M90 Issues –finally make peace

The “MIG Flat owners” meeting was scheduled on 29^th July, at 4:00 pm. Arun Kailasam of Kaar had come in the morning and we had a wonderful lunch, it was his way of ensuring I had company. I rearranged the furniture in the house hoping at least 10-12 people would attend to my invite. I went to the local grocery for 1.5 L Fanta and Bovonto (it’s a local grape flavour which I fancy!!).

            At 4:00 pm just Santhanam of M102 turned up; Suloch joined from downstairs – I was expecting at least 5 families attendance of the 15 I had invited. We waited for a while, gossiped on flat matters and it was damp squid show as any – in fact I took pictures of Santhanam saying: at least there is one Madrasi left with a conscience on these “land grabbing” issues. And importantly, one person gracious enough to my invite

            Santhanam said: if we are sensible, we will form an association but we don’t have any social spirit even in protecting our own self-interests. That day I resolved: fuckin sell this flat and go. 28 years I have been in this area and one person responded to my plea. Later I realized; this is the sign of our times. Everyone frightfully busy doing nothing.

Suloch’s counsel:

Suloch’s one month vacation was drawing to a close and the family was busy with last minute purchases and visiting friends before they go back to Lagos, Nigeria for office duties. He advised, “Sathya, don’t lose heart. You have done all that is possible to drive these SYNAPSE pests out. Why not try God?”

             Suloch is an ex-preacher and a lot of evangelical spirit. He explained: Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and so you are already deemed. Just submit your problems to him and he will solve it for you. Give me a year and I am sure God will work his miracles; HE never lets down honest, hardworking people.  

            I had to agree; my one year efforts coming to nought. Faith or no faith, I shook hands saying: Thanks Brother. Your one month stay has given me lot of tonic and strength to take on these rascals.

            I still had two more leads: Dinamalar and Ramaniyam.

Dinamalar:  This is one of the largest Tamil dailies and T H Iyer mama said: Speak to the MD’s secretary, refer my name and they may send a reporter and publish your plight. I kept calling and Ms. Kala advised: Send me a draft of your complaint with pictures and I will talk to my editors. I complied but nothing came out of it. I fail to understand how a land grab in a posh Besant nagar has a zero reading interest value especially when an ex-MP’s daughter is involved. Maybe, the media is not independent as we assume

Ramaniyam: Bala, more a business contact than a friend, said: Sathya, I will help you sell your apartment for the best price. But you must pay me a commission of 1%. I nodded saying “I am looking at 1.4 crores” (realistically 1. 2 is the going rate).

            The Iyengar lady at M105 (this building is right behind mine) said: The SYNAPSE people brought this flat for 2. 0 crores. I whistled and realized 1.5 for my M90/4 is a just price. No idiot would buy this flat at that price for residential purposes but any smart businessman will – he can likewise have a separate 40 ft gate this side of the building, a private generator, signage signs and this apartment faces the main road. I made some enquiries and someone at M94 said: I get a lot offers in the 1.5 to 1.75 crore range but this price is ONLY for ground floors; they are no takers for first and second floors.

            I approached Suloch and suggested, “Why don’t we sell our apartments to one single buyer for 3.5 crores – you take 2.0 for being the ground floor and I take the rest.” These apartments have become PRIME COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES and we can’t fight a trend. With this money, we can buy new apartments in Besant nagar itself and nearer the sea minus this vehicular traffic and shops. Suloch said, “Give me some time; I intend to stay for now. But if there is a good offer, I will always consider.”  

            Then Bala said, “Sathya, I will introduce you one of the biggest builders in Chennai. He has over 100 properties in Chennai and you can make a trade-in; sell M90/4 to him and he’ll give an apartment of your choice and pay the differentials. You will have a new house and at least 30-40 lacs excess in cash.”

            So I went along and met Mr. Jagannathan, Managing Director, Ramaniyam (truly one of the most respected builders in the city). I told him my horror stories of SYNAPSE people and how this flat has suddenly lost its charms.

I said, “Sir, I did my best complaining to the Chennai Corporation and Thiruvanmiyir Police but nobody wants to help, so I am inclined to sell if I get a good price.”  

            Mr. J has a lot of charisma and a strong voice. He advised, “Don’t sell it now for it will be a distress sale. I will put you on my lawyers and this is fit case; you can get a stay order from the judge, this is a text book case for unauthorized constructions.”  

            I asked, “I am not rich that I can spend on courts and lawyers. But how much would the process cost?”

            He said: 15 -20 k and I assented: something I can dispense with.

            He promised to give his lawyer’s contacts the next day; I chased him for two weeks and kept hitting a brick wall before realizing that it was never his intent to help me.

Peace of mind finally:

Suloch went to Africa in the first week of August. I wrote to him saying: I am fed up and exhausted; I want to sell and go. Each time, I see the water logging at the foot of the staircase, I feel like murder.

            Not for nothing is Suloch a great leader in the church, he writes back: Sathya, no one is troubling you. These people came and put up this CLINIC because M90/3 and M90/5 allowed them. Why should you drive yourself nuts for water-logging? Learn to ignore and take care of your interests. You fought ALONE taking on powerful interests for a year and you are no coward. SELL the flat by all means but it should be for your purpose not because of corrupt, land-grabbing doctors.

            I sensed the wisdom of patience. I also saw this as an opportunity to practice MINDFULNESS. In any situation, I have ONLY three options – change the situation to my liking, or reconcile to changed status when it is beyond my ability, and lastly, just walk away. 

As Suloch advised, I finally reconcile to peace. I accept that I cannot force the authorities to act. This SYNAPSE issue no longer agitates me. My Mindfulness meditation finally works: I am able to grin and bear it. I am gaining in wisdom leaps and bounds.  I think, I wait, and I adjust. 

Post Script: At the beach, Mr Krishnamurthy, retired from Electricity board, furnished the concluding thought: Sathya, think that you have donated the FREE SPACE to SYNAPSE people. The good thing about a mind is you can always give any troubling thought a good spin. I saw the humour and shook his hands.