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Chavan pushes for regulator in housing

The Maharashtra CM writes to the Centre asking for President’s assent for Housing Bill, citing the recent Campa Cola controversy.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The recent Campa Cola controversy – and the brickbats that the State Government got over its handling of the issue – has spurred Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to push for the Housing (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2012.

A release from Chavan’s office announced that the CM has written to Girija Vyas, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, requesting her to get President Pranab Mukherjee’s assent for the Bill – the Maharashtra State legislature has passed the Bill about 16 months ago.

Citing the recent Campa Cola issue, Chavan has said (in the release) that it is now important to have a regulator in housing and real estate, to prevent Development Control Rules being violated by builders. Chavan also feels that the Bill will go a long way in safeguarding the interests of home buyers and ensuring transparency in property deals. The biggest benefit of the Bill is that home buyers and investors can lodge complaints against builders (in cases of violations and non-compliance of agreement) to a regulatory authority, which will study the issue and pass an order within three months of the complaint being lodged.

The Bill also seeks to penalise builders and developers for not giving possession of flats at a stipulated date, for making changes in the original plan or flat design without the buyer’s consent, for not making a full disclosure about the land and the proposed project on it, among others.

(Picture courtesy www.indianexpress.com) 

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99acres goes all out after ‘No Muslims’ ad furore

After the controversy, website is working with the National Commission for Minorities against religious prejudice in the real estate sector.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It was a seemingly innocuous ad posted on the real estate site www.99acres.com, for a flat in an upmarket, “cosmopolitan” locality. However, two words inserted by the broker who posted the ad – Jacintha Estates – caused a furore all over Mumbai and outside, too – the ad stated that “No Muslims” would be allowed to purchase the flat.

A flurry of official statements from 99acres sought to lighten the controversy, but the damage was done. The social media erupted after the ad was discovered, and though the offending words were removed from the ad almost immediately, newspapers and other media were quick to highlight the issue. In Mumbai, the issue of apartments not being rented or sold to members of the Muslim community is an old one; however, the blatant refusal to entertain queries from Muslims shocked and angered the public.

And now…

The company and Shehzad Poonawalla (founder, AIMA) are now set to work together with the National Commission for Minorities against religious prejudice in the real estate sector. “Based on Shri Poonawalla’s suggestions for specific action points during the discussion and 99acres.com’s own commitment to the plural values of India, both parties jointly met up with Wajahat Habibullah, Chairman, National Commission for Minorities today in Delhi where they agreed to work with the National Commission for Minorities to develop policy recommendations against practices in the real estate sector that discriminate on religious/ethnic grounds,” a press release from 99acres said.

As per the points agreed on during the meeting, 99acres will “evolve a good practices advertising code for the real estate sector vis-a-vis religious prejudice and submit it to the Minorities Commission for consideration. This code would include a glossary of terms to be avoided when advertising real estate online,” the release said. It added, “99acres will also spread awareness among the real estate broker community and educate them to avoid discriminatory practices in the real estate sector. Towards this end, 99acres would carry appropriate messages and banners on its site and also reach out to real estate brokers and disseminate information about avoiding discrimination.

“After this unfortunate incident, 99acres is also introducing a software check where if a listing carries the name of any religion, caste or community it will be flagged to the 99acres.com content team for review. We have examined all the other listings on 99acres and have sanitised any (either deleted or edited) that was felt to be either clearly discriminatory or could be interpreted to be discriminatory.”

Poonawalla had earlier petitioned the National Commission for Minorities against the practice of barring certain communities on the basis of religion from the real estate. He had also vocally campaigned on social media and in the print and TV media against such practices and had suggested the gathering of all stakeholders of the industry to create a Fair Housing Policy that prohibits discrimination not just against Muslims but all other communities.

After the meeting, Habibullah said, “I am glad that a positive action has resulted from this controversy.”

Poonawalla said, “Such discriminatory practices have no place in today’s India. We must work against the root cause and not the symptom of the disease. It is the ghettoisation of the mind that leads to such discrimination. We are one society and we must learn to live together. I hope that other portals that carry such offensive advertisements will follow the example set by 99acres. I also believe that this is a first move towards evolving a Fair Housing Policy will ensure that discrimination against all communities and not just Muslims can be brought to an end.”

