Let's plant a neem here

Mantri's landscape architect appears to have a penchant for ornamental trees. They make good picture postcards, but do precious little for end-users - Mantri residents. We would favour species that give shade, reduce environment damage being done by our AC units (1,500, when all 700 plus apartments get occupied) and trees that bear fruits attracting birds to our complex.
Our landscape people, I notice, have replaced, in the last few weeks, one set of fancy trees with another at our front lawn, where we have some chehal-pehal in the evenings. Elders are out here on the lawns for some fresh air and social chit-chat, and children run about in the lawn. I would suggest Mantri consider relocating the children's play area to the front lawn (from its current location close to the gas bank near the Clubhouse).

This was the picture of our front lawn in May. These trees have since been replaced with another set of trees. The shot (below was taken this morning - Sept. 21

My humble submission is that the Mantri landscape people should try out something different - say, a neem, mango or jackfruit - at the unplanted pit in the picture.

We would be happy to plant a sapling here as part of our community tree-planting programme. A neem should fit in nicely here. And, if I have a say in this,I would dedicate the neem we plant here to the first Occupant of the Mantri complex - Mr Nambiar of G block.

Flute Visveshwar on TV

Got an invite for a concert on TV via Facebook that I thought would share with you. Maybe we too can open a Facebook page for announcing community events in Mantri Synergy. Mr Pravin, Mr Ram Kumar or someone else can set up for us 'Mantri Synergy Community' page on Facebook.
The Facebook invite I got was from Flute Visveshwar, on behalf of Swaralaya's Carnatic Instrumental Ensemble. Their performance is at Tirumala Tirupati Naada Neeranjam tomorrow( Sept.20) at 6.00 to 7.30 p m. It would be telecast live on TTD SVBC Channel.

A date with T N Krishnan

The Sriraj couple (D-1202) hosted an evening of carnatic music at the Clubhouse, Saturday evening. The idea came from his parents,now spending a few weeks with Mr Sriraj at Mantri Synergy. As a long-time Kodambakkam resident, Mr Sampath Iyengar has been brought up in the 'music sabha culture'. A concert at one of the five or six sabhas is his idea of a well spent evening. Concert music is something Mr Iyengar missed at the Mantri's.
So do several other Mantri residents with flair for music. A lady at last night's music event asked if this was going to be a weekly affair.A weekly music Saturday may not be feasible,if we rely on a specified individual to organise it for us.
Mr Sriraj has shown us how an individual initiative can make for an interesting community evening.
Any music lover with a prized video cassette to share with like-minded others, could take the initiative to host a Sriraj-like music evening. And this need not necessarily be done on a Saturday. Any evening convenient to the host, and the interested peer group would be okay. After all, audience for such niche events comprise mainly the elderly and the retired who would be happy any day, to spend 90 minutes listening to music in company.
Community events help us discover other Mantri residents with similar interests. Last night's music event gave my wife and I a talking point on our morning walk with Mr Sriraj's father, a connoisseur with family ties with music legends such as MS and Semmangudi. Mr Sampath Iyengar partnered Sadasivam in their daily card-playing sessions at his Kotturpuram residence. As a bonus Mr Iyengar got treated to snacks and steaming coffee served by MS herself. Mr Iyengar recalled how Semmangudi,a friend his father, used to be an unfailing guest at the family lunch every New Year's Day.
My wife and I meet Mr Iyengar daily on our walks, but we didn't 'discover' him so much as we did this morning.The Saturday music event that we attended and enjoyed together gave us something fresh to talk about. The clubhouse DVD shows can be extended to an evening of gazals, Hindusthani music,Rabindra sangeet, Harikatha or whatever that interests us as a community.
A clubhouse date with T N Krishnan reminds me of my New Delhi schooldays when some of my father's friends used to meet at our Karolbagh 'barsathi' every Saturday night for listening to A Date with You,a Western music programme on AIR, hosted by Roshan Menon. This was early 50s, years before TV, when radio was the in thing.

Safety at Car Park

It was good to see the road safety mirror being installed at our gate when I was there. While on the subject of driving-related safety, I would like to share a learning from my residential apartment complex at Muscat. In the interest of safety of residents the facility management firm has made reverse parking compulsory. This certainly increases driver's visibility and reduces the risk of a mishap when driving the vehicle out of the parking lot.

It would probably be a good idea if reverse parking is implemented in MS, even as the growing critical mass would witness an increasing number of cars within our complex and many in a hurry to drive out in the mornings.

Author in IT Corridor

We don't usually associate IT software with creative fiction. But a senior IT company executive at Ascendas IT Park, Ms Lakshmisudha, is a weekend writer, and has published 19 novels.
Her first title : Solai Malarozhiye.
Her 20th novel, still in the works, is Mounam Un Mozhiya ?
Her message : Follow your inner voice;it helps you make right decisions at the write time.
Would like to hear more on this, from her, wouldn't you; would like to invite her to talk to us at the Clubhouse library, when Mantri Synergy acquires a critical mass of residents.
Meanwhile her work is available onine at www.sangapalagai.com.
The writer's contact details: 9841006452; lakshmisudha2010@yahoo.com
Sourced this post from a write up in The Hindu by Saraswathy Srinivasan.
Photo, by S Abishek, has been scanned from The Hindu.

`Gadget Guru` Sells Laptop & BlackBerry

Friends

I am a poor shopper & requested my wife to purchase a Sony Viao & a BlackBerry from Singapore last week which she promptly did (with my add-on cc ofcourse) & much to my dismay, I found that I just cannot handle BlackBerry & neither the laptop which has the latest OS & other programs. I find little time these days to experiment & learn & cannot afford to put away my `life-guards` - an old laptop & an old Nokia mobile. So, these 2 brand new items are for sale. Any takers ? Contact me on 9444708530. Psst..there is a genie in one of them ! Sriraj.

My maiden post... our first few days at Mantri Synergy

We had come down from Muscat to Chennai for a week to take possession of our flat (B-1106) and perform a house-warming function.

Though we did face some teething problems in taking possession, we could “hit the ground running”, thanks to the help of our co-residents like Saurav, Sairam (B Wing 12^th Flr), and Prasad ( B Wing 10^th Flr) and the valuable insights we gained from following the blog regularly. Indeed, “being forewarned, we were forearmed”!

The quiet late evenings in the tranquil setting of our balcony more than made up for the day-long stress of having to run after the Propcare team to sort out various issues. Top of our concerns was, of course, to “haul” the senior citizens in our family up and down from Ground to 11^th Flr on Pooja day, in manually operated lifts!

