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The Hindu : Imagine having the cheering company of a lush indoor plant in your home, without having to watchfully move it outdoors so that it gets its dose of sunlight? Well, it may not be impossible, with the arrival of Zamia in the city.A variety of palm that goes by the name Zamia ferraica, this plant is a native of China, but is now being grown successfully in our tropical climate too.Slow growthA perennial slow growing plant, Zamia’s propagation is by root bulbs.The plant definitely needs its shade and needs to be kept indoors.It can survive less shade, but ironically, direct sunlight will kill it .Expensive, a single plant would cost you Rs.1,000, but you can propagate it into many more at home.Soil textureZamia requires a planter pot of about one to two feet depth. The soil has to be exceedingly loose as this plant needs plenty of aeration.“So, the soil mixture should be in the ratio of two portions of sawdust, one portion of river sand, half portion of red earth and another half portion of manure,” recommends Navneeth Raghavan, landscape architect.About 500ml of water once intwo days will do. Of course, if you see the plant drying up, pour more water and the plant will bounce back to green health.Big plusSince the soil mixture is exceedingly light, you can not only use decorative ceramic pot to grow it in, but also happily lug it all over your house, if you like.Not a flowering plant, Zamia, like a palm, is long stemmed and has branches with thick oblong, dark green leaves.Grow about five or more bulbs together to accentuate the effect….More

The Hindu : Work-live-play conceptVillas with all work and social infrastructure to help get away from the Bangalore crowd and hurry are being planned in ChikballapurA mega integrated township spread over 300 acres is slated to come up in the next two years at Chikballapur, 55 km from Bangalore. The project is being developed by the Bangalore-based real estate consultancy firm Propmart as a joint venture with Citi Green Farms.Called CG Garden Villas, it will be a self-contained work and residential centre with built-to-suit IT parks, business and commercial complexes, educational institutions and hospitals, besides a helipad with exclusive designer villas. “The idea is to create plug-and-play facilities where companies can simply move into and begin operations, and will help decongest Bangalore too,” says R. Balaji, CEO, Propmart.3000 independent villas will be built on plots that start from 1,400 sq.ft., each plot having a duplex villa. A zoo, a resort, butterfly park and water bodies will be additional features. The price range begins from Rs. 45 lakh. Chikballapur, surrounded by five hills and at an altitude of 1,468 metres above sea level, boasts of a potential for growth and development, with a new address near by – The Bangalore International Airport.The town is also well connected through the six-lane golden quadrilateral project highway.Propmart’s online real estate portalwww.propmart.com was started in the year 2000 and has offices in eight cities in the country.It offers services to the builder community and the retail end users.Call 080-25501318/20/21.email:sales@propmart.com…More

The Hindu : Without proper communication, awareness and exchange programmes, how would the reality of realty advancements be known to people across the world? How would people access the availabilities in other countries? Consider the latest development that would enable the movement in real estate sector.The U.S.-based National Association of Realtors (NAR) represented by its president Pat. V Combs signed a bilateral agreement with the newly-formed National Association of Realtors-India (NAR-India) at a ceremony in Las Vegas recently. This agreement makes it possible for local realtors to deal in property across the world through a online portal. NAR-India has also signed an agreement with the International Consortium of Real Estate Agents (ICREA) on business protocols.Commission“The agreement is expected to help realtors do business with around 1.2 million realtors globally. They can buy, sell, lease or even refer prospective clients on the look out for property solutions to members globally through the portal for a commission on the transaction closed”, explains Farook Mahmood, Founder and President, NAR-India.This tie-up is aimed at creating a better business environment for the benefit of property buyers.“Today, the property buyer does not have a one-stop shop to source information and data to make a well-informed choice on which project to buy. He needs to garner information from many sources and often depend on hearsay. Now, we will create a more professional and transparent realtor segment which will help people get the best deal,” adds Farook Mahmood.Study coursesNAR-India will be conducting a series of courses on a host of property-related issues such as finance, comprehensive development plans and legal matters for the member real estate agents. Certification courses too will be offered.A code of ethics and standard of business practices will be put in place. There will be a system to redress grievances of clients ultimately. “To begin with, we are holding a certification course in Goa early next year covering issues such as FDI…More

The Hindu : Using undivided share of landThere are instances where the undivided share of land has not been entirely apportioned to the owners,writes C.H. Gopinatha RaoThere are many instances where the undivided share of land has not been entirely apportioned to the owners. Either they are not proportionate to the built-up area bought by the owners or the developers have retained a part of it.For example, in a building complex with eight flats of 1,200 sq.ft. each and situated in an 6,400 sq. ft. of plot, the undivided share of land that is to be apportioned to each flat should be 6,400 sq.ft. divided by 8, which is 800 sq.ft.Instead, there are instances where the developer has transferred only 640 sq.ft, each and retained 1,280 sq.ft. for himself.There may be many reasons for this. May be the developer has a proposal to construct one or more floors later. The developer may own an apartment for himself.There has been an instance where the developer put up a shed on the terrace since he owns undivided share of land and let out the shed. This was later settled through the consumer forum.Lower shareBuyers are also tempted to accept a lower share of land since stamp duty and registration charges can be reduced and money saved. The implications of this are many.After a period of about 20 or 30 years when the building is demolished, either out of compulsion or redevelopment, the owners will have less share than what should have been due to them.The compensation they would receive will be reduced since it will be based on the extent of undivided share of land they hold.In case the developer had not purchased the property but has operated under the power executed by the owner in his favour, then the undivided share of the land retained by the developer will belong to the original owner or his heirs. If the…More

