Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Good description of Mapusa Market in today's Heraldo

I have to say their on-line epaper is very well done!

AndyD 8-)₹

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Thought this might be of interest to those who think foreigners are alone in suffering property problems.

http://www.firstpost.com/india/late-...g-1227547.html

At a personal level have a cousin-in-law who owned a ground floor flat of 3 storey block. Two years ago ground floor became flood damaged. A genuinely honest developer put forward plan to demolish and rebuild, profit coming from 2 extra storeys.
Planning permission given, all moved out, alternative accommodation found. Last minute planning permission withdrawn unless planning officer gets free flat for himself. Developer refused.
Saw cousins (senior citizens) last week having a break in Goa, still in limbo living with son, will they ever get their flat back in their lifetime????

Only hope for all---a new government who will cut corruption instead of using it.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

...or for everyone who is asked for a bribe to report it to the Central Vigilance Commission (all cellphones have at least voice recorders these days).

AndyD 8-)₹

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Not that simple Andy, we found gas cylinder supply had been blocked to our house because we apparently didn't buy a cylinder for two months (neighbour who did get it for us failed to get a signature in the book).
So what should we have done? pay a small sum to get signature added or have no cylinder.
Report them and never get gas cylinder again unless on 'black-market'??
We payed. These situations are happening a million times over.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

... and a million people pay and so corruption goes from strength to strength.

As regards gas, we regularly don't buy for months on end, no problems so far - we don't take the subsidy but the gas agency don't know that.

AndyD 8-)₹

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

This was Karwar and rules about residents only, getting supplies probably different. The neighbour uses some of the gas (in the house when we are not there) . As she is about to host a wedding for her daughter supply was essential, complicated arrangement but on occasions people do what they have to do to survive.
What would you have done?

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

I am a resident so that problem doesn't arise.
What would I have done? Borrowed a cylinder from another neighbour and/or gone to the supplier's office/godown with my documents and told the most senior man I wanted a cylinder, then I would have sat there as a quiet peaceful but immovable lump blocking other access to his desk until something was sorted. This tactic doesn't always work but I've found it remarkably successful.

I presume that your difficulty was some time ago, as under the new '6/9 subsidised cylinders a year scheme there seems to be no trouble getting gas - even areas where the delivery lorry used to refuse to go they are now turning up regularly and selling both pre-orders and straight off the lorry (full price, no discount).

AndyD 8-)₹

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

No it was 2 weeks ago! and as I said karwar is different. We are residents in that own the house, a new 'jobsworth' asked for extra ID of address even though they have delivered for years.
We needed to sort out for future as rels. regularly come there to stay when we are not there.
The actual success was a combination of the "sitting down method" over 3 days! and a small 'donation' so therefore all happy. A new scheme had been authorised but they had not implemented it!!!!

(Rels. from Pune say tremendous complication in a new payment scheme invoving paying extra and surplus returned to your bank account but no indication of when!!!! Unbelievable complications and has been changed several times).

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

& as a certain advocate tells me: corruption happens in Goa/India - that is how it works! Beat it you will not.

As for gas, we had a couple of years between bottles, ring the Bharat Gas office, the man comes in his 3 wheeler, kicks the gas bottle off the back on to the dirt (!) rolls it along with his foot, I give him the Rupees, including a small tip, he says it's been a long time, signs the book, takes our empty & goes on his merry way, simples.

H.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

You are right, but there is a great difference between paying a small amount at a local office for gas and losing your flat see post 7127.
Some politicians are making vast sums the solution must come from 'the top'.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

But it won't come from the top, end of. When you are aware of bags of 'crores of rupees' being tipped on the floor of an advocate's office & various individuals in the party start counting them - the advocate then says: enough, stop - you can't do that here.

Enough said - as bent as an arab's dagger. . . . .

H.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

@Bipat
(Rels. from Pune say tremendous complication in a new payment scheme invoving paying extra and surplus returned to your bank account but no indication of when!!!! Unbelievable complications and has been changed several times).

@Hemingway
As for gas, we had a couple of years between bottles, ring the Bharat Gas office, the man comes in his 3 wheeler, kicks the gas bottle off the back on to the dirt (!) rolls it along with his foot, I give him the Rupees, including a small tip, he says it's been a long time, signs the book, takes our empty & goes on his merry way, simples.

@Bipat
the solution must come from 'the top'.

Hem - are you sure you've done this since the system changed last year?
Bipat - the solution has come from the top - it's India-wide not just Pune (and Goa). It was in all the local and national papers for weeks:
You have to register with your supplier in writing with your Adhaar number and cellphone; you have to book a gas delivery with a text to your supplier iirc on the registered phone and quoting your Customer number; when the delivery comes they have computer slip with your order, this goes in your book; you pay the full price; if you have linked your Aadhaar to your bank account you get a refund after some days. Here all the gas offices knew what to do and guided people. The trouble is that as usual no-one believed it would work, but it did - even my houseboy's father gets the refund.
Bipat - i suspect that you have not 'done the necessary' and are therefore having problems when you try to do things the 'informal' way.
In some areas the govt. are getting their act together, this is one - KYC at the Bank is another (my houseboy, like everyone else, didn't bother until his bank froze his account and he didn't get any wages!). The next area to be tackled is ration cards and ST/ OBC cards - I can see some sparks flying there - especially if MPs and MLA actually can't pull strings!

AndyD 8-)₹

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Andy things don't work out the same in every area, I can assure you in Pune the details of the system have kept changing and rels. were exasperated with the changes of details in what they had to do.

Karwar is 'different' and 'behind the times' as I said our local office had not implemented the new system. (They have now after our complaints, --I think!!).
This is not sophisticated Goa (Our helper neighbour who uses our gas is illiterate), we also had to get gas for another helper, (also illiterate) by paying cash direct, her husband with a drink problem would empty anything from her account, she doesn't possess a cellphone. She had been just using a wood burner for cooking.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

|In today's Goan on Saturday: No Visa to make mobile phone calls?

http://epaper.thegoan.net/185353/The...-2013#page/2/1

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Yes, I did exactly what I wrote in April this year. I've not applied for an Aadhar card yet due to short trips & lack of time - I'm not interested in any sort of subsidy. Would Aadhar cards do anything else for us - especially as we currently have a frozen Axis bank account that we need to try & resolve in December.

Regards

H.