First give foundation and then apply snowcem orders Superme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday put some searching questions to the Centre for going ahead with quota in higher educational institutions without fully addressing the issue of elementary education for social empowerment of backward classes.

"Your (Centre’s) effort for higher education to backward classes would require lesser effort if you bring the elementary education among them to a level," a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan observed.

"You reach higher level of education after you complete elementary education," the Bench said reminding the Centre that the anti-quota petitioners’ contention was why to spend Rs 36,000 crore for higher education for socially and educationally backward classes (SEBCs) if there was a failure to meet the target of elementary education.

The court wanted to know from the Centre what was the primary requirement for social empowerment of backward classes.

However, solicitor general G E Vahanvati said it was a question of priority and both of them could go together. "The attempt is to balance both elementary and higher education. Neither elementary nor higher education can be ignored," he said before the Bench which is examining the Constitutional validity of the law providing 27% quota for OBCs in the Central educational institutions.

"We are doing simultaneously and it is a permissible exercise," said the solicitor general, who faced a volley of questions from the Bench, said.

Mr Vahanvati said the Centre was committed for achieving the goal of universalisation of elementary education in partnership with the states and local bodies and that the 11th five-year plan has recognised the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SAA) a part of the Constitutional mandate to provide free education to all.

However, the Bench was critical of the reduction of Centre’s share in fund for the purpose from 9th plan onwards. It was of the view that if the Centre spend funds for the elementary education, the benefit would be for the SEBCs.

“First give foundation to everyone in SEBCs before trying for higher education,” the Bench observed, adding that “there is an apprehension that foundation is not visible but snowcem is there”.

“First give foundation and then apply snowcem. You cannot reach first and second floor without making a ground floor,” the Bench observed emphasising that the foundation for achieving higher education was the elementary education.

The court wanted to know from the Centre about the fund allocation for infrastructure in village schools, most of which are without a roof. “What was the requirement of various states and what the Centre was providing,” the Bench said.

Justifying 27% reservation, Mr Vahanvati said Parliament has made provisions to ensure that it did not affect seats in the General category. Further, he said time limit cannot be imposed for the policy of reservation in admission or in employment.

“The policy of reservation flows from the mandate of equality and till the time the constitional objective of real equality is achieved, there is a Constituional mandate on the state to have special provisions in the nature for upliftment of backward class,” the solicitor general said.

(Via Indiatimes.)

Abhishek Bachchan paints for Khushii

Abhishek Bachchan yielded the paint brush to paint for a cause as he chose his favourite colors for Khushii foundation - an NGO which works for the betterment of street children.

Mona Lisa descending a staircase

Animation of several pieces of 20th century art morphing into each other. Quite beautiful.

Elite homes, by invitation only

In a radical departure from conventional positioning exercises in the real estate sector, the Rs 10,000 crore Ambience group is attempting to reverse conventional marketing models by restricting access to only select buyers — by invitation.

And in doing so it begs the question: is merely being expensive — or even extremely expensive — enough to bag the “luxury” tag? When it comes to real estate at least, it may not. Land values in congested metros can distort pricing to an extent where merely being costly or difficult to acquire does not put a property in the “luxury” bracket.

In its tony integrated township, Ambience Island, coming up in Gurgaon, near Delhi, Ambience is planning to sell 250 premium condos only to buyers who have been invited to invest there.

"It's not just about money. It's all about creating the right surroundings," says Kochhar A., managing director. The group plans to ask a "neutral panel" to select "invite" buyers who will have the requisite comfort levels, not just with the neighbourhood, but the neighbours as well.

Kochhar is not worried about the possibility of upsetting potential customers.

"Luxury is relative. For somebody driving a Maruti 800, a Honda City might be luxury. But then again for somebody else, whose basic car is a Mercedes, the benchmark is different. The key to answering the question is quality and innovation."

Ambience, which is developing the two biggest malls in the National Capital Region area — the 8 lakh sq ft Ambi Mall in New Delhi and the 18 lakh sq ft Ambi Mall in Gurgaon, is also likely to be the first to market with a retail innovation.

Platinum Tower, a separate island within its Gurgaon mall, is planned as the country's first dedicated mall for super-luxury brands, with restricted access.

When asked whether this might affect footfalls, key to any retail business, Kochhar said that the group will drive entry by holding coordinated activities.