The Hindu : After a long wait of more than 15 years, the Government of Karnataka has come out with its novel scheme of regularisation of irregular land in the entire State under Sakrama 07. We shall examine how people friendly the scheme is.The BDA stopped formation of sites in Bangalore in 1983, thereby denying an opportunity for the residents aspiring to own a site of their own. This continued till 2000. But the city was growing rapidly and the population increased multifold. Thus the demand for residential sites increased enormously. When the demand far exceeded supply there was no alternative for the common man but to buy sites which cropped up in and around Bangalore as revenue sites/unauthorised layouts. In 2005, the Government came out with a notification prohibiting registration of non-converted land. This put a brake on formation of such layouts and high-rise buildings.There were lots of protests on the above order. In order to set things right, the Government came out with its much publicised scheme of regularisation of unauthorised land and gave a preliminary notification on May 19, 2007, under the Karnataka Amendment Act, 2007.One-time measureThe salient feature of the scheme is that any person owning a piece of land/site in a layout other than those formed by BDA/CITB or layouts approved by BDA, has to pay a penalty for various violations and get the same regularised as a one-time measure whether or not such land has been converted as non-agricultural by the deputy commissioner concerned. The scheme was also applicable to buildings within the Bangalore City Corporation limits/BDA sites which had violated some of the listed provisions such as FAR, Zonal Regulations, setback etc. at different rates specified by the Government. We shall restrict our discussion to BBMP areas and residential houses/sites.The Government fixed a penalty varying from Rs. 200 to Rs. 600 per square metre and two per cent of cost of…More

The Hindu : Though not widely popular, green homesare increasingly in vogue in the country now. Although one talks of the concept as a necessity, architects are divided in their opinion, for it is the economic feasibility that hits you hard.Studies say that a home fitted with CFL lamps, solar water heaters and recycling facilities will save around Rs. 2.56 lakh over six years, roughly coming to Rs. 3,500 a month, with solar heaters alone contributing to Rs. 71,000 in the saved amount!But architect Sharukh Mistry, chairman, Indian Green Building Council, Bangalore chapter, has been advocating principles with a shift in the ”concrete jungle and brick and mortar” thinking of architects, corporates and house builders in India. While international companies did start off with glass as used the world over today, multinational companies now value buildings with high green ratings.Why copy?“Just where are we heading by copying these unromantic, energy-guzzling glass structures,” questions K. Jaisim, Chairman, Indian Institute of Architects, Karnataka Chapter. “Are we building for just staying under a roof, or are we thinking of a sustainable society? If we lose our priorities to copying glamour, we will soon meet doomsday,” warns the architect who brought in all aspects of an eco-friendly dwelling at his residence 25 years ago in Jayanagar.Buildings are by far the greatest producers of harmful gases such as CO2 and this ‘eco-footprint’ can only increase with the large population growth. Pollution associated with the construction industry include dust and noise pollution, water pollution and toxicity. Fifty per cent of all global warming gas emissions and CFC use is related to buildings.According to A.R. Santhakumar, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT, Madras, the approach from the construction industry towards sustainability for development must include a thought on using renewable energy and alternative technology; re-using and recycling materials during design, manufacture, construction and maintenance; producing less waste and recycling more; producing less toxicity, noise and…More

The Hindu : GPA and transfer rightsLet us identify and discuss the different types of powers of attorney being used in property transactions and their implications in all States across the country.With stamp duty being very high in many States, methods were being found to effectively transfer rights in immovable property through what is known as “GPA” (General Power of Attorney) transactions without actually effecting any formal sale or transfer of rights in immovable property under normal deeds of transfer or sale.AdvantageThe added advantage sought to be derived from such transactions was avoiding the incidence of taxation on “Capital Gains” or “Income” arising from normal and formal deeds of transfer or sale of immovable property.In this context it is pertinent to refer to Article 41(e) of the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957, and Rules 1958 which state as follows:Nature of transactionPowers of Attorney when given to a person other than close relatives such as father, mother, wife, husband, son, daughter, brother, sister for consideration and authorising the attorney to sell any immovable property.Levy of stamp dutyThe same stamp duty as Conveyance (Article 20 of the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957) will be levied for a market value equal to the amount of the consideration. The actual rate of stamp duty levied works out to 7.5 per cent (excluding surcharge and cess).Further, it is also mentioned in Article 41(ea) that where a promoter or a developer is given the powers for construction, development, sale or transfer of any immovable property situated in the State of Karnataka, the stamp duty leviable is as under:Where the market value of property1) Does not exceed Rs. 1 crore: Rs. 10,000.2) Exceeds Rs. 1 crore and does not exceed Rs. 2 crore: Rs. 20,000.3) Exceeds Rs. 2 crore and does not exceed Rs. 5 crore: Rs. 50,000.4) Exceeds Rs. 5 crore and does not exceed Rs. 10 crore: Rs.1,00,000.5) Exceeds Rs. 10 crore: Rs.1,50,000.The stamp duty…More

