I just wanted to thank all those who attended the felicitation function for Mr. Satish Reddy.

The turnout was great and coupled with the assurances made by our MLA, it was a great Sunday.

I am following up with Satish Reddy and let's hope he delivers.

Balbir

We are making elaborate arrangements to felicitate him. We have already arranged for the sound systems, photographer, catering (light lunch is being served to all members) and by this evening the stage and shamiana will be arranged.

Invitations cards will be given to all members.

On Saturday we propose to meet and work on the Memorandum that we will submit to the MLA.

The programme is as follows:

1. Presentation of Bouquets to Guests by
Mr. George Cheria (Treasurer) and Mr. Raghu (Vice-President)

2. Welcome address by Mr. Balbir Singh (Secretary)

3. Speech by Mr. Narendra Kumar (President)

4. Special Invitee Mr. Seetharamaiah will address the gathering

5. Presentation of Memorandum by Mr. Venkatesh Bhat

6. Speech by our Honourable Guest, Shri Satish Reddy

7. Vote of thanks by Ms. Deepashri (Joint Secretary)

Any comments, please post on the site for all to see and interact.

Balbir

Balbir

We also invited him to visit us and meet all residents of LVR. Out of the two date options - 29th June or 6th July - he agreed to come on 6th, which is a Sunday. We have made a note of his secretary's mobile number and around 1st or so, we will call him and re-confirm the programme.

Satish Reddy is extremely busy and if he does come on 6th we must accord him a grand reception.

We will start planning for the 6th and keep you all posted.

Needless-to-say, we expect total participation.

Balbir

It's a shame that our call to conduct an AGM has received no response. We were merely complying with a legal requirement and giving you the opportunity to exercise your democratic right.

But you choose to ignore this. I mean, when many in this layout didn't exercise their vote for the State elections, what's LVR layout elections.

So be it. While the defeated Congress candidates goons are going around bashing up people who didn't cast their vote (and they'll get to some of you soon) we aren't in that league. If the BJP MLA doesn't do anything for this layout, its an opportunity lost.

So what happens next? Well, the existing Managing Committee will continue to perform its role to retain some sanity in this layout and collect the monthly membership as usual.

The fact that there is no co-operation in this layout is sad, but true!

Balbir

The visit was organised kind courtesy Mr. Santha Kumar, our neighbour
and considered to be the Kodichikkanahalli Headman. He was
instrumental in bringing Satish Reddy to my house pre-election and
this was followed up by Mrs. Reddy also dropping in seeking our
support for her husband.

Satish Reddy has assured us that he will definitely do something to
improve our layout and address our specific needs of water, street
lights and roads.

We are planning for a felicitation soon in our layout and one hopes
all members of the layout will attend.

Politics is a numbers game. Politicians always like to see huge crowds because
it gives their ego a "high". So, if we have to derive benefit from
them, we must show consolidated support and not sending someone to represent so-and-so block.

The biggest advantage is that Satish Reddy lives in Bommanahalli, on
Begur Road. So, he has hands-on experience of bad roads and lack of
other utilities. That's what gives us the hope that something will be done.

I'll keep you posted on any further developments.

"....Any member who may be in arrears of a subscription which according to the rules of the Society, he is bound to pay, is liable to be sued as 'Stranger' by the Society....."

How very interesting!

Balbir

The word is more widely used as a metaphor, referring to someone who is blamed for misfortunes, generally as a way of distracting attention from the real causes.

And how does one make a scapegoat? It's quite simple actually.

Take a person, give him/her responsibility and when he/she does good things, turn the tables and slaughter him/her for doing a good job. Spice him/her up by smearing some 'garam masala' and Voila! Scapegoat is ready for deep-frying.

We have mastercraftsmen out here who can churn out scapegoats just as biscuits come off the oven. It's a very special knack and as one perfects the art, its time to step into the political arena, where demand outstrips supply.

In fact, there are so many examples of scapegoats (and the variety is fairly large too) that someday I might just write a book titled "The Fine Art of Scapegoating".

Meanwhile, watch the slaughter - coming soon!

Shri Deve Gowda, our very humble farmer is at it again. If news reports are to be believed, he’s now trying to mend fences with the Congress and rope them in to form yet another coalition and scuttle BJP’s chances of forming the government.

For once, the Congress did the sensible thing by slamming the door at him.