"Besides," he says, "we are not looking at today. By 2015, the market might change so much that even this might be too small."

via HT

Congratulations to Team India

The Indian team celebrates after the fall of the final wicket.

It was India's first major triumph since winning the 60 overs-a-side World Cup in 1983, under the captaincy of Kapil Dev.

Congratulations to Team India from all of us at Snowcem Paints.

Top 10 painting tips

1. What is the best way to decide which color is best for my room?

The first step is determining your color scheme by examining your existing furniture, window treatments, and other accessories (or shop for these items first). Choose your favorite colors in these items and visit your paint dealer to get coordinating color chips. Look at the color chips in the daylight and at night so you will see how lighting will affect your color choices. As a last resort, you might want to buy a quart of your chosen color and test it on one of your walls.

2. My room has a chair rail and I am using two colors. Which one goes where?

If you want an open, airy look, always paint the portion of the wall below the chair rail with the darker color. This allows the lighter color to dominate.

3. Should trim work be painted the same color as the walls, or a different shade?

The answer to this question depends on what you are trying to achieve with your room. Use the same color on the trim if you are trying to disguise ordinary or unattractive trim work, or if you are trying to create a uniform, monochromatic look. Use a lighter or darker color to accentuate trim work or to add subtle hints or bold flashes of color to your room.

4. Will the paint I chose look lighter or darker on the wall?

Over a larger surface area, most colors appear darker. It’s a good idea to choose colors a shade or two lighter than what you want. Clean, bright colors can appear either lighter or darker depending on the surrounding colors and lighting in the room

Read more

Jinnah House

Jinnah House was the residence of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan; in Mumbai, India. It was built in 1936 at a then exorbitant price of 2 lakh (200,000) rupees when Jinnah returned to Mumbai from England to take charge of the Muslim League. Now worth around $400 Million the house is the subject of a dispute between India, the government of Pakistan and Jinnah's daughter. The bungalow is located on Mount Pleasant Road (now Bhausaheb Hirey Marg) in the upmarket Malabar Hill area of South Mumbai. Its opposite neighbour is the residence of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Designed by architect Claude Batley in the European-style architecture, the sea facing palatial bungalow is constructed using exquisite Italian marble and walnut woodwork. Specially imported Italian stone masons were employed for its construction with Jinnah personally supervising the construction "brick by brick". The property encompasses an area of 10,000 square metres (2.5 acres). The mansion, with its pointed arches and impressive columns, is currently in a dilapidated state, and much of the walnut panelling has rotted.

The historic building was also the venue for the watershed talks on the Partition of India in September 1944 between Jinnah and MK Gandhi. Ironically on 15th August 1946, exactly a year before India gained independence, another round of talks was held here between Jinnah and Jawaharlal Nehru which altered the course of Indian history.

How to decorate your space with wall pictures

If a room in your house lacks character, by simply placing some fine art prints on the walls can actually make quite an impact. Wall pictures are a necessary accessory in your home and are great to tie in with the room's style and color accent. Before you go off to buy some new pictures for your walls there are a few things you need to plan and decide upon. Here is a home interior design guide on how to decorate your space with wall art.

Shop for Wall Art by Room

The kind of home you have and the mood, ambience and style of decor you create, should be perfectly designed to suit your lifestyle. Deciding on a style for your room should be determined by the lifestyle you choose and not by what's the latest home interior design trend.

Whichever room you are wanting to decorate, whether it be your bedroom, living area, kitchen or office space, you need to decide what you want to get out of that space. For example:

• do you want to hold dinner parties or entertain?
• do you want a quiet retreat to get away from the hustle and bustle?
• Is this an area for the kids to play in?
• Is this a room for your hobby?

Once you have decided what you want to use the room for, you can now choose a color theme to suit the function of the room. For example, mellow greens and neutrals for your 'quiet retreat room', lively yellow for the kids room, or pale tranquil blue for your office space.

So far we have established the function and color of the room in question, this then gives us the basis on choosing the right art prints for the area.

For example:

• bright colorful cartoon pictures for the kids room
• mellow pastel floral pictures for your quiet retreat area, or
• tranquil landscape and scenic pictures for your office space

Choose your Style

Like paint color, artwork can immediately establish or change a room's mood. Not only can it pull the room together, but you can use it to create a style uniquely your own.