Now to our share of the concerns that are - as a matter of fact - common concerns…

First is the elevation duct – a huge crude gaping hole that runs right up from the ceiling of our 11^th floor MBR balcony to the 12^th floor. This is a dark, un-plastered hole that – in a sparingly inhabited apartment as of now - could be an open invitation for beehives, spiders, lizards and other creepy crawlies! I am yet to comprehend the utility of this duct.

When I took it up with Propcare, they agreed to have it sealed with a gypsum board. However, despite 3 days of personal follow up and assurances, this work was not completed till I left.

I could see this elevation duct in many more flats in B as well as other wings. May be, to the relief of the Propcare team, the others are not as paranoid of lizards as my wife is!

The second concern is that the staircase is poorly lit. Since I climbed up and down (GF to 11^th) twice that evening with the lifts playing truant, I can say this with conviction. There are no lights, per se, on the stairway. The streak of light is often only from beyond the doors of each floor. At floors where the door was shut or near shut, I had to literally grope in the dark at the landing, not sure where the flight of steps started and where they ended! We need some lights on the stairway. Paradoxically, these lights were left on even during the day and my search to locate the control switches were in vain!

To the Clubhouse, this way please

Sadly, there is loads more to life in Mantri's than the rainbow and the colourful shades of Sunrise. Such as, this patch of unmade driveway that leads to the Clubhouse.

Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to dump construction debris to patch up waterlogging.Movement of trucks over the dump made it worse; negotiating uneven slush and mud was worse than wading through the puddles with your shoes in hand.

It was a challenge,making our way back home from the Clubhouse, Saturday night, after the children's film-show.Bad road and poor lighting on the approach to Clubhouse,was perhaps, a reason for the disappointing turnout at the film show.

Before the start of film show (7 p m) PropCare had arranged to cobble a narrow walkway,with cement blocks,to help us through the puddles, all the way up to the Clubhouse. This was okay. But then,later in the evening, somebody had a bright idea to dump truckloads of earth debris on the puddles, making it particularly tough to tread on uneven slush and trash on our way back from the Clubhouse.

A rainbow over Mantri's

These photos were taken from our balcony on Floor 9 of D Block with my amateur Kodak, on Saturday evening.It had been drizzling, and the sun was receding from the top floor of the sea-facing E Block.

I wonder if Mr Ram Kumar,who posted the Mantri twilight shots the other day, was at home on Sat. evening to capture the scene. He could have, I presume, got a better shot of the rainbow over the Muthukkadu Lake, from his H Block balcony.

Talking kitchen waste disposal, yet again

We have written on kitchen waste disposal twice earlier - Talking Trash, Vermicomposting, and Vermicomposting kitchen waste. Reading about waste disposal at Mamallapuram panchayat I thought of pushing my pet agenda, yet again.

An article in The Hindu - Power from waste: Vevekananda Kendra shows the way - talks of what the Mamallapuram town panchayat is doing about disposal of household kitchen waste.
It says: a) Every kilowatt of energy produced through such renewable energy sources is eligible for subsidy. A village panchayat that generates about 10 Kilowatts of electricity from its organic kitchen waste become eligible to subsidy worth Rs 4lakh.
b) Disposing of waste, particularly kitchen waste, poses a big problem everywhere.
c) Mamallapuram kitchen waste conversion is a joint effort. Chennai based NGO,‘Hand in Hand',with Vivekananda Kendra set up a bio-methanation plant, which are suitable for both urban and rural households.
d) In addition to this, the Kendra has developed a bio-gas slurry based agro-inputs package.
At Mantri's the vermicompost idea hasn't evoked much of a response, even among the core residents group that is doing care-taker work till we have a proper residents association. Those who are not enthusiastic reckon we don't have space for compost sheds. Some express concerns about foul smell the shed would generate (unfounded, according to those who have tried it).And then, we have those who say, 'vermicomposting is a good idea, but NOT in my backyard'.
Maybe, we should look beyond our Mantri compound for a solution. We could think of a community compost shed, as a joint effort by a cluster of resident communities, and the Padur panchayat. As of now, the panchayat and also the apartment complexes coming up in our immediate neighbourhood do not seem to have a sustainable waste disposal strategy. The bushes and the vast unused space behind Mantri's serve as the dumping ground for waste. From my 9th floor flat we could see, every other evening, a cloud of smoke over patches of open space behind the Mantri Synergy complex, presumably, because a waste dump is set on fire.

This is how they dispose of trash in our neighbourhood, close to Saibaba temple, about a km from Mantri Synergy.
The Hindu write-up talks of a working model, involving Mamallapuram town panchayat, NGO and residents groups. Couldn't we think of such a model, here at Padur, before the situation gets out of hand ?
I would like to hear from interested volunteers to join me on a visit to Venus Colony, Alwarpet, where they have had a vermicompost plant for kitchen waste going for the last five years.
We could also get in touch with Mr. G.Vasudeo, Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra - NARDEP, Kanyakumari - 629 702, Tamil Nadu, e.mail : vknardep@gmail.com, website: vknardep.org, phone 04652- 246296 (office).
Such preliminaries would help a joint delegation of residents and PropCare to take up the issue with Padur panchayat and the neighbouring apartments projects.

At Mantri's this weekend (Sept.10-11)

Children's Film show
Clubhouse TV Room
7 p m, Saturday (Sept.10)
Features:
Happy Hoilidays WordFriends (WordWorld series) - running time - 33 mins.
Ed Murphy Dr.Dolittle - 85 mins.
Mr Pravin (B-408),with the able support of his daughter Nitya, has volunteered to take care of the proceedings (9600045537)

Sunday Vegetables
Driveway near 'D' Block
5-7 p m, Sunday (Sept.11)
We hope Mr Raghavan of Angaadi.In would bring in the vegetables van on time, this time. He turned up an hour late last Sunday, his first, turning away quite a few residents who had come for shopping on time. Not a good start.
But then, as Mr Raghavan says, on-site vending is not their strong point.Their USP is online sale/home delivery of fruits and vegetables. He sticks to his word when it comes to online delivery. I tried him earlier this week.
Sunday Angaadi at Mantri's is an interim arrangement, for the next four weeks or more, until we get the Clubhouse grocery stores (October end, they say).

Few snaps taken in twilight

Attaching a few photos of our 'community' during twilight.. It's taken in my phone so quality may be so-so :)

Some slogans for Mantri synergy,Kelambakkam

Hello mantrites,

I thought we could have a slogan for our Mantri synergy,Kelambakkam. Depending upon all our views, we can choose what we think would be a right one . To do this we all need to contribute each of our ideas and see which suits us. I hope everyone would give their comments on this.Looking forward for all our ideas to be shared.My picks are as follows :

1) «live a life in synergy it's a kind of magic.»

2) «Everyone should believe in the synergy.»

3) «the synergy for the masses.»

4) «Live the synergy.»

5) «Feel the magic of synergy with energy.»

6) «Think. Feel. synergy with energy.»

