Many of my friends tell me that I have turned cynical as all my writings are about negativity
in the society. As I ponder over this remark, I feel each of us face these
situations; it is just that I write about them vociferously while
others suffer this passively. Most of my readers and followers are young
citizens of our country and I want them to feel the misery of this generation
and take a proactive stand towards changing this society.
I
may sound cynical once again, but here is another true account of the treachery
one has to face in this country. I parked the entire arrears of the 6th
Central Pay Commission in a property in Bhopal in May 2009. It was ideally
located next to the cantonment, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It
was a Delhi based company (Niho Constructions Limited) which was developing the
project and I should have expected it all. But, the greed of owning a peaceful
residence close to the cantonment towards the end of my long career in the
Defence, dragged me in and along with me some 40 service officers invested in
the project. The documentation was quite elaborate and included a penalty
clause in case of delay in giving possession beyond 24 months and we thought it to
be very safe. The project worked well till Feb 2011 and suddenly the work
stopped. My house progressed till internal plaster and it stands still thereafter and I have already paid 90% of the agreed price. The agreed 24 months
expired in May 2011 and gradually all the employees started leaving the project
and the entire office now looks deserted with one peon and a security guard on
the rolls and one executive from Delhi making an occasional visit. I retired in
Apr 2011 and thought of living in this house but had to shift to Nagpur
finally.
Initially
I tried writing letters to the company with no response. Finally, sent a legal
notice in Aug 11 and filed a case in the consumer court in Oct 11. As of any
other consumer forum in this country the case is going on and on. The other
customers in Bhopal approached the collector, police commissioner and even the
chief minister. I met the magistrate personally once and gave a written
complaint. I even wrote a letter to the chief secretary of the state, copy to
chief minister. But none of this could move the state machinery while the company was still booking phase 2 of the scheme. I approached
the local print media to cover the story and to my utter shock, the PR agent
conveyed the reluctance of the print media as this company gives
them advertisement business. Finally, I went all the way to Delhi to meet the
Directors of the Company but could meet only a lower level employee who claimed
ignorance. The matter stands at that and I look towards the sky and ask for
justice. Is there anything else that a common man could do to get justice in
this country!!
I
know of a senior citizen who won a civil suit in Mar 2011 and the honorable court
ordered the party to pay up Rs 2 lakhs to the senior citizen within a month. You
may be surprised to know that nothing really happened till date because the
party has manage not to received the court
order and the court staff has not served the summons till date. The point is, even
if the consumer court or any other court gives a verdict in favour, the
implementation of the order is next to impossible. It is the bureaucracy that
had squarely failed this country in every way. Do I have a case to be cynical!!!
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