• traditional & classic
• modern
• contemporary
• fun & entertaining
• casual
• romantic

The style of the room is totally dependent on your own personal taste and this is the time when you can inject your own personality into the room through artwork and textured accessories.

Suggested art picture styles:

Fun & Entertaining: Pictures can include bright colors both in the print and on the frame. Fun and entertaining pictures can include kittens and puppies, or comedian actors such as the Three Stooges or Laurel & Hardy.

Modern: With the strong black accents in the framed iron-work and the tapestries, striking black and white photos are a natural choice for a modern and sophisticated look.

Calm Retreat: To reinforce the mood of a nestled, cozy retreat, use artwork with neutral, earthy colors and a horizontal landscape subject.

You can even mix and match different styles to create a unique style of your own. For example, frame traditional black and white photo prints in a modern black iron frame.

Arranging and Hanging your Pictures

In order to get the maximum effect of your wall pictures in terms of adding character and a focal point to the room, you need to decide where and how you want to hang them.

Here are some suggestions to help you decide how to get the best effects from your pictures:-

Modern Gallery Look: To create a modern art gallery feel, particularly nice in hallways, lobbies and stairwells, give each piece ample breathing room. Stand at the center of the first piece and take one swift, or two small steps along the wall. This is a good center for the next piece.

Above a Sofa: When placing art above furniture such as a sofa, you need to hang the picture about six to nine inches above the sofa, or at eye level.

Cluster Arrangements: Tightly group an even number of pictures together to give a statement or a focal point. This works on either large or small wall spaces, depending on the look you want.

In a row: By placing an odd number of pictures in a horizontal line to each other gives balance and the sense of space. This works well in hallways or stairwells.

By deciding where and how to hang your pictures, whether it be a tight cluster or a single print above a sofa, you can then determine the size and shape of the pictures you need to buy.

When you have decided on the room's function, color and style, you are in a much better position to go shopping for wall pictures that fit in with the overall theme.

Summary

Wall pictures are an underestimated home interior design accessory. This is probably because most people do not know what to do with their pictures in order to get the maximum effect in a room. Before you go hanging up your pictures make sure you plan ahead what you want to get out of that room. Decide on the function, style and color of the room first before you buy your artwork. By doing this you are in a much better position to buy the right type of art picture to fit in with the theme and color accent of your room.

Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of Online Home Improvement Ideas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Claire_Bowes

Construction sector fights IT industry to source talent

The construction and real estate sector is going through a course correction brought about by talent crunch. A recent study by Assocham says there is a manpower shortage of 50-60% in the construction and engineering sector, although the sector formed a small 8.7% of the employment opportunities generated in the first four months this year, compared to 24% in the IT industry, reports ET.

Though the number is growing steadily, it is still small compared to the IT sector. However, analysts feel, looking at the required experience and skill sets; it’s going to be a big challenge for the construction companies which are vying with the IT sector in their talent hunt.

While the sector has loosened its purse strings to attract engineering talent in order to bring the salaries closer to IT sector, the demand-supply gap continues. As a result, the construction industry is also looking overseas for talent. “Till three years ago a fresh civil engineer drew Rs 90,000-Rs 1 lakh annually, today he gets around Rs 2.4 lakh which is marginally less than Rs 2.7 lakh an IT engineer gets,” says Soma Enterprise DGM-HR Krishna Thota.

However, this has happened at a slower pace at the mid and senior levels. So, while freshers are joining the sector, the real people in demand — mid and senior level managers — is still in short supply since a majority of them have found lucrative employment in the IT sector. That is forcing the real estate and construction companies to give a steep salary hike at that level.

“Till about 5 years back the maximum a senior manager or engineers received was Rs 12 lakh annually, today their salaries run into a couple of crores in some cases,” says Feedback Ventures MD engineering division Parvesh Minocha. Apart from the salary the companies are throwing in incentives like stake in commercial/ residential complexes and Esops.

Three cheers for Mumbai Traffic Police

The Snowcem Paints team saw these Mumbai traffic policemen going above and beyond the call of duty, wading through knee-deep water to clear a clogged drain on the J J Flyover.

Commercial real estate booms in tier-III cities

The commercial real estate sector has been booming in the last few years, driven by the high demand from corporates, especially IT and ITeS companies.

However, with property prices skyrocketing in tier-I and tier-II cities, these companies are now looking at tier-III cities to set up their businesses, reports Rediff.com.

