Vacant flats: Faulty policies to blame
This has reference to ‘A Maha loss: 37 lakh flats left vacant’ (April 3). It is a well-established fact that the rich NRIs as well as rich Indian residents are playing with the sentiments of the common middle-class people for their greed of making money illegally by blocking the vacant flats, investing their black money. It is the builder in connivance with the investor who loot the common people by offering the vacant flats at exorbitant rates. Otherwise, how come a 1-BHK flat which was available for Rs10 lakh in Borivli during 2007-2008 costs Rs50 lakh? The construction cost has not increased to that proportion. This is purely blackmailing by the builders and the authorities are just mute spectators. Why can’t the representatives of the common people frame necessary rules against such bogus registering of flats by investors? Why are the authorities not checking the ghost bookings by investors who are keeping the flats vacant for so long? I suggest that the authorities frame rules for booking flats under construction so that the genuine common people get benifitted. The authorities should bring up ways to check whether black money is being invested in buying these flats.
—Porla, Mumbai
II
The faulty policies of the government are responsible for this messy situation. Even under the proposed rental housing scheme, the government wants to provide flats on rent in the range of Rs800 to Rs1,500 per month. As for redevelopment of dilipadated buildings, a fund needs to be created and builders should have no role in the construction of these buildings. Instead, the help of National Buildings Construction Company and the Central Public Works Department should be taken. The government should not fall into the trap of earning revenues through FSI incentives as it will only benefit the builders and not the existing flat owners. The builder does not even disclose the terms and conditions of the redevelopment. The government’s greed to earn revenues through FSI incentives will only result in increasing the population of Mumbai and this is not beneficial to the stake
holders/flat owners.
—Deendayal M Lulla
Good news
This has reference to ‘Chef de mission for London Games named, finally’ (April 3). One cannot but whole-heartedly compliment the Indian Olympic Association (which has always been in the news for all wrong reasons) for appointing legendary Olympian Ajit Pal Singh as chef de mission for the London Olympics. As far as our memory goes, almost all the Indian chef de missions have been some petty sports officials, sent on all-paid foreign jaunts. The ugly infighting in the IOA between the Kalmadi and Randhir Singh factions had at least one positive outcome — the Olympic contingent will be led by a triple Olympian. That is good news, indeed.
—Chandramohan
Team Anna sees red
This has reference to ‘A Maha loss: 37 lakh flats left vacant’ (April 3). It is a well-established fact that the rich NRIs as well as rich Indian residents are playing with the sentiments of the common middle-class people for their greed of making money illegally by blocking the vacant flats, investing their black money. It is the builder in connivance with the investor who loot the common people by offering the vacant flats at exorbitant rates. Otherwise, how come a 1-BHK flat which was available for Rs10 lakh in Borivli during 2007-2008 costs Rs50 lakh? The construction cost has not increased to that proportion. This is purely blackmailing by the builders and the authorities are just mute spectators. Why can’t the representatives of the common people frame necessary rules against such bogus registering of flats by investors? Why are the authorities not checking the ghost bookings by investors who are keeping the flats vacant for so long? I suggest that the authorities frame rules for booking flats under construction so that the genuine common people get benifitted. The authorities should bring up ways to check whether black money is being invested in buying these flats.
—Porla, Mumbai
II
The faulty policies of the government are responsible for this messy situation. Even under the proposed rental housing scheme, the government wants to provide flats on rent in the range of Rs800 to Rs1,500 per month. As for redevelopment of dilipadated buildings, a fund needs to be created and builders should have no role in the construction of these buildings. Instead, the help of National Buildings Construction Company and the Central Public Works Department should be taken. The government should not fall into the trap of earning revenues through FSI incentives as it will only benefit the builders and not the existing flat owners. The builder does not even disclose the terms and conditions of the redevelopment. The government’s greed to earn revenues through FSI incentives will only result in increasing the population of Mumbai and this is not beneficial to the stake
holders/flat owners.
—Deendayal M Lulla
Good news
This has reference to ‘Chef de mission for London Games named, finally’ (April 3). One cannot but whole-heartedly compliment the Indian Olympic Association (which has always been in the news for all wrong reasons) for appointing legendary Olympian Ajit Pal Singh as chef de mission for the London Olympics. As far as our memory goes, almost all the Indian chef de missions have been some petty sports officials, sent on all-paid foreign jaunts. The ugly infighting in the IOA between the Kalmadi and Randhir Singh factions had at least one positive outcome — the Olympic contingent will be led by a triple Olympian. That is good news, indeed.
—Chandramohan
Team Anna sees red
This has reference to ‘Team Anna sees red as HP fails to do Uttarakhand’ (April 3). Throughout Anna Hazare’s ‘direct action’ against corruption, the BJP had been playing the double game of ‘hunting with the hounds and running with the hares’. It jumped on to the bandwagon of Anna’s crusade only to embarrass the ruling party and not with any serious intention of eradicating corruption. Its real intentions became clear when it orchestrated the opposition to passing the Lok Pal bill in the Rajya Sabha by bringing innumerable amendments. In this it was in cahoots with all other parties, including the ruling Congress, to go through the motions of a democratic parliamentary debate but scuttling the bill by filibustering. The fact that the BJP is not forcing the state governments ruled by it to bring an effective Lok Ayukta in those states is clear indication of where it stands with respect to fighting corruption. It can’t fool the people anymore.
— Arun Chandra, Mumbai
3-language formula
This has reference to ‘Hindi to continue as third language’ (April 3). I, one of the victims of the 3-language formula, strongly support the proposal of State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) to do away with Hindi in class V. The 3-language formula was never ever implemented all over in India, and as a result, the non-Hindi speaking states suffered the extra burden of the Hindi language. I had to study Hindi for seven years till 11th standard then and could study English from only 8th standard! Imagine our plight when we opted for a science degree. Had I studied Hindi for only four years and English for seven years, I would have immensely benefitted. The importance of Hindi must be minimised and study of the state language and English, which is as good as an Indian language now, encouraged. If any language deserves to be the national language, then it is only Sanskrit and not Hindi.
—Shreeram Paranjpe
Superb analogy
This has reference to ‘Home seekers absorb three blows in two months’ (Marh 31) by Vijay Pandya. The analogy of the blows is simply superb. As a keen watcher of real estate prices and as an ex-journalist, I appreciate the forthrightness of the report. It is humorous in the overall context of how people who wield power always have their way with unrealistic policies and whose objecive on one hand is supposed to deliver benefits to a larger public, but on the other, only end up delivering blows to the ordinary tax payers. Congratulations on writing such a piece.
—S Shankar
Force One
I would like to thank Seema Kamdar for writing an article on Force One: ‘Away from spotlight, Force One is battle ready’ (April 3). The only thing I knew about Force One was that it was formed after 26/11. Your article covered the commitment and the qualities which the team is showing.
—Sushil D Birkar