(Picture courtesy www.mangaloretoday.com)

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Insure your relationship

City-based breakup helpline ‘insures’ your relationship during troubled times for a fee; a counsellor will set you right in days.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Whenever there’s trouble brewing in our relationship, all we want is something to make it work and set it right again. If you’re really invested in the relationship, you want to repair the cracks in it before everything goes awry.

The city-based Breakup Helpline, founded a year ago by four Mumbai residents to help people across the country tide over the heartbreak of a breakup, is now going a step ahead in its initiatives. The Helpline is now offering ‘insurance’ for a limited period, during which a counsellor will help you resolve your relationship blues.

The Breakup Helpline is the world’s first website offering help during the breakup phase. “We inevitably have ego issues with our partner, fights when we are together and the question eventually pops up in our minds: ‘Is the relationship worth it?'”, says Ankit (in pic onAnkit from the Breakup Helpline left), one of the founders of the helpline. “Sometimes, at that point of time, you don’t really have the power to think straight. Suddenly you begin to act suspicious, come up with imaginary situations and block your mind with stupid thoughts. So we thought, why not bring you Breakup Insurance? We help you protect your relationship and guide you to do the logical thing.”

For a fee of Rs 1,000, the troubled person will get a unique ‘key’ that can be used for seven days. During that time, a counsellor will be available at all times to help out during the rough phase. “You have to register on our helpline and say that you want breakup insurance,” Ankit explains. “Once the package fee is paid, the person gets unbiased, round-the-clock advice on setting things right.”

For more details, email ankitanubhav@gmail.com or call +91-98338 31984.

(Pictures courtesy www.sheknows.com, newindianexpress.com)

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Campa Cola residents form human chain to protest

Faced with demolition of their homes, residents are thinking up new ways to get the Government’s attention to their plight.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

In an attempt to save their homes from demolition and to protest the demolition orders, Campa Cola residents and their supporters yesterday came out in large numbers and formed a human chain at Worli Sea Face, starting from Flora Signal to Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

“We do not want our families to become homeless with no roof over their heads. We will continue to protest in whatever way possible to save our homes,” said a Campa Cola resident.

Nandini Mehta, another resident said, Campa Cola said “Today the residents are faced with a situation that they have to demolish not only the homes that are beyond the permissible limit but 46 per cent of what has been asked to demolish is within the FSI limit, which as per the laws of the State, can be regularised with a penalty. The residents are therefore requesting the Chief Minister through this demonstration that he exercises his discretionary powers as the head of the legislative machinery and pass an ordinance to save the homes that are within the permissible FSI.”

Human chain at Worli sea faceThe residents of Campa Cola have found support from various political parties and people across religious faith supporting their cause.

What’s happening at Campa Cola? 

The Campa Cola apartments were constructed on land leased to Pure Drinks Ltd in 1955, which was permitted by the BMC in 1980 to develop it for residential purposes. Without getting the plans approved, Pure Drinks along with builders Yusuf Patel, BK Gupta and PSB Construction Co. erected seven buildings, two of which were highrises of 17 and 20 stories. During the construction period, the authorities issued notices to the builders to stop the work. The builders were fined and they paid the penalty and resumed work. After the construction was completed, nobody prevented the buyers from occupying their apartments or the buildings from forming co-operative housing societies.

Claiming ignorance of these violations, the current residents bought apartments in the building believing that they would get the occupation certificates in due course, as was the norm 25 years ago. Since 2005, the residents have been in litigation with the BMC, trying to defend their homes and save their families from being thrown to the streets.

What do you think of the Campa Cola demolition issue? Tell us in the comments section below.

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Are you jogging wrong?

If your jogging routine is causing aches and ailments, you need to unlearn the habits that are causing you harm.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The city has already started training for the Mumbai Marathon that will take place in early January 2014, and the early morning hours are witness to scores of joggers and runners putting themselves through training. But there are several who give up their training mid-way, because of injury or fatigue.

While some amount of fatigue is expected, due to the muscles toning up and the body reacting to high periods of intense stress, what most people don’t realise is that they may actually be putting their bodies to risk through wrong running practices. Here’s how you can do yourself more harm than good if you’re jogging or running wrong:

jogging wrong– Running too fast: Most people are under the impression that punishing the body leads to faster, better results. So they set unrealistic goals to meet them, with the result that they are running too fast. When you start a new routine, take it slow. Run at a certain speed in terms of minutes, not kilometres. Then gradually increase the time, while maintaining the speed.

