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The Hindu : On your way to rainwater collectionD. MURALIIn that famous snatch from As You Like It, ‘Men are April when they woo, December when they wed,’ you’d find Rosalind tell Orlando, “I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-pigeon over his hen, more clamorous than a parrot against rain, more new-fangled than an ape, more giddy in my desires than a monkey.”Recent times have seen an abundance of water ending as avoidable waste in the very cities that habitually clamoured for water, thus bringing to focus the absence of effective water management.To help, here is ‘Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically Challenged,’ by Suzy Banks and Richard Heinichen, from Tank Town ( www.rainwatercollection.com). “We live in the Texas Hill Country outside of Austin. Our data about rainfall amounts, problems with incredibly hard water, and xeriscape recommendations are all gleaned from our tiny spot on the planet,” confesses the intro.However, they assure that the book should ‘see you well on your way to rainwater collection and self-sufficient nirvana’ if you see “an average of 30 inches or more of fairly clear rain annually”.Chapter 1 describes the hydrologic cycle, and leads us through ‘a day in the life of a raindrop,’ with an informative illustration by Tré Arenz. “For most household rainwater harvesting systems, the roof is the collection surface,” write the authors. “The square footage of your catchment surface is only as big as the footprint of your house.”Know that “a chunk of water that’s one inch deep and one foot square equals exactly 0.6233 gallons.” Conservatively, a one-inch rain yields about 550 gallons per 1,000 square feet of collection surface. Usage per person is 25-50 gallons. (1 U.S. gallon = 3.7854118 litres, informs Google’s calculator).“If we lived in Mawsynram, Meghalaya State, India, where the average annual rainfall is 467 inches, our collection tank would only have to be the size of a Big Gulp…More

The Hindu : Ownership of property through a private trustN.C.S. RAGHAVANARVIND RAGHAVANThe concept, nature and scope of ownership of property through private trusts and their use and enjoyment are taken up for study and discussion. The law on the subject is laid down in the Indian Trust Act, 1882 (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”).When a person desires and decides to make suitable provisions for the financial safety and security of his wife, children, parents, close relatives and friends, he chooses the medium of a private trust to achieve these objectives.Section 3 of the above Act defines the terms “trust”, “author of the trust”, “trustee”, “beneficiary”, “trust property”, “trust money”, “beneficial interest”, “breach of trust”, “registered” and “notice” and the main points are summarised below to give a broad picture of all matters connected with a private trust.A person known as “the author of the trust” creates a private trust through a formal declaration duly recorded and evidenced in a document known as “the instrument of trust”. He declares a particular property or a sum of money as “trust property” or “trust money”. He appoints another person or persons or himself and/or other persons as “trustees”. Such “trustees” legally own and hold the “trust property” or “trust money” but only in a fiduciary capacity in trust for the benefit of another person or persons known as “beneficiaries.”The “trust property” or “trust money” originally brought into the trust becomes the “corpus” or “capital fund” of the trust. Such “corpus” or “capital fund” is invested in property or other types of investments including businesses as may be specified in the instrument of trust itself. The net income or the returns from such “corpus” or “capital fund” (after meeting all the expenses of the trust) are distributed to the beneficiaries periodically in specified shares on specified dates as provided in the instrument of trust.Beneficial interestThe duration of the trust and the…More

The Hindu : Want to check the structural stability of a flat before purchasing it? Not quite sure of the quality of sand, brick and cement used for constructing a house? Entertaining doubts on the status of soil before laying the foundation?Then, here is an answer to all your doubts. The National Academy of Construction (NAC), Hyderabad, has acquired the latest apparatus for conducting quality tests on different construction materials that go into the setting up of your dream home.The apparatus has half-cell potential meters, rebound hammer, rebar locator and compression test machine, to name a few.Quality control“We will collect 0.5 per cent of the total building cost from builders for conducting these tests,” says NAC advisor V. Prabhu. A mobile quality control unit will be launched within a few days to facilitate the middle class in having a better idea of the material and plan accordingly. This comes as a boon given the fact that most are not aware of the finer nuances of construction activities.One can assess the stability of steel that was used for construction of a building with the help of half-cell potential meter. The concrete strength of the slab can also be established with rebound hammer. “We will give a stroke to the slab by placing rebound hammer in 90 degrees position and calculate the strength,” explained NAC Quality Control Engineer K. Venkat Rao.The rebar locator will help identify the diameter of iron rods and the space left between them. The strength of ordinary and fly-ash bricks can also be ascertained with a compression test machine. Not only buildings, the latest equipment brought in by the Academy can be taken out to understand the composition of the roads which can be of help to Government machinery. With the aid of a bitumen extractor, officials can now know the bitumen content in either freshly laid or existing roads. A non-destructive equipment will find out…More