7) «life in synergy, just the best.»

8) «Be part of life in synergy.»

9) «live a life in synergytastic!»

10) «the synergy, love it or leave it.»

Mantri's response

The Mantri's management say they are awaiting architect's approval for relocating the children's play area. Their statement comes in response to a 17-point memo by Mantri residents. In their memo the residents said the present location of the play area, behind the clubhouse, is not acceptable because 1) it is close to a gas-bank;2) the designated space is cramped; and 3) there is little space for seating elders who accompany the kids. We can't afford to have a toddlers play area with no facilities for parental supervision.
The management,on our repeated plea, has agreed to re-locate the play area; and claims to have identified a location. But the Mantri's management doesn't consider it necessary to share info., let alone consult residents about new location for the children's play area.
Shouldn't the residents, who pay for the facility and are its end-users, have the prime say ? Do Architects have better credentials than resident-parents in the choice of what is best suited for children? In fact,it was the architect who chose, in the first place, to locate the play area in a cramped space, close to a gas-bank, behind the club-house.
Why can't Mantri's consult Pravin (B- block), Ram Kumar (H-block), Saurav (D-block), Saurav Mohanty (C-block) and several other parents with young children ?

Mantri's response to the other 16 points raised in the residents memo can be accessed here.

More to Recycling.......Reuse or Lose!

It is 11 am at Kalakshetra Colony,Thiruvanmiyur— a seaside residential area in south Chennai. The door-to-door garbage-collecting agent of Neel Metal Fanalca, the firm that the Chennai Corporation has hired for clearing garbage in the colony, is leaving with a collection trolley that is still not full.

Residents of Chennai's Kalakshetra Colony and Valmiki Nagar have a self-organised garbage management system that hinges on source segregation and composting of organic manure The quaint three-tiered urn-like terracotta object is called 'kambha', a compost bin for organic garbage

A walk down the streets of the colony will reveal just why this is the case. Almost every second house has a compost pit or chamber in its yard. Some even have a quaint three-tiered urn-like terracotta object called kambha, a compost bin for organic garbage. The cement composter, a broad cylindrical structure with a mesh spread just above its bottom, allows the composted particles (manure) to fall through.

With over 70 per cent of the garbage load comprising organic rubbish, the difference is telling. The rest of the garbage—paper and plastic—is taken away by those who make it a business to recycle paper and other material.
Kalakshetra Colony, spread over 15 streets, was earlier just known for being the location of the famed Kalakshetra Cultural Centre. Now it has become a model for a community-centric, self-organised garbage management system that hinges on source segregation and composting of organic manure.

In 1988, much before firms such as Onyx, and, later, Neel Metal Fanalca, came on board to clean the streets of Chennai, the Kalakshetra Colony Community Association had started to segregate garbage, employing gypsies for the purpose. Small wonder then that in the year 2009 the Chennai Corporation declared it a model colony. "If they can make it (decentralised composting) successful in one colony, we can do it in our Mantri synergy." Being a long time resident in Thiruvanmiyur area we used to have a smal compost pot and use it for our soil filling and helps plants grow well in our home

The Kalakshetra colony community association pursues a broad-based strategy for achieving the zero garbage ideal, and its members are careful to communicate within their group through e-mail in order to avoid wasting paper. They have taken innovative measures. For instance, it has coordinated with the property tax collector to put together the e-mail address list of its residents.

Seeing the successful endeavour of the Kalakshetra colony community Association , the neighbouring Valmiki Nagar Residents' Welfare Association also warmed up to the source segregation and compost concept for efficient garbage disposal. The association identified volunteers who could educate the residents, giving special attention to the domestic help who take the garbage out. On an average, an apartment complex in Valmiki Nagar uses a 200-litre drum for composting waste. After the kitchen waste is put into the drum, aerated enzymes are added. No other intervention is required for at least a month or a month-and-a-half. This results in good compost without odour or flies. In our Mantri synergy we can employ a person to manage the composting process in all our apartment blocks.

There is a definite need for heightened action. In few years , Chennai will run out of space to dump garbage in its Perungudi yards and its surrounding areas. Although the municipal solid wastes (management and handling) rules, 2000, gave December, 2003, as the time schedule for urban local bodies to set up waste processing and disposal facilities, the city's dump yards are today overflowing with garbage. So bad is the situation in some pockets that it is affecting local eco-systems. The garbage from the Perungudi dump yard is choking the bird and aquatic life of the adjacent Pallikaranai marsh, and threatening the health and well-being of people living in the adjoining areas.

Source segregation would curb the mixing of green waste with other wastes. Experts fear that mixing of waste could lead to the presence of toxins in the composted manure. Sultan Ahmed Ismail, who is a well-known Chennai-based vermiculture expert, has even said that segregating waste and composting of green waste at source should be made mandatory at all residences and commercial establishments, along the lines of rainwater harvesting, which is mandatory and is seen as a successful intervention. If source segregation is adopted by everyone, then the Chennai Corporation would only have to pick up material that cannot be composted or recycled, such as e-waste, batteries or some plastics.

The Kalakshetra colony commmunity Association secretary refutes that the cost could be a deterrent. What it needs is an aware and sensitive citizenry. A kambha costs Rs 750, while a huge cement bin can be set up using well rings or other such structures at very little cost. "Money is not the issue. It amazes me that people are ready to spend so much on pizzas and at malls, but not for the environment they live in". All we have to do, as we have soil space at Mantri synergy is to dig a pit and keep dumping the organic garbage till the pit is full and then cover it with soil.



ONLY WHEN THE LAST TREE HAS DIED,
THE LAST RIVER HAS BEEN POISONED,
THE LAST FISH HAS BEEN CAUGHT,
WILL WE REALIZE THAT WE CAN'T EAT MONEY?

More on waste recycling

Chennai city corporation has offered to collect non-biodegradable waste and excess manure produced by vermicomposting sheds in large apartment complexes. So says, a post in CommonFloor.
The website also refers to Joraform, which markets machines for local composting of domestic waste. A Google search may take us to others, perferably, local manufacturers, if we choose to go for composting kitchen waste.
Do look up our earlier post - Vermicomposting Kitchen Waste

Ideas for Mantri Synergy Community Get-Togethers

To first start socializing, no-pressure affairs are the best way to start. Some easy activities to begin with:
Potlucks: Have the neighbors bring a dish and talk over dinner. Such a low-key event will allow you to scope out each other’s personalities and see how well you mesh.

Book Club: A book club is an easy way to meet people who share common interests. Discussing the latest best sellers can spark some lively conversations that can lead to other topics and let you get to know your neighbors.

Movie nights: Grab a new release, pop some popcorn and take over the clubhouse. Movie nights give a chance for tenants to see a movie they might have missed in the theatres. The only downside is that talking is minimal as folks get engrossed in the film.

