Getting a Khatha for a BDA site.... (aka Mission almost Impossible)

If you thought going on a goose chase on the outskirts of Bangalore looking for BDA sites and coughing up exorbitant sums of money was all that you needed to do be a proud owner of a BDA site, here is a Do-It-Yourself guide on how to go about. The process starts with a legal verification by a competent advocate. You need to collect a whole bunch of documents (xerox copies) from the seller. This includes:

1. Allotment letter from BDA to original allottee
2. Original sale deed from BDA to original allottee
3. Sale deeds for each of the subsequent transactions
4. Original Encumbrence certificate for the duration from allotment of site to present date (see process below)
5. Latest Tax receipt
6. Khatha certificate of present owner

Getting the Encumbrence certificate is a streamlined process, the only hassle being identifying the Sub-Registrar office under whose jurisdiction the site falls and then making a visit to this office. The best time to go there is around 9 AM. Don't fall off your chair, these offices do open that early. Except that instead of employees, you fill find touts occupying the seats meant for employees. You need to give the site details (Site No., Layout, Block) and pay the tout Rs 100- Rs 200 and specify the duration of the certificate. You can return in 3 hours and the certificate will be ready. Sincere touts even give you their mobile numbers, so that you can cross-check before going. Bookmark this process, you will need to do this once again.

If you are going through a real estate broker, negotiate with him upfront on the brokerage to be paid. Typically, it is 1% of the total transaction amount. Upfront negotiation can save a lot of trouble later.

Once the advocate gives an absolute clearance that the deal is legally feasible, you can initiate the initial agreement on a stamp paper. The advocate can help you draft an agreement. Value of stamp paper depends on the total transaction amount. This process involves an advance payment with a commitment to close the deal finally on a specified date, say a month later. This draft agreement mentions the "real" value of the site. The final sale deed that is registered will be for a lower amount called the guidance value. So the normal practice is to destroy the draft agreement once the final agreement is registered.

The interim period can be used to secure a loan if applicable. It is highly advisable to engage a lawyer to draft the final sale agreement and engage him to represent you at the Sub-Registrar's office at the time of registration. The Sub-Registrar's office functions as a well-oiled machinery, the "oil" being currency notes. Advocates typically charge Rs 10-12K as fees, which includes the charges for the "oil". Taking the lawyer along smoothens the process and you will be amazed at the speed with which the system works if you use the "correct" approach. Be sure to take xerox copies of all the above mentioned documents, demand drafts (one to the seller for the guidance value and the other to the Sub-Registrar as Registration fee). Find out from the lawyer the exact value of the demand draft and whom it should be payable to. In addition, carry a few photographs, PAN card, Passport, Address proof (just-in-case). Once the registration is done you can collect the original sale deed from the Sub-Registrar. Do remember to collect the original documents of the site (all mentioned above) from the seller.

More later.......................................

Gurur Brahma.....

A sleepless, early summer night triggered a few fond thoughts. "The greatest teacher is one who makes you want to learn", so says a plank placed near the Principal's office in TKM College of Engineering. Who are those great teachers that made me want to learn? My earliest recollection is of Ms Catherine who tutored me at home from 2nd standard to 4th standard. Before that, I honestly do not think that I brought studies home. Thanks a ton to her for creating an urge in me to read, study, come first in the class and even made me try my hand at public speaking. That I ended up with my foot in the mouth during elocution was my fault.
Zoom to the tenth standard and there was Mr. I. T. Chacko, who taught Mathematics. I haven't had a better teacher of maths ever before and ever since. He had this uncanny knack of making the lessons equally interesting to the best students and to those had a phobia for maths.
Pre-Degree education in Kerala in late eighties was a race from one Tuition centre to another with cursory attendance at the College to barely meet the mandated requirements. The two shining stars of private tuition in Alleppey were Gopi Sir for Chemistry and Kallelil Sir for Physics. The two were poles apart in style but right on target in substance. Gopi Sir has a finely groomed personality; well dressed and smart looks; always punctual. He comes fully prepared and gives a well scripted performance. Kallelil Sir was the exact opposite: looking sleepy, unkempt hair, preferred extempore performances to prepared lessons. While both the tuitions served the basic purpose of scoring good marks, they also served to create a huge interest in the subjects.
In the next four years in the Engineering College, I had the good fortune of being a student of many a great teacher: some admired for their teaching skills, some for their love to students and some for both. Gopakumar sir (aka Gopettan), Ms Geetha Abraham (aka Geethu) were well known for their affectionate nature; while George Varghese Sir (GV), Roshan Kumar Sir etc were respected for their knowledge and sincerety. But the super-teachers were Dr Ziaudeen and Dr Vijayan Asari who really knew their jobs and also took good care of us. Ziaudeen Sir taught us Electronic Circuits, some of the classes are unforgettable even today. (I am lying here partly, the experience was unforgettable, but I cannot remember the role of the emitter bypass capacitor in the Common Emitter amplifier. :-) ) . Vijayan sir taught us Computer Organization, Microprocessor and DSP and guided the projects of almost every student in class. It was our good fortune that both these teachers were fresh from their PhD courses when they started teaching us. They could take on any work load for they believed that they were not paid for teaching 1 hr a day and smoking/drinking tea for the rest of the day.
Are there such good teachers out there for the next generation?