate buyers are not exception to this law! And then typical Indian mentality is we get suspicious when we are getting a better deal on its own without we demanding it, that why this guy is selling (read offering) so low, is it some trap or  then if I wait for some more time he may come with even lower offer than this! In all this process 2018 probably was gloomiest year in real estate especially speaking on scale of flat prices but the turnover in itself! Result is many real estate cos’ are bleeding (read cash starved), here cash is not black money but money to operate day to day necessities. This hampered many projects of even big names creating more panic in home buyers & on other hand govt fired one more salvo i.e. no GST for ready flats! I just wonder what govt wants to do with real estate as what is logic for no GST to ready possession flats as for both i.e. in making or completed the developer has paid GST on ever purchase as well labor contract. Now if a person is booking the flat post possession then from where the developer is going to get rebate for his paid GST to all the agencies & if not so then he (read the builder) will bound to increase the flat rates by that amount or he will sale in loss! I think both are not healthy things for real estate, may be govt has some other things on their mind but right now even Charted Accountants are also confused with the scenario about GST on home & it’s working is a fact unspoken as usual!

Don’t you think this entire scene in real estate is a boon for home buyer in a way? As a builder I am skeptical but as a buyer just, be careful, is what I will advise. As most clients I meet are actually confused what they are looking for as their home is a fact! Though the present genre is smart to gather all the information but then it’s not about gathering information but what you do with the information gathered is what makes you real smart! Here I remembered a management story; In Seattle, USA (city where Microsoft’s Head Quarter stood), on one windy, foggy & rainy night, a helicopter lost its baring with heliport. The pilot could see brightly lit Microsoft building tower standing tall above clouds & started circling that building. The building is with glass façade & the working staff can see the chopper in distress circling their building & gathered around the windows & started waving towards the pilot. The pilot with a marker pen wrote on his windshield “Where I am”. As the office staff in building read it they started discussing, searching internet & after some time they got a big print out & stuck on their window saying, “You are in a helicopter”! Seeing this, the pilot smiled, made thumps-up sign towards the people in building & headed to heliport & landed perfectly. After the pilot got out of chopper, the authorities asked him with admiration, how he could locate the helipad in such zero visibility weather? On this he smiling shared the incidence of the poster & office building, & said, “well, I knew the helipad location from Microsoft building”! Sorry, Microsoft guys if anybody reading my write-up, that was just a bad joke but to make the home buyers explain that just getting information from internet about some project or the builder or surrounding projects doesn’t help to get you your dream home but a logical approach does.

Now many will ask what’s logical approach to buy a home, it means define your exact needs in first place & for that you should be clear why you are buying a home! Most people will say well, they want to own a home of theirs so they are buying but then ask yourself, questions such as what my next five years plan is, what’s my next ten years plan & where I really want to settle. Agreed we may not often end up as we planned but that doesn’t reduce importance of planning! Because how much years you will be staying in home as well at what time you will shift in that home can make major difference in selection of home which is directly related to the money you will be spending for the same! Remember in India first buildings (read homes) get built, then roads are developed, then things like water line, drainage lines come in existence & then social infra like school, hospitals, malls etc follows! And then when you buy a flat where all such infra is developed then you end up paying maximum premium for all this development making homes in such location costliest. Instead if you are going to need a home say two or three years down the line then if you settle for a home which may not have all above infrastructure in place then you can get the home lot cheaper. And do mind infra does follow real estate is a fact may be unfortunate but that’s what been happening in & around Pune since last many decades! Today the location like High Street in Baner (western suburb) which fetch maximum rate in surrounding, just a decade back you could have got a flat here nearly 1/7^th of price i.e. in ten years prices per sft has increased by seven to eight times. And story wasn’t different here, ten years back, there were no roads, no drainage, no water (well till today in some places) & no restaurant or shopping arcades, will you believe it if I tell this to the flat buyer who has come to my office just from High Street restaurant; well, definitely  a big “No’!