Game nights: These are a good way to get people to interact as you either team up or play solo against each other over board games or a hand of cards. It’s a good way to bond, and a good way to learn which neighbors have quite the competitive streak.

Happy Hour: For an adult evening, you may want to consider inviting your neighbors over for cocktails and finger food. It’s an easy way to loosen up your neighbors with no distractions or barriers to chit chat.
It’s just important to make sure that whatever the activity is, it’s something everyone will enjoy. Those who aren’t having fun aren’t likely to keep coming back.

"One piece of log creates a small fire, adequate to warm you up, add just a few more pieces to blast an immense bonfire, large enough to warm up your entire circle of friends; needless to say that individuality counts but team work dynamites."


　

5 way to combat water loss .....at home

Everyone knows the importance of water in our day to day lives. Life on earth is sustained due to water itself. It is this very quality that differentiates our planet from all the others. However, the amount of ground water, the water that is used by humans beings and non marine creatures is rapidly dwindling. This is because of over-usage to such an extent, that it is being used 25% faster than it is replenished. The rate at which industry is rapidly growing is another area of concern.

Listed below are 5 ways to combat Water Loss, which, while being extremely simple to follow, also lead to amazing results.

　

Make smart use of water in everyday life:

you’d be real surprised at how easy it is to waste water. Something as trivial as leaving a faucet open leads to around 2 gallons of water loss every minute. Make use of a dishwasher only after it is completely loaded. Better still, wash your utensils in a sink full of water with your hands. Make sure that you leave the faucet closed when not washing. Even your washing machine must be used only when it is completely loaded. Instead of watering the dirt away from the driveway or the sideway, sweep the place. The use of a hose leads to 10 gallons of water loss every minute.

　

Turn down the power of the shower:

After the flush in your toilet, your bathing activities take up the most water in your house. Showerheads that are low-flow are now being made compulsory by many governments. Roughly 20 thousand liters of water can be saved up in a year by a family of four using a low-flow shower. Another simple idea that anyone can employ is to have a quicker shower than usual. On an average, a person bathes for around 8 minutes, making use of about 17 gallons of water. A quick shower leads to a huge saving, both in terms of water, and money. Also keeping a bucket in the shower while bathing facilitates the use of excess water for watering the plants. If you have young children, let bath-time be play-time. This way you have more than one kid clean, you have saved money, time and a whole lot of water.

Make your flush a little less plush:

This definitely is the monster of all water consumption in the house. In the US alone, 4 billion gallons of water is flushed. Everyday. But it need not be this way forever. Newer toilets in the market are a lot more efficient than the conventional ones. While the older toilets use up around 4 gallons of water per flush, the newer ones use only around 1 and a half. If you wish to further save water, then you can do so by using a displacement device in your flush tank. For example, keeping a brick or putting pebbles in the tank will lead to lesser amount of flushed water.

Tweak that leak:

This one problem can only be fixed by not being negligent to the conditions of pipes and other water-related fixtures in your house. Not repairing a leaky faucet could mean 20 gallons of water being wasted everyday, and a leaky toilet, 200 gallons. A simple way to detect leaks is to put some food coloring in the water tank. If 30 minutes later you see color in the bowl, then you got a leak. Fix it ASAP. Fixing these leaks are not difficult and can be done by anyone. Also keep your water meter in check.

Make use of smart landscaping:

Use plants that do not use too much water in and around your house. Even while watering plants, use only as much water as needed. While managing your lawn, water it early in the morning or late in the evening, when the rate of evaporation is least. And don’t water the lawn everyday. This will make the roots of the grass grow deeper. Avoid use of fertilizer, as it directly increases the amount of water that your plants need.

A proactive PropCare

A PropCare team led by Mr Sivaram plans to take a weekly walk-through in the Mantri complex to identify faults and fix them on the spot. The team would include a plumber and electrician. Mr Sivaram,in a letter addressed to residents has invited them to join him on the Wednesday walk-through. The letter reads: Dear Residents, I would like to share with you the following developments, 1.Super Market: a.The vendor has been finalized and we are in the process of signing LOI. The supermarket will be in operation from End Oct’11 onwards. b.As a temporary measure, one local vendor is arranged to supply the vegetables in the cart on every Sunday between 1600 hrs to 1900 hrs (We acknowledge the initiative of Mantri residents in firming up this arrangement with the veg. Angaadi). The cart will be placed near Tower-D, residents are requested to avail this facility. 2.Walkthrough Inspection: a. We will be conducting walkthrough inspection every Wednesday between 3 to 4 p.m,along with House keeping, Security, Landscape, M&E supervisor at different areas of the premises. b.This is to identify pitfalls and take necessary action to rectify the same. c.The residents are requested to join in this walkthrough inspection as and when they are free, this is to provide their valid inputs to improve the service level to meet your expectations. Propcare would keep you updated on issues of common concern.Looking forward your continued co-operation and support to serve you better. Thank you very much. With Regards, Sivaram S Sr. Manager-Propcare

Darkness at Mantri's

Common space in the entire Mantri complex, right from the driveway to the tennis court at the far end of the complex, plunged into darkness this evening (Friday).
PropCare Balaji said this was due to the snapping of a power cable.Around 7.30 p m, he said,electricians were still at work. He couldn't be sure as to when power supply would be restored.

A mail from Apna Complex

Dear Mr Krishnan,
I got your contact from your blog while I was surfing the net. I understand that your apartment complex has a good online presence through your blogs .We would like to introduce you to our flagship product ApnaComplex.com.
ApnaComplex is a one stop, secure, comprehensive web based software for Residential Complexes. Housing societies and associations using ApnaComplex have experienced a marked improvement in the efficiency of operations & maintenance, reduction in the maintenance costs and increase in satisfaction levels of residents.
The application supports all the needs of a residential complex around Accounting, Communication, Reporting and Management. All these capabilities are integrated providing the maximum value. You can find out more about our features by visiting us on www.apnacomplex.com/features.
This is the operative part of a mail I got from Priya Raghavan of ApnaComplex website.She has listed the following among their customers:
- Aparna Sarovar, Hyd (1200+ units)
- Purva Panorama, Blr (710 units)
- Sobha Azalea and Althea, Blr (202 units)
- Mirchandani Palms, Pune (300 units)
- Kapil Malhar Towers, Pune
- Shivsadhana Apartments, Mumbai
- Suyaj Towers, Mumbai,
- IDC Aparments, Delhi
- Abad Aquarius, Aluva, Kochi - do check out http://www.abadaquarius.com
- Dream Meadows, Blr (240 units)
- Citilights Liberty, Blr - do check out http://libertyowners.org/
- SJR Spencer, Blr (133 units)
- Appaswamy Orchards, Chennai (364 units)
- ITTINA Abby, Blr (200 units)
- Fortune Towers, Hyd (380+ units) - do check out http://fortunetowers.net
- Aparna Towers, Hyd (284 units)

Vegetables sales at Mantri's

Vegetables & fruits on sale
Sunday, Sept.4
Between 4 and 7 p m
Mantri driveway

It's official.We have Mr Sivaram's word that the Mantri Clubhouse stores would start functioning in October end. Till then Mr Raghavan,who retails vegetables and fruits online, has offered to set up a weekly stall at Mantri's on Sunday evenings.

