STP Work is On – An Update
Dear Homeowners, Time for a Brief Update:
- Our STP work is in full swing. We thank the taskforce members and others who have posted pictures from time to time here and let us visually see the progress. The work is nearing an end and it is already time we planned for the Inauguration. The Collector and Sub Collector could be Chief Guest and Keynote Speakers respectively and can jointly inaugurate the STP (and the fourth line if possible)
- We had applied for Power connection (3 Phase and the Fourth Wire) and it will need ongoing follow-up till it is completed.
- We have submitted petitions and many Officials including the Collector, Sub Collector, Project Director – Town & Country Planning, Local Planning Authority Head, Block Development Officer, etc. Every day, we have held meetings at one or the other Govt. Office. And on most days, the meetings have been productive, on some days, we are sent into a tizzy. Getting the Government Machinery to work will require a LOT of patience and persistence. We are not giving up and the ONLY THING that is keeping us going is the HUGE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY commensurate with the enormity of the job ahead of us.
- The next huge work of REGULARISATION has already begun, we have met a number of officials including the BDO and the Town & Country Planning Authority at Villupuram. We are planning how to go about this huge project. We are learning new facts and procedures and are feeling our way through the bureaucratic maze.
- The Executive Body is the Primary Decision Making Authority. We need more members to participate in our proceedings. Please feel free to interact with us all, discuss and help in achieving our important goals for the Association. No decision was and will ever be taken by individuals, but only as a collective. However, prioritisation of work is important. If not, we will waste time and energy in non-productive work with no result.
- For the whole of January, a tiny number of volunteers have worked ceaselessly and on a daily basis, and everyday has brought new challenges, both internal and external. There has been a huge drain of energy, time and motivation from these few volunteers. One of my own work is to be there for them and support them with emotional energy. As we face bigger and bigger challenges, we will need even more reassurance that all 400-500 houses are behind the association and we will see through any challenge or difficulty, face any obstacle and overcome it all by sheer force of willpower, planning, work and perfect execution, and above all, the united support of our collective members.
- For the moment, we don’t want any diversions or distractions. Once we resolve our existential crisis problems like regularisation and roads, we will have plenty of time to resolve all other pending issues like previous dues and so on. For now, let us stay concentrated on the most immediate and important goal of all: Regularisation. The Association needs clear goals and direction and will not be swayed from this one important work. We will remain firm on this and we request your cooperation. Also, we need to discourage gossiping, irresponsible comments and non-constructive rumour mongering and personal attacks, please.
- Once a major part of the STP work is complete, we will present a yearly Budget for the Association, probably in February. We will look at our current expenses critically and will see how best to serve the common interests of all. All finances will be transparently and pro-actively shared with you from time to time in open public. If you have any queries or doubts, you are free to ask them in the wide public so that we can have complete transparency and accountability. In return, the Association can perform ONLY if it has funds. We will all have to contribute our part. Some may question the need for contributing maintenance funds, some would doubt it being spent correctly, some may even ask why they should contribute while many other don’t or haven’t in the past. It is time to put all those doubts aside for a limited time and contribute. We will have a General Body Meeting to discuss that issue threadbare, we assure you. For now, please contribute without reservations, without excuses, without delays. Once contributed, you are free to question its use and audit it for yourself. But please contribute. Everybody has to contribute so that we can all benefit. Don’t think anybody is paying for somebody else. It is for our own good.
- Right now, we are fighting a battle for regularisation. We think our back is protected and taken care of by all our houseowners. If Association maintance charges are not voluntarily contributed, it will mean that our small army of volunteers will have to wage war on two fronts, with no ammunition. The external front with the Government for regularisation and an internal front with our own members to collect maintenance money. You can imagine the outcome. Neither will be a success.
- Make no mistake, REGULARISATION might not even be possible due to various reasons. We cannot take it for granted. The outcome is not assured. We may all fail to get our township and plots regularised before the deadline. The risk is too high and all too real. This is the reality. It is also a reality that we can overcome this and get things done. We have a choice now, soon we may not have that choice. The choice is to work hard and get our regularisation done, or just take it easy and miss this chance that the Govt. has opened. All depends on our support, both moral and financial for ourselves. May we succeed.
Have a great festival!
Thank you.