Issue No. 105 I May 2010

Editorial

The Meteorological Department has predicted a normal monsoon this year. I was feeling quite cheerful until my eyes fell upon another news item which said that in the 130 years, the Met Department has been forecasting the monsoon, they have never ever predicted a drought! So, for the religiously inclined it is time for yagnas to invoke the rain God and for the atheist or the agnostic, it is betting time.

We in Yamuna, are so replete with the hand-me-down vanity of tradition, the authority of history, the sonorous finality of convention, that we find it so difficult to break out of the mould. The conventions may be strangling, suffocating and muggy yet they have stood the test of time. But a time comes when technology dictates that we look at options that remove the tedium of managing the Society’s affairs. The Society is very people dependent for the efficient functioning of its administrative apparatus. But, the emerging evidence of the last few years has shown that MC Members, let alone residents are so caught up in their professional pursuits and other affairs that place a demand on their time that they are unable to devote the time the Society needs to manage its affairs.

An effort has been made to standardise the procedures and formats so that the Office Manager can effectively take decisions, so long as the requirements conform to the rules. However, there still remains a body of work that needs the intervention of the MC members. In order to bridge this gap between time availability and efficient functioning, a dire need has been felt to have an online software program that can be operated by each resident and Committee Member from the confines of their homes or offices. Each resident can be given a password and access rights depending on whether he/she is an MC member or a member/resident. Mr. G. Ramabhadran of E-201 has culled one such software which ostensibly answers all our requirements for managing the affairs of a housing society. This is a comprehensive software program and covers everything from accounts and complaints management to online polling on various issues. The server will be housed with the vendor; hence there is no capital expenditure. However, the vendor will charge an amount of Rs. 20 per flat per month for using the software. This is an issue for the Managing Committee and General Body to decide but we would request all of you to mull over it and let us have your views.

The rain dance was moved to Sunday, 16^{th May} from Saturday, 15^{th May} in deference to the departed soul of Mr. G. Venkataraman. Nothing quite worked to plan on that day. For a start many in the colony were not aware of the postponement and the others who knew could not alter their plans. Besides, there was the T-20 World Cup final between Australia and England. To add to the comedy of errors, the pump to blow air into the splash pool had a missing nozzle. The perforated Pepsi bottle fastened to the ladder to simulate rain came crashing down. The children had to make do with the sprinkler and the hose. Pun notwithstanding, It was quite a damp affair. The lawn was not watered for four days prior to the rain dance so that the rain dance could serve the purpose of watering the lawn, thus effectively conserving water. Please view the snaps in the Yamuna Photo Album.

Talking of the World Cup T-20 cricket, the favourites tag didn’t sit well on Dhoni and his men. They were literally bounced out of the World Cup. After the IPL tamasha the boys weren’t quite prepared for the chin music. The carnival atmosphere of IPL and late night parties had not prepared them for some serious cricket. IPL may have rung the cash registers but the late night parties were sordid and Lalit Modi, its unctuous author

We had something to cheer, though. Viswanathan Anand lifted the world crown for the fourth time. Also, our hockey team returned with the Azlan Shah Cup, in the process humbling the world champions, Australia.

After the repair of the beams and spouts on the facade of A-Block, a coat of weatherproof paint has been applied on them. What a transformation it has made. The A-Block looks like a new construction compared to the rest of the blocks. Since this makeover is a very slow process it may take up to a year and a half for all the blocks to be similarly transformed. However, the undersides of the staircases which are in very bad shape have been taken up for repair on priority, lest there be an accident. I have reasonable cause to believe that this transformation would enhance the value of the flats we live in.

This year the smallest number of children appeared for the Board Exams. They tipped the scales as under:

S.NO	NAME	ADDRESS	MARKS	STREAM
	CLASS X
1	SHASHANK SRINIVASAN	A-207	9.2 GPA
2	MADHURI ZUTSHI	C-006	8 GPA
	CLASS XII
1	V.RANGARAJAN	C-005	80%	COMMERCE
2	M.VIGNESH	E-005	76%	SCIENCE

We wish all these youngsters the very best in their future endeavours.

The water cooler installed in one of the shops facing the badminton court has not been functioning for some time. The good Samaritan that Mr. Suresan of H-008 is, he has paid Rs.4,000 needed to repair the cooler and quench the thirsty.

OBITUARY

Destiny can fell even the mighty oak. After battling with cancer for the better part of two years Mr. G. Venkataraman of G-102 left this world to meet his maker in the wee hours of 13thMay^{, 2010}. He was a titan amongst authorities on Power. He retired as a Director of Projects with NTPC and also worked as Country Director with Rolls Royce. He was on the Board of several companies and was called upon to arbitrate on several issues due his expertise in the sector. Yamuna residents extend their heartfelt condolence to Mrs. Seetha Venkataraman.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear friends,

Just to let you know that your love and support during this difficult time is so greatly appreciated. It is difficult indeed to put my thoughts into words, but my family and I thank you for your kind and helpful words, deeds and gestures, at a time when these things mean so much. We thank God for friends such as all of you from Yamuna.

As my husband Venkataraman often used to say before he died,

Death is at once

The end of the body's old journey

And the beginning of the soul's new journey"

Thank you all,

Seetha Venkataraman

SNIPPETS

On a Saturday afternoon, as I sat down to read the Indian Express I saw a photo on the front page showing a picture of the first batch of students from the Express Institute of Media Studies, at the Convocation with the Chief Guest, Mrs. Sheila Dikshit. Amongst the gaggle of girls and boys, one face stood out for its poise and elegance. It was none other than our very own Shalini Narayan of H-207! She was awarded the Dean’s Prize for All Round Performance. Shalini starts off as intern at the Indian Express for two months. I can see in her, a successor for the Editor’s baton of the Yamuna Chronicle, amongst greater laurels.

Quite a few families have moved out of Yamuna in May albeit reluctantly.

Alok Jha and his family of A-103 were really warming up to the atmosphere and culture of Yamuna when summons came from his company to move to Jamshedpur.

Mohan Gatta and family of G-002 have moved to Bangalore on a transfer.

Satish Padmanabhan and family of G-205 have moved to Bombay on a transfer.

Anushula Saha has moved out of E-203.

In a move that will not provide them any relief from the heat, Anand Sundaresan and family of H-308 has moved to G-301.