A Better Place

A talk with the Mantri Synergy-2 residents @ GVK's residence on 31st August started making me think aloud,what are the ways in which we can make our community a better place. Here I have just collated all the ideas which got floated in that stimulating 90 minutes of discussion with Sriraj, Chakraborty, GVK, Nair & Saurav. Also it helps to solve the pressing needs of the community in a more ecologically sustainable way. A few ideas which I have listed thanks to Chakraborty's prioritization :-
1. Electricity/Power
Being in the Sun City Chennai. How about having Solar panels installed within the campus. A few places which I could think of were the Terrace's of the Apartments, the pyramid shaped structures @ the center of the blocks.
2. Water
We already have a rain water harvesting facility in the campus, However is it possible to re-use the water so harvested and used by us instead of letting it go back to the earth. Since as I understood it from Sriraj's explanation, the clay underneath the campus isnt conducive for water storage.
Also on a more regular basis, along with Sewage Treatment Plant, can we also look @ re-using the A/C water re-use. Refer to Sriraj's blog @ http://omrresident.blogspot.com/2011/06/little-drops-can-makes-mighty-ocean-of.html
3. Trees.
Thanks to GVK. I was very motivated reading other like minded souls endeavors in this regard @ http://fortmysore.blogspot.com/ Also we have taken the right steps here considering the Trees which we have planted last month. Refer to http://omrresident.blogspot.com/2011/07/nasa-srini-aadit-are-week-old.html
4. Waste Recycling
Saurav's idea of segregating the waste's from each flat into bio-degradable and the rest is a good starting point. Refer to http://omrresident.blogspot.com/2011/08/vermicomposting-kitchen-waste.html. Also per Sriraj's idea if its not possible to process the kitchen waste so accumulated within the campus, the same could be sent to vermicomposting facilities eg our neighbours Hindustan University
5. Synergy a plastic free zone
Could we insist that the departmental store to be setup in the campus be Plastic free.


It would be great if we can incorporate these as part of our Association goals. The good thing about these are the concrete actions already taken by the Synergy community. I feel proud to be a part of this :-)

Mantri's Sunrise on Vinayaka Chaturthi

It was our first Vinayaka Chaturthi at Mantri Synergy.My wife and I did a walk-around in our Padur neighbourhood early this morning,looking for arugumbil(grass), mango leaves and flowers for puja.Ganesha may not approve of stolen flowers, but this didn't deter us from plucking a few from ornamental plants in Mantri Synergy.
As for the mango leaves, we cast our eyes on a mango tree next door, with its branches reaching out into our compound. With help from a security person we helped ourselves to some mango leaves from our neighbour's tree.
We procured the puja grass from an obliging gardener at the adjacent farm house. A helpful neighbour at D block brought us some more grass.We bought a clay idol of Ganesha from the Kelambakkam market.

Mantri Synergy 2 Debut

Wow! This is my first Blog. Thanks to GVK & the Rest of the Gang of OMR Resident, I think I too could do my bit to alleviate, someof the issues faced by the community in a small way.
For my first entry, I would want to put up the issues faced by me over the last few days as I moved into Synergy-2 & their possible solutions. Hopefully, it would help others be forewarned and avoid the minor pitfalls.Feel free to provide your inputs to the issues as well as the tricks of the trade to get around it.
Checklist for the new Residents (Some of the specifications are for B-Block X08 series Flats only)
Part 1 :- Before Shifting
0. Contact List.
Approach Propcare. The office on the ground floor of Club-House and obtain a copy of the Whos-Who for Mantri Synergy available with Balaji.
1. Keys.
Settle the accounts with the Customer care(Jeyakannan/Saranya) and obtain the Inter-Office Memo (IOM) from them.Carry along your and your's spouse PAN-card for this.
1 Set of IOM to be provided to Prop-Care (Sivaram/Balaji). They will provide 3 sets of Keys(For a 2 BHK:- Main door (4x), Master Bedroom(3x), Bedroom(3x)). Also have a look @ the EB meter and your postal box@ the basement of the Block
2nd Set of IOM to be provided to Padmanabhan, and select your parking space
2. Electrical
a) Check all the Plugpoints have power and they are not loose. Carry your mobile charger to try it out yourself. Specifically check the 15Amp plug-points.
b) Before calling up the Split AC Installation guys, check if the existing conduit provided for the Copper tubesis @ the correct location and of the correct size. If not get the Prop-care/Engineering Team to get the core drilling done.
c) For all electrical fitting eg Heater/AC check the corresponding accessories are available with you egfor the Heater, you need 2 tubes (inlet/outlet), for the AC/Heater you need the corresponding 16 Amp 3-pin Top-Plugsd) For B-Block, The specification for the Exhaust fans used for the Bathrooms is 250mm PVC per the Engineering team. The corresponding specification to buy it from the Electrical shop is 10 inch Diameter, around 350 mm outside length/width, around 290 mm insidelength/width. This will fit into the square 300 mm gap provided for the same in the Bathroom window.
3. Plumbing.
Check all the pipes/flush works and there are no leakages especially from the commode/gun
4. Civil
a) Check the levelling in the Bathrooms/Balcony is proper by pouring water and checking if there is water stagnation anywhere.If so, get it rectified with the help of Prop-care/Engineering team.
b) Check for gaps in kitchen tiles which come above the granite table top. //This will be a nuisance with insects in the kitchenlater on
c) Check all the doors of the flat for gaps, especially @ the bottom & the sides

Part 2 :- During Shifting
5. Packing v/s Moving
If you are very particular about your stuff, if possible take the effort to do the packing on your own.If you are unable to do so, know the difference between the 2 types of service providers available in the market
Movers:- They will simply take your stuff from Location A, dump it on their vehicle and shift it to Location B.
Packers:- They will come to Location A. Pack all your belongings in boxes, use packing boards for glasses, table tops & otherdelicate items. Also after the Items are placed at Location B, They shall help you unpack it as well.Of the 2, Packers and movers are costlier then the movers (roughly double the charge of the later say for a distance of around 25 Km)Try and if possible move during the day time, since @ night, power failures is a double whammy
a) no power to the lift
b) no light to move around the corridor