"Wipro and Infosys set the trend by setting up facilities in Mysore and Kochi. Foreign companies are now moving into these cities as well, said Akshaya Kumar, CEO, Park Lane Property Advisors.

Broadly, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Indore, Coimbatore, Mysore and Lucknow come under the tier-III classification.

Consider these numbers: the lease rates in Mumbai, in places such as Bandra-Kurla complex is around Rs 250 per sq ft whereas in the suburbs of Andheri, it is between Rs 55 and Rs 110. Compared to this, the lease rates in Nagpur are Rs 20 to 30 per sq. ft. "And the space available is larger too," said an industry observer.

A recent report by Jones Lang Lasalle Meghraj (JLLM Asia Pacific Property Digest - Q1 2007) confirms this. A large number of IT and ITeS companies such as Dell, Infosys, TCS. Wipro and Persistent Systems are moving into these cities in a big way. Said a Dell spokesperson, "Dell has gone to cities such as Chandigarh and Hyderabad, apart from Delhi and Bangalore because they had a potential to support a large-scale facility in terms of public infrastructure and access to manpower."

Besides the lower property prices, these cities also provide skilled labour. Kochi and Nagpur have a number of colleges and institutions imparting professional education. The literacy rates in these cities are as high as 94 per cent and 88 per cent respectively.

Painting ceramic tiles

Painting ceramic tile is an easy and inexpensive way to cover up ugly tile. AsktheDecorator.com host Meghan Carter walks you through the steps for painting ceramic tile. Her tips will make painting ceramic tile a painless process, and ensure that you get professional results.

Happy Ganesh Chaturti

Happy Ganesh Chaturti from all of us at Snowcem Paints

It refuses to be seen on TV

1953 Snowcem ad displayed in museum

By chance, we found this vintage Snowcem ad, circa 1953, displayed in the History Of The World Museum.

10 tips for writing a great real estate classified ad

1. "Start with a strong opening statement about the home."

2. "Mention the key one or two benefits that will attract buyers’ attention and spark their interest in the first 10 words of the ad."

3. "Include the salient facts about the property, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and the asking price."

4. "Include your name, your telephone number, your e-mail address, and your Web site."

5. "Use words that appeal to the emotions and senses (e.g., feel, see, enjoy)."

6. "Avoid abbreviations and real estate jargon that the average consumer won’t understand."

7. "Be accurate. Prospective buyers are bound to feel disappointed or manipulated if the home doesn’t match your description."

8. "Focus on the home’s strongest selling points, instead of packing your ad with too many details."

9. "Close with a statement encouraging the prospect to contact you (e.g., “Call today.”)."

10. "Keep a notebook of attractive home descriptions from remodeling magazines and other property ads so you’ll have a ready reference for writing your own blurbs."

Telephone kiosks treated with Snowcem

Two telephone kiosks in UK ( circa 1921 and 1929) treated with two coats of Snowcem.

Why invest in Indian real estate

Flying high on the wings of booming real estate, property in India has become a dream for every potential investor looking forward to make big profits. All are eyeing the Indian property market for a wide variety of reasons:

• Its ever growing economy which is on a continuous rise with 8.1 percent increase witnessed in the last financial year. The boom in economy increases purchasing power of its people and creates demand for real estate sector.

• India is going to produce an estimated 2 million new graduates from various Indian universities during this year, creating demand for 100 million square feet of office and industrial space.

• Presence of a large number of Fortune 500 and other reputed companies will attract more companies to initiate their operational bases in India thus creating more demand for corporate space.

• Real estate investments in India yield huge dividends. 70 percent of foreign investors in India are making profits and another 12 percent are breaking even.

• Apart from IT, ITES and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) India has shown its expertise in sectors like auto-components, chemicals, apparels, pharmaceuticals and jewellery where it can match the best in the world. These positive attributes of India is definitely going to attract more foreign investors in the near future.

The relaxed FDI rules implemented by India last year has invited more foreign investors and real estate in India is seemingly the most lucrative ground at present. The revised investor friendly policies allowed foreigners to own property, and dropped the minimum size for housing estates built with foreign capital to 25 acres (10 hectares) from 100 acres (40 hectares). With this sudden change in investment policies, the overseas firms can now put up commercial buildings as long as the projects surpass 50,000 square meters (538,200 square feet) of floor space.