The Hindu : The changing climate is one of the major challenges we face today. Rise in global average temperatures, increase in sea levels and melting of glaciers and ice sheets have underlined the immediate need to address this issue.In Bangalore, this factor is even more evident with hundreds coming into the city for settling down, thanks to the IT and MNC explosion.Several cities in India, once known for their salubrious climate, will soon be famous as potential markets for air-conditioners. However, one has to look at it from a global perspective, as this issue cannot be addressed at the local level.Major problem“Essentially, we need to tackle the problem of increasing concentration of greenhouse gas emissions. And we need to promote sustainable and equitable development on a large scale by countries across the globe,” says Uma Rajarathnam, Head-Environmental Practice at Enzen Global, an energy and environment consulting firm.Developing countries are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Natural calamities induced by climate change will have significant impact on economy and development.While for developing countries, climate change poses great risks, it also provides them with opportunities — carbon trading for one.Actions that reduce carbon emissions provide opportunities for promoting clean and efficient technologies, harnessing renewable energy sources, better waste management techniques and business through carbon trading. All these help in meeting sustainable development goals.Community participationOne simple way an entire community can contribute is through energy saving. “Energy saving and energy efficiency is a must today. Everyone must think of doing it. For example, at home, we should replace the regular bulbs with CFL, and use air-conditioners only when required. We should also promote renewable energy by using solar water heaters to minimise the consumption of power,” says Uma.Green buildingsBuilders can think of sustainable buildings or green buildings which use natural resources. This will reduce energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. For example, use of fly ash, which…More

The Hindu : MANGALOREThey may not have quite grown up listening to “We don’t need no education… Hey Teacher! Leave the kids alone” line from the song Another Brick in the Wall taken from the evergreen Pink Floyd album The Wall. But the students who participated in the maiden edition of Corporation Bank The Hindu Young World Fest at Town Hall here certainly let their hair down, winning the approval of not only their teachers but all concerned.The two-day fest was aimed at primarily giving a platform for students from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to showcase their innate talent. Competitions were held in six events including group dance , flower arrangement, debate and cartooning. The Fest was not only about competitions in six events. It was also about giving students the opportunity to be level headed in appreciating performances of their competitors as well. Up for grabs to promote this spirit was an award for best cheer leaders and students from Vishwamangala High School outshone competition in this regard.Ms. Malavika said, “These cheerleaders ought to be present at the next edition of Twenty:20 World Cup.” With the best of talent vying for top honours in group events, one got to see sparks of genius fly as students exhibited their innate talent without fear of failure.Fun timeB. Sambamurthy, Chairman and Managing Director of Corporation Bank, who turned a touch nostalgic, with exuberance of participants on view observed, “Bank’s involvement in events such as these in the form of sponsorship is our investment in youths for their future.” Even Mr. Rao urged The Hindu to hold more events for the youth in areas such as career counselling and job fairs, for which he assured adequate administrative support. For the record, it was Canara High School, Urwa, Mangalore which took home the overall champions trophy. Students from St. Agnes English Primary School, Mangalore (Namith and team) proved to be giant-killers in…More

The Hindu : It was a special day for Aakash, a 12-year-old boy with cerebral palsy. He painted what he wanted to express. When you have a bright mind but a body that is at odds with it, this is a tough task. Though the hand coordination is tough, his feet hesitantly listened to his mind and Aakash coloured a flower.Paint trailAakash was one among the 400 disabled children who participated in the recent Chitrakala Mela organised by the Department of Welfare of Disabled and Senior Citizens in association with Jain Jagruti Mahila Samaj and various voluntary organisations at the Bal Bhavan here.The programme, conducted as part of the World Disabled Day, was inaugurated by R. Umesh, Principal of Ken School of Arts, who himself drew a picture.In a spontaneous welcome speech, Srinivas, an eight-year-old visually impaired boy, said, “We have no disabilities. We will prove it if the right kind of opportunity is given.” Five-year-old Nikita, suffering from mild mental retardation, painted a flower and butterfly.Lavanya (10) from Spastic Society of Karnataka, suffering from diskinetic cerebral palsy, had a beautiful scene of the sea. Avanna (9) said, “I am happy to participate in this contest. It is nice to paint with all of us in a group.”…More