Part 3: - After Shifting
6. Gas connection.
Refer to Mr. GVK's blog @http://omrresident.blogspot.com/2011/06/piped-gas-connection-with-gas-ramu.html
7. Toll on OMR.
Refer to Mr. GVK's blog @ http://omrresident.blogspot.com/2011/05/omr-toll-gate-monthly-pass.html
8. Milk/Water.
Linganathan is the Boss for these. However, Its a challenge, if you need the milk to be delivered to your door before 7:00 am.
9. School Bus.
All the school Bus stops in front of the Mantri Gate. We can get them to come inside the gate, however, it has to be discussed afterthe Association is formed in the near future. Meanwhile, start atleast 10 minutes earlier, to account for the Lift not working/walking down the stairs and the long walk till the main gate by dragging the sleepy toddlers.
10. Television.
IPTV connection is provided. However it may take a couple of weeks before the service gets activated. If you are a SUN TV fan, then you maywant to get Airtel (Samy)
11. Last But Not the Least. WELCOME HOME :-)

Mantri grocery stores

The Mantri management,they say, has firmed up an agreement with a local shop-owner, and the grocery stores at the Clubhouse is expected to open in four to six weeks from now (mid-October). By which time the occupancy at our complex is expected to increase to 100, from the current strength of 40 plus resident families. Gas Ramu says he has received till now 67 applications for gas connection.
Besides groceries the Clubhouse stores is expected to retail fruits and vegetables procured from Koembedu. Meanwhile, we discovered Angaadi.in , a website through which we can order vegetables/fruits on phone and online for home delivery. Mr Raghavan of the online angaadi says they cater to residents on the OMR stretch from Sholinganallur to Padur.Items ordered online/phone are delivered the subsequent evening between 6 and 9 pm.The 24-hour gap, they say, is needed for the Angaadi to procure fruits and vegetables from Koembedu and elsewhere, fresh, on a daily basis, and in quantities ordered by customers. Vegetables so procured are packed properly before delivery, says Mr Raghavan.
Contact details: Landline 044 27435743 ; cell - 8015419876.
Mr Raghavan is alvailable on 9941903084 ; info@angaadi.in.

Vermicomposting kitchen waste

An earlier post in the blog - Talking trash, vermicomposting - done some two months back hasn't evoked any response from PropCare. And, it must be admitted, there was no further effort on our part,as residents,to push the waste disposal agenda. This post is prompted by an article in The Hindu - Segregating waste can generate income - that refers to vermicomposting taken up by residents in Alwarpet.
At Venus Colony, Alwarpet, with 175 apartments they have a vermicompost shed, from which they generate adequate manure to fertilize plants and the green patch in their 2.25 acre residential complex.The Venus Colony residents association built a composting shed with four compartments for collection of kitchen and garden waste. The association,which has been vermicomposting kitchen waste for the last five years,is engaged, at the same time, in creating public awareness and educating residents on the need for segregating household waste to enable their disposal in a meaningful,and also productive, way.
Wouldn't it be worth our while to visit Venus Colony and meet with the residents association ? Contact person - Mr K V Ananthakrishna Iyer, manager, Asiana Flat Owners Association in Venus Colony, Alwarpet.

'Dunston Checks in'...at the Clubhouse

First of our Mantri community film shows for children(Aug.27) was a moderate success, with a turnout of seven children and at least as many adults.The two-hour show featured Dunston Checks In a full length feature, and Baby Einstein, a 30-minute episode in a Walt Disney series made for children up to the age of three.
It wasn't however such a hit with elder children who go for action and a storyline. Baby Einstein is all images, music and rich colours that appeal to infants and toddlers. Three-month old Aadit watched with eye-popping delight, according to grandpa Mr Ardhendu Chakraborti.
At Clubhouse I could see Mr Ram Kumar's three-year old daughter parked on her mother's lap, getting excited about the colours and swift changing images in Baby Einstein.I can't say the same for the elder children.Their thrill was in watching Dunston in action.But then there were moments when even the monkey antics couldn't hold the children's attention. That was when Mr Saurav Mukherjee, conducting the proceedings, stepped in with packets of chips, so thoughtfully provided by Mr Sivaram of PropCare.
It was a promising start, of what we believe, can be made a regular weekend feature. The August 27 children show could have done with more publicity. Besides, poor approach to the clubhouse could have been a reason that held back some residents.Lack of proper lighting made movement to the clubhouse a challenge. We made our way back home after show (9.15 p m) with the help of Mr Ram Kumar who followed us in his car,with its headlights guiding us through the mud and slush on the Clubhouse road.
The clubhouse could do with a proper notice board. The scribbled show announcement scotch-taped to a wall at the clubhouse lobby, was put up only on the morning of the show. With increased readership of OMR Resident and better social networking we hope to have a wider reach among the Mantri residents community in the coming weeks.

STP pipe burst

There has been a breakdown in the sewage treatment plant. And Mantri maintenance has been at work since Saturday afternoon trying to fix a pipe burst. As an upshot, we haven't had water in the master bed-room toilet in our D block flat since yesterday afternoon. Our toilet was still dry when we checked, this morning (Sunday). Mercifully, we have water supply in the other two bathrooms.
We are having to put up with a temperamental toilet in the master bedroom, because water supply to the flush comes from STP. And the sewage treatment plant has not been behaving properly ever since they set it up. There is no knowing when our bedroom toilet would go dry. I am all for water recycling conservation,only if, and this is a big IF, we can make it work reasonably well. STP at Mantri's often runs out of water or otherwise gets out of order every now and then. Our issue is not with water recycling, but the unreliability of the functioning of our toilet.It's time, isn't it, we thought of a backup pipeline (from regular source) to the bedroom toilet. For STP breaks down every other day.
Another point: Why can't PropCare staff answer the phone at times such as this ? You call 'help' phone with little success ; Maintenance supervisor's mobile goes 'out of reach' (Couldn't PropCare,with Airtel support, do something to ensure that cell phone signal covers all parts of Mantri complex, including the basement ?)
I got someone to answer the phone , on my 5th attempt, and that was how I came to know of the STP pipe burst. Had PropCare been proactive, and informed, on their own, residents ( it means making 40 internal calls) of the STP pipe burst, they could have spared us such unpleasant surprise, and saved me a few cell call charges.