Well, that must have made our “Mannina Magan” sulk quite a bit. If the BJP does get to form the goverment - all indications are that they will - Deve Gowda, family and friends will be in oblivion. Bangalore will heave a big sigh of relief, let me tell you that.

So, what can “Gowda Inc” do now?

I thought it’d be a good idea for the former Prime Minister to catch up on his reading comic strips or perhaps, watch Cartoon Network.

I strongly recommend “Road Runners”, which will give him immense joy, because there’s a wily fox in there too and perhaps, learn a few tricks on how to be spoilsport.

As far his sons are concerned, they can join Pappa and hone their skills. Someone has to take over the family business, someday!

Well, he's given us assurances and we hope he will do something for our layout. It's early days right now, but soon, we intend approaching him with a memorandum of some of the things that we need to get done. For instance, the bore-well motor, the street lights and so on.

Whether he will do anything is anybody's guess. We all know politicians have this rare gift of making all sorts of promises and then concentrate only on those areas where there are "returns". It's not uncommon for politicians to have shortened memories. Goodwill of the people is the least of their priorities.

However, with Satish Reddy we have hopes. For one thing he lives in Bommanahalli - a sort of "son-of-the-soil" - and surely must be aware that this area has been long neglected. I'm sure he must also be driving down Begur Road and getting first-hand experience of bumpy rides, broken axles and tyre punctures.

There's just one thing that keeps bothering me; will he raise the topic of poor voter turnout from our layout?

We'll have to wait and see!

Balbir

Speculations are rife, pre-poll/post-poll surveys are a-plenty; even God doesn't know what's in store for us. I guess he's given up too.

Tomorrow is the day that will make or shatter our dreams. Keep your fingers crossed.

Balbir

A good-looking, friendly German Shepherd is being looked at as a demon by some. I mean, Mother Nature created all dogs with 4 legs, a tail, ears, nose, eyes, teeth, paws, nails, a digestive system and so on. Dogs may look different because of their breed, but have you ever seen a dog that has fangs like snakes or venom in their tails like scorpions? I haven't.

In contrast, what does a demon look like? The closest I came to see one was in the movie The Exorcist', where this young girl is possesed by a demon. But that's a spiritual thing. I mean, what does a demon look like? Is it a dog with blood dripping from his mouth? Or is it Dracula, but then, Dracula was human, not with a tail and walking on 4 legs, I'm sure.

Dogs are not demons, for Christ's sake. They are a species who have been around for ages and haven't you been told in school that the Dog is Man's best friend?

Even if Man isn't friendly with dogs!

Caution your children not to play near grassy/shrubby areas. Extremely dangerous for kids to say, retrieve a ball from a bush.

If you are walking after dark, I suggest you take along a torch light.

Balbir

Having started with lots of turbulence - some of it created by me, but with the good intentions of egging them into forming the group than to scuttle their plans - I think they are a well managed set-up. They have their systems in place and though they could communicate a bit more, they seem to be sailing pretty smoothly. Most enterprises that run well obviously have clear-cut objectives, good understanding and quality leadership. Considering that the Association was formed rather hastily because of the 'Akrama-Sakrama' sword dangling on their head, they seem quite streamlined.

Not the same can be said of KLS Blocks 1, 2 and 4. There's a lot of enthusiasm but not converted to action. No wonder we are a country which talks more and works less.

Unlikely that KLS-1 will ever form an Association. Most residents of that block are tenants and the apartment owners eagerly look forward to their rent money paid on time and why worry about other nitty-gritties.

KLS-2 had some serious intent to forming an Association. But that was some months when 'Akrama-Sakrama' was breathing down their backs. Their only moment of triump was when they announced a Managing Committee and after much higgling-haggling, settled on the monthly subscription each flat had to pay. The minute the 'Akrama-Sakrama' was withdrawn - rather put 'on hold' - the fizz went out like air from a balloon. All that was said and discussed remained in the laptop. These days they have donned the roles of being caretakers for a family of snakes crawling around their building.

KLS-4 is a disaster. With an occupancy of just about 6-7 flats, and more residents on the top floor, the building seems lifeless. There are enough signs of neglect and whilst there's a been a lot of talk to form an Association, it's turned out to be a case of  empty vessels making lots of noise. Imagine the echo in a building with just 10% occupancy.

KLS-5 will be ready soon - how soon is the million dollar question. But when it does happens and when people start to move in, one hopes that KLS-5 will shoulder the responsibility of Big Brothering KLS-4.