The Hindu : Give Kalyan Rathore some strips of steel and you will see a design emerging as he thoughtfully places the coils in his contemporary advances of ‘public art.’ Want to try giving him some waste material like discarded mineral water bottles, broken glass, wooden pieces, or even unused furniture and bits of cloth…well, any junk yard stuff and lo! there emerges ‘installation art’ (and many times a mural too with fibre reinforced plastic) after he visualises a pattern and brings them together to form a train of thought to explain his envisage.That’s not all, offer him some acrylic colours and the palette of designery is mind-boggling as he splashes it across on the canvas! That’s Kalyan’s ‘array of art’ with diversity and assortment being his aesthetic hymns even as his deft hands coordinate his abstract thought processes.Acrylic on canvasKalyan’s background has a lot to do with designing, and industrial designing was his forte wherein ergonomics played a key role in contemporary furniture design as much as in his dealing with hospital equipment. He is even now one of the registered designers of National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Several IT companies in the city sport his imaginative vision in furniture. “Designing is my passion, and whatever I look at, I feel like moulding it and fashioning it to form some thought,” says Kalyan.ConceptWhat is the concept behind this sculpture/public art? “Outdoor sculpture or public art are tall pieces of art wherein stainless steel sheets and coils of steel wire are stranded in various pleasing patterns to bring about a contemplation of energy, thoughts and dreams in the purest forms of existence. It defies matter/material, but these elements have to metamorphose into something more palpable to get into our everyday life. The tentacles at the top of the steel-sculpted feature stand for all things fluid and pure. Then it flows over into the vertical shaft, taking precise geometric…More

The Hindu : FSBO or ‘For Sale by Owner’ most often refers to real estate for sale. FSBO is a real estate offering handled directly by the seller, which does not involve a real estate agent, but allows homeowners to take control of the sale process. The most important reason to choose FSBO is to save real estate agent fee and to bring in some kind of a control in the process. Direct sale isn’t a rarity although it is not very common due to lack of support and knowledge about the entire process. This is a common and popular concept in the U.S., slowly catching on in other parts of the world. Currently, only 20 per cent of transactions in our country are FSBO, but the scope is vast.In India, although the real estate agent’s role is still prominent in property dealings, people do want to directly interact with clients. Most of the FSBO transactions pertain to residential property.It allows direct contact with the buyer and saves the agent commissions. The homeowner opts for different ways to advertise his property — signboards, web listings, newspaper classified ads, flyers, word of mouth, and open houses — but the money spent on working with realtors is eliminated. FSBO sellers can now reach their global clientele through the Internet.The best option* Owner knows his house better than anyone.* Owner can highlight the advantages and discuss its faults and surroundings.* Owner also knows his financial expectations.How does it help the seller?Money paid as commission is saved; seller decides about the advertising; seller determines the price after selecting the buyer; property negotiations are by mutual understanding of seller-buyer, hence saves time; stronger negotiation position; lessens dependency upon agents.What seller should knowFSBO seller has to pass through the three stages:* Preparing house for sale; marketing and showing your property; negotiating and closing. To perform these activities, sellers need to understand at least the…More

The Hindu : Grass gets glitzyGrass mats are now decorative objets d’art, says RANJANI GOVINDHarnessing traditional river grass for some modern interior uses explains the contemporary theory of going green in a modest way. That explains the making of floor mats from kere hullu (in Kannada) or korai pullu (in Tamil) and garnishing it with visual appeal for decorative purposes to suit present day drawing and dining glamour.River grass mats - made from grass grown on river beds – in their glossy makeovers are today an attractive alternative in drawing rooms as wall-hangers, floor mats, and window blinds, especially blending with cane furniture, low-level floor divans, terracotta lamp shades, bronze artefacts, stone sculptures and the like.They are seen in the dining room in table mats and runners with zari borders; and coasters with bead edging available in bold colours. These mats are seen to be more appealing for such uses than old-time floor recliners that used to be the urban routine.So, NGOs and green foundations have helped the craft-based rural livelihoods preserve their micro-enterprises and sustain the rustic culture too. These NGOs take part in trade fairs throughout the country and get bulk orders for the weavers. The export market is worth more than Rs. 1 crore for the mats. Several villages of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have traditional grass-mat weavers, with most of them having migrated from Myanmar decades ago.The kere hullu, drawing minerals from the rivers, possesses inherent soothing health benefits. The grass, used as it is or spliced in varied thickness, is soaked in water for softening, artificially or organically dyed and is then put on the loom or crafted by deft hands for a spread of the creative weave. Embellishments as zari borders from Surat are added later….More