Children's movie show

Saturday, August 27
7 p m
Club House
A few us at Mantri's reckon it may not be a bad idea to bring together children in our complex for film viewing at the Clubhouse. We plan to share our individual collections of the DVDs that our children grew up watching. On a recent US trip my wife and I collected a few DVDs from our grandchildren - Sidharth,6, and Nikhil, 3 plus - for sharing them with their peer group Mantri Synergy. Mr Sriraj of D-1202 has DVDs that NASA Srinivas, his school-going son, has grown out of.
The first of the children's movie show is scheduled on Saturday,August 27, at 7 p m. We have at Mantri's children, aged three-months upward. And we happen to have a few 30-minute DVDs in 'Baby Einstein' series that Walt Disney produce for 0-3 age-group. I would like to watch how the three-month old Aadit responds to Baby Einstein.
Among other DVDs in my collection are:
Fisher-Price - Musical Baby (for 3 months plus)
Elmo's World : The Great Outdoors
PBS Happy Holidays
Man's Best Friend - Dog Adventures (a 5-movie DVD)
Eddie Murphy's Dr.Dolittle
Dunston Checks In
Mr Sriraj says his son Srinivas, in Ooty boarding school, has left behind a wide-ranging DVD collection, including Harry Potter, Lion King, Sherk and Michael Palin's Himalayan Journey.
If we make a go of children's movie viewing, weekly or twice a month, we could think of tapping the children's film society, the British Council and USIS for loaning us children's movie.

Bathroom fittings at Mantri's

I don't know if others have this issue. The granite slab fitted in our bathroom (D-901) by Mantri's doesn't have a granite finish or shine, although we have it washed and mopped daily. Far from acquiring a shine with daily washing, our bathroom granite looks shabby, as if it hasn't been cleaned for a while.
Would anyone know of a cure - a solution or polish - that brings a shiny finish to granite surface ?

Common Floor photo contest

Common Floor, a website that hosts interactive web-page of Mantri Synergy flat-owners, has announced a photo contest that invites you to "take photos of the Independence Day celebrations held in your community; submit entries(unlimited) on the CommonFloor Facebook page from 15 Aug to 25 Aug 2011.
Prizes include Winning photos engraved on wooden plaques;T-Shirts; and Photo Collages.

Movie evenings at Mantri Clubhouse

Meera,our daughter-in-law, brought home from the grocery shop Singum Puli the other day. Movie cassettes are handed out to customers whose purchases exceed $20 at desi stores in California. And we have, at our son’s place in San Ramon CA quite a collection - Payanam, Eeram, Endiran, Peepli Live, Paa, Break Ke Baad,and wake Up Sid.

My wife and I, now on a US visit, plan to take back to Chennai a bunch of these CDs to be able to organize community film viewings on weekends at our clubhouse in Mantri Synergy apartments complex on OMR.

From Curry-leaf plant for $59.99

Basketball, anyone ?

We could do with a practice net and board for basketball enthusiasts among children in Mantri Synergy. And we don't want Mr Manoj/Mr Sivaram of PropCare to tell us they can't find space for it.



These contraptions do not take up space; they are easy to install and they can easily be moved about.We find the basketball net fitted on a back wall ,in public park, at the front yard of houses, and even on the sidewalk at a gated community. We have it in our backyard at San Ramon CA, for our grandchidren, aged 3 and 6.
The basketball court we have at the Mantri's is for the big boys who play regular games. The make-shift net we are talking about is for learners.

Talking of trash cans

In San Ramon CA Wednesday is the garbage day; that is when the garbage truck makes weekly visits to empty trash carts placed in front of every house. The plastic garbage bins, of which Ms Anuradha Nair (D-1201) wrote in Common Floor, are compact, easy to move, and they withstand the battering by the disposal staff.
Ms Nair, in her CommonFloor post, said:
Mantri could invest in heavy-duty plastic receptacles used for the purpose of garbage collection, and put one (or two) on each floor so that the residents themselves can go and deposit their garbage into these bins neatly. Such bins come with a fitted lid so as to ensure that rodents etc do not get in, and smells do not get out.
These bins could be emptied into larger collection bins which are on wheels, which the cleaners could easily maneuver from floor to floor.
Being made of heavy duty plastic material, these receptacles could be cleaned easily
The larger bins on rollers are also fitted with lids so that they can be rolled into the lifts without the problem of smells/leakages arising
We could also think of placing such trash cans at strategic spots in the common space to discourage people from throwing trash in public.

Why can't we have some ducks ?

Reading Mr Sriraj's post I gather that the fountain would soon be functioning at Mantri's. I wish we could have ducks in the water, as they have in this pond at the Blackhawk Mall in Danville CA. It is a major attraction for children visiting the mall. If our fountain isn't big enough for ducks, we could at least have some colourful fish. I am sure children woud love it.

Incident Free Week

Friends
Pleased that a week has passed peacefully with almost every service a resident requires for a smooth living at Mantri Synergy. A casual meeting with Mr Sivaram of PropCare on issues that are pending (Ramp, Play area, Gas bank etc) revealed that they will be addressed when the time comes as construction work is progressing in full swing on A & B Blocks. The Swimming pool is also likely to be commissioned in about a week`s time as they want to make sure that the plant is functioning smoothly & there is no water leakage. The center fountain should flow in about 2 weeks. I have also requested him to formally arrange for a get-to-gether for the residents & hear us out to make a smoother living. Further, the stilt parking pillars are being numbered & the car park system should also be in place soon. While Chennai had sharp showers last night, Padur experienced only a slight drizzle though the weather was extremely pleasant throughout the night & in the morning with fresh cool breeze flowing through our 12th floor windows. However, comes along with the cool wind, some dust too which is inevitable as construction contunies even on Sundays. Overall, I remain satisfied looking back at the last week living here at Mantri Synergy. Sriraj.

Tree-planting: An e-mail to Vishnu

Dear Vishnu,
And I address this mail to Manikandan, Ramesh (all security staff), and Murugan (house-keeping) as well.
It is nice to know that we have on the Mantri support services staff youngsters like you pursuing higher studies. And it is a matter of community pride. I am sure other Mantri residents would agree to a suggestion that your hardwork and determination call for celebration. We could do so by planting a couple of saplings in Mantri Synergy on the Community Planting Day we observe on the last Saturday of every month. It is July 30 this month.
1) I would like you, Vishnu, along with the other three, to approach Sriraj Sir (D-1202) and Chakraborti Sir (F-904) for help and guidance in organising the tree-planting programme.
2) You can count on them to approach Propcare Sivaram sir to get suitable slots alloted for planting two neem saplings.
3) Arrange to procure from the nursery or from some place else two neem saplings (say 5 to 8 ft. tall). I am sure one of you is resourseful enough to get the saplings for free from a local farmer. You should also be able to arrange for digging the necessary pits and for watering the saplings till they take root.
I wish I could take part in the tree-planting ceremony. But my thoughts would be with you on July 30. And I hope to find the saplings growing well when my wife and I return from our current US trip.
Meanwhile, I hope to hear from you, Vishu, regarding the tree-planting arrangement. Do foraward this communication to Manikandan, Ramesh and Murugan. I do not have their e-mail ID