– Running too slow: Some people are unable to run very fast, so they decide to jog instead. However, jogging is trickier than running – it should not be too slow and not too fast. If you jog very slowly, you put immense pressure on your knees and ankles to support your weight longer than necessary. Time yourself when you jog – jog on a treadmill and set the speed to one which is too fast for a walk but too slow to run.

– Wrong running gear: This is a no-brainer, but a lot of people get this wrong. Merely investing in swanky new shoes is not enough. Your running shoes should support your heel, provide good cushioning to your toes, and absorb shock. Avoid soles that are thin, even if the shoes are comfortable. Also avoid soles that are inflexible and hard, as these will not let your instep curl when you run, and cause spasms. Similarly, wear loose cotton clothing when you run and stay away from synthetic fabrics.

– Not hydrating enough: It is crucial to keep drinking water or mineral replenishing fluids before, during and after your run. Not keeping the body well hydrated will result in dehydration and cramping. In some cases, it might even lead to heart attacks. Keep sipping water even when you’re running on a treadmill in an air-conditioned gym.

– Not stretching before and after: Stretching the body is crucial, both before and after your run. If you don’t stretch adequately, your Stretching before joggingmuscles will not be warmed up enough for a heavy bout of running. Stretching revs up the blood circulation, prepares muscles for activity, even prepares your lungs for the work ahead. Do on-the-spot jogging and stretching exercises for your calves, thighs, hamstrings, ankles and back. Stretch for at least 10 minutes before you begin, and 10 minutes after your run to prevent cramping. Skipping is also recommended.

– Running on an injury: The initial days of running will cause some amount of muscle soreness as your body adjusts to the exercise. However, as you progress, the soreness should gradually fade. If it doesn’t, you’re either pushing your body beyond its limits, or you’ve suffered an internal injury. If you notice swelling and pain, ice the area and stop running till the injury has healed. If you’ve been cramping, it is possible that your posture and intensity is wrong. If possible, get the help of an expert to minimise damage while running.

– Not exercising apart from running: While jogging and running are great cardio workouts, you still need to put in strength training to build your core and up your stamina. Follow up your run with 20 minutes of strength exercises to build muscle and spinal strength. On the days that you give yourself a break from running, try light cycling and brisk walking.

– Following an improper diet: Most people run to lose weight, so they decide to supplement their efforts by completely cutting out certain foods or eating very less. A good diet is key to a good running regime. Get the help of a nutritionist to chart out an ideal diet plan as per your age, dietary requirement and overall health condition. Munch on a banana or a handful of nuts before you begin your run, and have a hot, nutritious meal after your run.

– Ignoring health concerns: Some people are so intent on fitness, they ignore their own bodies’ capacity for exercise. If you are a heart patient, you should be running only on the advice of your doctor. Ditto for those with breathing ailments, DVT, back problems and diabetes. Instead of running, try on-the-spot marching or brisk walking on the treadmill.

(Pictures courtesy www.mid-day.com, reviews.in.88db.com, www.123rf.com)

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Marathi B.Ed syllabus for visually challenged in Maharashtra

The announcement was made on the All India Flag Day for the Blind; State Governor pledged support for all initiatives.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The National Association for the Blind (NAB), today organised the All India Flag Day for the Blind in Mumbai, and during the launch, Rameshwar Kalantari, President, NAB, announced that soon, B.Ed syllabus would be available for study in the Marathi language as well.

Kalantari said, “Every year, students who are visually challenged and who speak Marathi are forced to study for their B.Ed degree in English or Hindi, because textbooks and course material is not available in Marathi. This also deters a lot of visually challenged candidates from opting for B.Ed studies. A lot of students have been taking their degrees from other universities in outside States. Many of them are not able to afford the costs of studying outside Maharashtra.

Keeping this in mind, and the fact that the syllabus has recently changed, we will be offering B.Ed in the Marathi language for the first time in the State, through the Yashwantrao Chavan University and funds for the visually-challenged allotted by the Central Government.” The degree will be available to visually challenged students from the new academic year 2014-2015.

On the sidelines of this announcement, Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan pledged his support to the cause of increasing awareness of eye donations. “India has the most numbers of visually challenged people in the world. At the same time, the numbers of people pledging their eyes must increase,” he said.

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