Given this scenario, I think the Nobel Prize goes to KLS-3.

Well done, guys! Hope others can emulate your example.

Balbir

This is precisely what I was trying to communicate in my earlier blog titled "Are We Fire Safe?" But no one seems to have reacted to it.

The Society has decided to purchase fire extinguishers and also keep some sand buckets so that in case a similar situation occurs, we are better prepared, and don't go about throwing water to douse a fire caused by a short-circuit.

Fires normally don't announce their arrival in advance. I believe that apartment blocks need to take this matter of being Fire Safe a bit more seriously.

Remember that old adage "Better Safe than Sorry!" and do something about it before your home gets reduced to ashes.

Balbir

Got you movers organised?

Started your interior work?

Chosen the auspicious day? Organised the pundit for the puja?

Hang On!

First of all, find out if the builder has applied for the power connection. I bet he hasn't. Ask me, I went through lots of promises made last year before I moved in to KLS-4.

By the time your moving-in time comes, the pundit would have retired and the pundit's son would have grown up to perform the puja.

Boy, oh boy! You have a long wait my friends!

Balbir

The MLA's who visited our layout are asking their henchmen for the voter's list and collecting data of those who did and didn't cast their vote on May 10th. Once the results are announced, the winning party will send their men to knock on doors of those who abstained from voting.

Those who were genuinely travelling (they'll ask you to prove it) will have to substantiate if other members of their family voted.

But the bells really toll for those who just stayed away. Weather too hot perhaps. We'll if these guys get to you, it's going to get a helluva lot hotter than you think.

So, watch out!

And from my side, shame on you if you didn't care. If our layout does not get any benefit from the elected MLA because we didn't turn up enmasse for voting, you will be to blame.

Balbir

None of the KLS blocks have Fire Extinguishers installed. Ask the builder and he'll give you some funda, which is neither here nor there.

Personally, I consider it imperative that all KLS Blocks invest in Fire Extiguishers on a priority basis. Just to give you some food for thought, just imagine if there is a fire (God forbid) and let's suppose it takes place on a week-day when all men-folk are at work. What does one do?

1. Call the fire department - do we have the phone number? Knowing how these services function, we probably need more than one phone number since some could be busy. The irony is that whenever there is an emergency, most utility service phone numbers don't resond.

2. Assuming you do get through, do you expect the fire engine(s) to land here in minutes, considering (a) the reaction time to the distress call by the fire department and (b) the bad and narrow roads and traffic? How long you think it'll take the fire engines to cross Begur Road coming from Hosur Road? Even if they have their sirens blaring, can you imagine how fast they can move through that road with all that traffic? Besides, you think the public gives a damn for a fire engine with sirens in full blast? They think the fire engine is a nuisance.

3. Meanwhile, while "the fire engine(s) are on their way", will the fire stop raging on its own? Fire is fire - it'll spread.

4. But, if we had Fire Extinguishers in the building, perhaps this emergency measure could halt the fire from spreading.

5. Have we put up any instructions on "How to deal with a fire" on the notice boards of all apartment blocks? I bet not.

So, I think we need to think seriously - as seriously as we want to have cars washed everyday so that they are spic and span - about what to do in an emergency such as this.

Ever thought of how to fight fire? Perhaps not, but time we had the basic knowledge. Remember, in today's world we have to help ourselves.

Here's an address and phone number that we can contact:

Seven Hills Fire & Safety

No: 7, Diagonal Road, BR Ramu Building, Near Sajjan Rao Circle,
V V Puram,
Bangalore - 560 004
Tel : 080-26608073
Mobile : 9448050657 / 9448051357

Will someone take the initiative and get more information for the benefit/safety of all? I think it would be highly appreciated.

Balbir

This will now be your one-stop-shop to get all news on the happenings in LVR Layout. News, views and reviews and much more!

It's time we all knew what's up in this quiet, peaceful layout, though one can't really say that that's always true. Yet, unless someone takes initiatives we can't get better.

And that's primarily why I felt we needed a blog where we could all communicate to each other. Thus far, its been a one-way traffic zone. Hopefully now, we can make this a 2-way platform.

Besides LVR happenings, there's lots more!

So, write in your comments, ideas, suggestions for all to share. There's a "Comment" link at the bottom of the page, so go ahead, click and write! Speak out and Freak out!

It'll be great to hear from you.

Balbir