Now think of the guy who has bough flat in Baner ten years back & who wanted to stay here five years down the line, won’t you call him a winner? And what you will call the guy who also wanted home after five years but didn’t book then because Baner lacked infrastructure then? He has to book today at market rate with all heavy premiums for the development. Well, that too is ok provided you are starting to live from today but a little planning & study of history about growth of Pune would help to save millions of your hard earned money! And then it’s not just about saving money (well indeed it’s most important) but getting a home you really need! As one major aspect of home buying is are you just looking to get a best deal on money front or what you actually want as your home? Again many people will say, does it mean surrender to the builders & end up paying more by accepting his rate? No, it means value home just the way you value any cell phone or car. Look at all aspects of the home as well home maker & then decide whether it’s a good buy or not! Even when you are buying a ready possession home with all legalities like occupation certificate etc in place, yet be certain that the builder will be there for at least few more years to take care any problem regarding maintenance as well society conveyance type things! As well just do as the question to yourself that if a builder is negotiating below par than market then why he is doing so & if at all he is selling at loss then what would be such builders’ attitude towards the quality of construction! Well, this doesn’t mean all the builders compromise with quality but then who can negotiate below his production cost & will work without profit?

I think the 2019 is more challenging for the home buyers as it’s always difficult to choose when you are getting a home in your price range or even below & with many options around! And then there are offers like zero GST or No Stamp Duty or No EMI till possession & on top of it there are perks like Fully Furnished Home, some Club’s Membership even a Luxury Car along with flat (depending up on flat’s costing) & what not! Just remember, you are buying a home & not offer, so all I will advise is focus on the home & the home maker! Speak to the builder, his team, visit his completed projects, speak to the residents & attitude of builder (read his team) while purchasing the flat & later post possession! On this background, I wrote to my Team for New Year about the challenges it will get along in real estate, to sum up I will share it here …

"Its not New Year which comes by changing some date on calendar but our attitude to look at the new day is what going to make the real difference..."

dear team, its been probably hardest of the year for our industry but only with our team work we could face both fronts, personal as well business , because no leader can escape suffering hard times on personal fronts when time at work is hard & I am no exception to the rule! And yes its this year I turned 50, an age where people start calling you elder, so somewhere your confidence level goes down as u know u are no more young by body! But its team support from all of u has played major role & i am sure we will face all the challenges in coming year too! Frds, do mind coming times are real tough as no more the home prices will keep rising but to sale the product itself is going to be much harder than what it was earlier, not because people doesnt need homes but they have many other priorities than just home & the profit margins are going t be less; like they said in China War in 72, "ek goli ek jaan", every effort from every team member is going to play important role in getting client. And yes do mind one rupee saved is also an addition to our profits but not at the cost of quality, that's real challenge we will face! And for that we need to develop a system & an attitude to follow that system, just like helmet is necessary while u drive two wheeler on road! And one more thing don’t underestimate the client coming to you for inquiry of home you are building, he  or she probably knows more than you about your project, so be transparent, don’t make promises which you wont be able to fulfill; remember sometimes saying a bit bitter yet gentle & firm No is better than saying a sweeter Yes! And don’t try just to sale what you are building but try to help your client to find what he is looking for his home, make him aware about the way he should analyze options for homes around & then let him judge whether your project is worth booking or not & for that keep your infrastructure to the best & it means right from you site visit car to you site to the way you communicate with client! The client should have his comfort level & confidence that yes this team will give me the home which I am looking for!

I wish all of u a happy, healthy & green new year, do share my wish with ur family & friends.. sanjay.

Finally for the home buyers I will say, remember Google & FB will give you information about any home but visiting projects & meeting people will give you exact feeling of the home you are buying. As after all what’s the difference between a home & some concrete/brick structure but the people living in those walls with emotions & feelings for each other!

-- 

Sanjay Deshpande 

Sanjeevani Dev.

Please view my sharing about real estate in Pune at U-Tube link below..

https://youtu.be/g3lx1Nq7pBs

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.com/2018/08/pune-city-no-1.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

www.punecorporation.org

Take your issues to Hon PM at link below..

https://secure.mygov.in/#

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com