G V Krishnan, D-901
(now in San Ramon, CA)

About children's play area

Exploring the San Ramon CA neighbourhood play area with my grandsons - aged 6, and nearly 4 - I get increasingly conscious of the inadequacy of the facility provided by the Mantri's. I have been here in the US quite a few times, but this happens to be our first US visit after we moved in to Mantri Synergy. And commparisons are inevitable, and the contrast is stark.
This one is a play area for kids in 2-5 age group.
Seating for elders supervising kids
Helmet for cyclists is mandatory. Grandson Nikhil is 3 plus, and you can't hold him down to the confines of play area. The likes of him need cycling track.
And also space to try out their basketball skills.
Rock climbing is a popular feature.
In comparison, residents at Mantri Synergy (which the developers advertised as 'premium' apts. complex) cannot be said to have got a fair deal, play area-wise. We deserve better, considering that 30 percent of the price we paid went for comon area development. Speaking of the children's play area, what we have at Mantri's is a scaled down version that should have really been part of the creche at the clubhouse.
1) Mantri play area is located in a cramped space in front of the grocery store.
2) The play things are not only placed too close to each other, but also they leave little space for the ramp that is to come up at the entrance to the stores.
3) No seating facility for adults who need to supervise the children at play.
4) A bank of gas cylinders is located close to the play area. Mr Sriraj(D-1202), at a recent meeting with Mantri GM Mr Manoj, made it clear that either the play area or the gas bank must be re-located. In response to the management view that there was zero safety risk Mr Sriraj observed it is a matter of public mindset. Question is: would you let your two-year old play in an area close to a gas bank,no matter who or how many people guarantee its safety ?
5)Lack of alternate space to locate play area cannot be an acceptable reason for not re-relocating it. No resident would accept anything but the best for children.
6) The front lawn or the landscaped area around the well has enough play space, and it has park benches for the supervisory adults escorting children.

Let's plant neem in July

Murugan of house-keeping has gone next door,to Hindustan University,to pursue a course in automobile engineering. Manikandan and Ramesh on Mantri security staff are studying to become computer engineers, and their shift-mate Vishnu is doing graduate studiesin business administration.
Let us celebrate and dedicate a neem sapling to their drive,dedication,and hardwork.Mantri's monthly community planting is due July 30, the last Saturday of the month. Suggestions from Mantri residents on family events that merit saplings at our community planting can be sent to Mr Sriraj of D-1202.

Let's synergize Mantri Synergy

My wife and I appreciate the sentiments Mr Sriraj has expressed in the previous post. Would like to point out, though, that It is not any lofty ideal or self-less initiative that drives me ;it is enlightened self-interest. Our common/unified efforts can improve life, and synergize community living.
And synergy, I reckon, can be furthered, by including in our community schemes the PropCare people, our house-keeping and security staff. We can make our Mantri living inclusive, if we recognise Murugan joining an engineering course by planting a sapling in our complex. When PropCare Siviram's 4-year-old twins join the 1st std. in school, or start taking, say piano lessons, or get a belt in taekwondo , we should planting saplings.
Which brings me to Pt. 6 in Mr Sriraj's list of things to do.The next time he meets Mr Manoj/Mr Sivaram he could work with them to identify the spots for planting the next five saplings. Thus,discovering more and more planting locations can be made a continuing exercise, as we move from July to August, then on to September, and beyond.

Bon Voyage to Mr & Mrs GVK

Friends
Mr GV Krishnan & Mrs Krishnan are leaving for USA tomorrow for a short re-union with their Son in California. Being a Veteran of social & noble causes & a great inspiration for all to follow his sensible & self-less initiatives, it would be our duty to show some developments which he would be delighted to see on his safe return in a month. So, let us take these following initiatives in the next 3/4 weeks :-
1. Following up with Mr V Manoj, GM, Mantri for construction of a ramp leading to/from the proposed Super-Market.
2.Planting a couple of more saplings in consultation with Mr Sivaram, PropCare.
3. Pro-actively involving with Mantri on shifting the Gas bank or the Kids Play Pen as they are now positioned next to each other & which we consider can prove to be dangerous if/when an accident occurs.
4. Segregation & disposal of garbage/vermicomposting in consulation with Mr Sivaram, PropCare.
5. Find a solution to the pollution caused by our neighbouring construction Company (Opposite `F` Block) in consultation with PropCare.
I think if these 5 are addressed to our satisfaction, GVK would return a very happy person. Can we all get together & do this ?
Sriraj - D 1202 - Ph : 09444 708 530

Nasa Srini & Aadit are a week old

A week after we planted them Nasa Srinivas has started flowering already, and Aadit has fresh tender leaves coming up.
Now that the saplings have taken roots parents with young children could take them to visit Aadit and Nasa Srini, become their friends and watch them grow in their backyard.

Mahindran replaces Murugan

There has been a change in the person who brings us our morning milk, newspaper, and drinking water can. Mahindran replaces Murugan, who has left to pursue engineering education at Hindustan University. He has secured admission to mechanical engineering course, says his employer Linganathan of MTS
We have many college-going youngsters on the security staff. After we wrote about Vishu I discovered two others - Manikantan and Ramesh - pursuing studies in computer science in local colleges. They opt for night shift - 7 p m to 7 a m - to be able to attend classes as day scholars. Vishnu is doing undergraduate course in business administration. But then it takes more than a college degree for one to find a job in business administration. Vishnu is acutely conscious of his limitations in soft skills and English communication.
When we first wrote about Vishnu in CommonFloor a couple of residents - Mr Sriraj and Mr Jeyagopu - welcomed a suggestion that we set up a volunteer group to mentor the likes of Vishnu on our house-keeping and security staff.

Gas supply disconnect

We had no gas supply for nearly 30 minutes this morning. For that was how long Gas Ramu took to reach Mantri's from wherever he lives. The Mumbai-based agency that is supposed to maintain 24x7 pipeline gas supply doesn't have 24-hour staff presence on Mantri site. Gas Ramu, pleading helplessness, says it takes 10 minutes for his staff to come from Padur to attend to complaints. A PropCare execute says workers aren't allowed to stay on Mantri premises.
But then, the gas maintenance staff would need a work station , with a chair, table and intercom connection, if they are to attend to residents' complaints promptly, round the clock. We can't be calling Ramu on cell every time the gas fails - morning, noon, night, and in-between times . And cell phones have a knack for going 'out-of reach' or getting 'switched-off whenever you need an urgent connect.

Sunrise over Muthukkadu

Mr Ram Kumar (E-103) who dropped in at our place early this morning was taken in by the view from our living room (D-901). Mr Kumar who lives in Qatar is on a visit to take possession of his flat did puja at his place this morning. Of the 40 plus flats , where they have done puja, 24 have been occupied till date.