The Hindu : Purpose served?How feasible is it to have housing colonies exclusively for the differently abled, wonders K. SUKUMARANThese are days of inclusive planning and growth. Such being the case, the report that there is a proposal to form separate housing layouts for the differently abled is something which is against the tide and may prove a negative step.Some of the important principles covering the housing policy of the Government are:• All citizens must be provided with affordable houses.• Government agencies such as Housing Boards should reserve a percentage of sites/plots in layouts developed for allotment to thosewho do not own houses.• Rural housing schemes are primarily aimed at the poor and marginalised who need a special approach.• Subsidise the cost of construction.Housing loans to those below the poverty line to be considered at differential rates of interest. A fixed percentage of houses/flats is to be earmarked for minorities and women.Most of the above policies are under implementation in various States. The percentage of reserved houses/plots varies from State to State based on the number of reserved categories and growing demand.In allotting sites/plots/houses, it has been the practice to ensure justice to the disabled applicants.Isolation?If a housing colony is developed, say for the blind only, they will lose the help and assistance of normal people for their activities. Further, they will feel isolated from the mainstream of society.If only small sites of the dimension of 20’x 30’ are made available, as reported, it is not going to be in line with the aspirations of the allottees.A classic example is the story of Alexis Leon of Kochi, who became handicapped from an accident, but fought his disability with grit and will power and became an author, writing books with the help of his computer, encouraged by his friends and well wishers.Just imagine confining a brilliant author or mathematician in a layout for the disabled simply because he has…More

The Hindu : MARKETSCAN‘MedCity’ plannedA Rs. 1,500-crore ‘MedCity’, which envisages the setting up of a 500-bed anchor hospital and about 10 smaller hospitals, is being set up in Kochi. The project, the first of its kind in Kerala, is coming up on 1 million square feet with a built-up area of about 2.5 million square feet, Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman, DM Healthcare Private Ltd, promoters of the project, said at a press meet.The smaller hospitals were expected to have 100 to 200 beds for individual specialities, and all of them would be on the same campus, he said. The infrastructure of Phase I of the 2,500-bed MedCitywould be ready by 2010. The project is expected to be completed in five to seven years. Major national and international healthcare operators were being brought on board to bring the best available technology and expertise to MedCity, he said. — PTIAMB coming soonThe chief executive of AMB Property Corp, one of the world’s largest developers and owners of warehouse and distribution centres, said the company is likely to enter Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam and India faster than was initially planned. As of December 31, 2007, the company owned or had investments in 147.7 million square feet (13.7 million square meters) of property and those under development in 45 markets in 14 countries. Properties outside the United States comprised 23.8 percent of its portfolio.AMB is looking for land to start projects. “. I think we’ll get a fair amount of traction in India in the remainder of this year,” a company official said. — Reuters…More

The Hindu : Property is considered a long- term betThe changing environment in the property sector means fresh strategies for property investors, saysSRIKALA BHASHYAMEvery time equity markets slip into the corrective mood, investors tend to realign their investment strategies. Surprisingly, you don’t find the same knee-jerk reaction when it comes to property. One of the reasons could be that property is considered a long-term bet and investors often tend to believe that property prices move only in one direction – upwards. However, the changing economic environment, both on the property front and on the borrowing front, necessitates a corrective course of action. Here are some tips for fresh investors.Bet on mid-sized propertyThere has been a growing concern on the supply side with metros and bigger cities having expanded capacity in the last 3-4 years. This is particularly true of 3-4 bedroom flats on the city outskirts and this has also put pressure on the rentals. While there has been a significant price correction in many of these property, fresh investors should focus on investing in mid-sized flats as they can prove beneficial in the long term. Also, the percentage of population which looks at investing in such property is always higher than the luxury flats and even the rentals are not highly price sensitive in this segment.Stick to well-known namesEvery property boom is followed by a huge shake-out and in the coming days, you could see a number of small builders falling by the wayside. The growing liquidity crunch is putting pressure on small and mid-sized builders who are deprived of earlier sources of funds (like bank finance). The Reserve Bank has been tightening its grip on the property segment through tough lending measures and this has begun to take its toll. There are reports that even private equity funds are walking away from their earlier agreements in the case of few property deals. With the stock market…More

The Hindu : In 1964 Bob Dylan unleashed upon the unsuspecting world a song that in its own peculiar way changed the world. The song went, “…There’s a battle outside, and it is ragin’. It’ll soon shake your windows, and rattle your walls, for the times they are a-changin.” And nothing could be further from the truth with Dylan getting a Pulitzer Award citation this year for his, “profound impact on popular music and American culture”.It is only of late that the lyrical works of composers are being Pulitzer worthy. Though there has always been a prize for music, the only genre that was deemed to be worthy of the prestigious institution has been classical music.Dylan’s citation does not come as a surprise as the board has been internally toying with the idea to expand their horizons. Way back in 2004, at a seminar, “Shifting Ears: A Symposium on the Present State and Future of Classical Music Criticism,” sponsored by the Music Critics Association of North America and the National Arts Journalism program at Columbia University, the expansion of Pulitzer’s said horizons were eagerly debated by a panel that consisted of Joshua Kosman, classical music critic of the San Francisco Chronicle a Pulitzer Prize administrator Sig Gissler; a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Gunther Schuller, and writer Patrick Smith.During much of the symposium they talked about Dylan’s contribution to the music scene and American popular culture in general.Dylan’s contribution to the counterculture movement has been written about endlessly. From the time he burst on to the scene in the early sixties, Dylan made a powerful impact on cultural conscience of the nation. He stubbornly refused to be formulated in a phrase, tripping lightly through genres even as different sets of disciples tried to compartmentalise his music.He started off as the new voice of folk, and by the time he was labelled as the great protest singer with anthemic songs like…More