Indian real estate sector is on boom and this is the right time to invest in property in India to reap the highest rewards.

via Indian Ground

Everything you wanted to know about a real estate sale deed

Sale deed is also known as conveyance deed. This is the document by which the seller transfers his right to the purchaser, who, in turn, acquires an absolute ownership of the property. This document is executed subsequent to the execution of the sale agreement and after compliance of various terms and conditions detailed in the sale agreement.

Before the execution of the sale deed the title of the seller is to be established beyond doubt. Copies of the documents of title must be scrutinised by an advocate, well versed and experienced in property dealings.

If there is any encumbrance on the property, such encumbrance is to be cleared by the seller at his cost. All statutory payments like property tax, water and power charges and any other payments due on the property should be cleared before the execution of the sale deed. Any previous charges or mortgage should be clear before execution of he sale deed.

Clearances and permissions required to be obtained by the seller should be obtained prior to execution of the sale deed. Latest encumbrance certificate of the property, subsequent to the date of the sale agreement up to the proximate date of sale deed should be obtained, and such certificate should be of nil encumbrance.

All the persons having interest in the property should be made parties to the deed. Particular attention needs to be paid in case of purchase of Properties from a Limited Company, Partnership Firm, Hindu Undivided Family, Trust, Power of Attorney Holder and Minor.

Draft sale deed

A draft sale deed, containing full details of the parties, advance amount paid, mode of balance amount payable, receipt of the balance amount by the seller, handing over the original documents of the property, handing over the possession of the property, handing over the authorisation letter to transfer power and water meters, signing of the application for transfer of khatha, title of the seller of the property, indemnifying the purchaser in case of defect in the title, easement rights, will be prepared by the purchaser’s advocate. Such draft sale deed should be captioned as Draft Sale Deed and signed by the purchaser’s advocate.

A copy of the draft sale deed will be given to the seller for his approval. The seller and his advocate will verify the draft sale deed and approve it, or may suggest suitable deletions, additions or amendments.

The purpose is to bring forth the correct intention of the parties to the sale deed.
On approval of the draft sale deed, the same has to be printed on non-judicial stamp paper of requisite value. It may be prepared on good quality paper like bond paper or green paper and the stamp duty may be paid by way of demand draft or pay order or cash. The exact amount of stamp duty should be ascertained from the Sub Registrar office. Purchaser is liable to pay the Stamp duty as per value stated in the documents or as per the Sub- Registrar office value whichever is higher.

Execution

After the sale deed is prepared all the parties to the deed shall execute it by affixing full signatures. Each page should be signed by all the sellers. Any overwritings, cancellations, erasures and additions have to be authenticated by full signatures of the parties.

The execution of the sale deed requires to be witnessed by two witnesses. The witnesses shall give their full particulars and addresses.

Sale deed of immovable property of value more than Rs 100 needs compulsory registration. The duly executed sale deed should be presented at the jurisdictional sub-registrar office. All the parties, including the confirmation witnesses shall be present at the time of registration and admit the execution. Purchaser also has to be presented for the execution of the documents at the Sub Registrars office.

In case the purchaser is not in position to be present before Sub Registrar, he can give Power of Attorney to any of his persons to sign and present the documents on his behalf. In case seller signs the sale deed, it is compulsory that the registered Power of Attorney holder only can represent for him to present the documents before the Sub Registrar.

Registration

In almost all states most of the Sub Registrars office take the photos of purchaser, vendors, witness and also their thumb impressions and print the same on the Sale Deed.

The vendors have to produce all the original documents pertaining to the property to the purchaser. If the property is divided into one or more portions, the vendor has to give certified copy or phtocopy of the documents to the purchaser and has to give declaration to that effect. Generally, the larger portion holder should get the original documents.

There is a time limit for presenting the documents for registration. The time limit is four months from the date of execution. Thereafter a grace period of another four months is allowed on payment of penalty. The maximum penalty is ten times of registration charges.

At times, the registering authorities may dispute the stamp duty paid. In such cases, the purchaser has an option of paying the additional stamp duty by way of cash or payorder.

The purchaser may contest it in which case the Sub Registrar will do the pending registrations and send it to the Registrar of Under Valuation to arrive the property Stamp Duty.

Parties have to quote their Income Tax Permanent Account Number in case the transactions are done in cash for the property which values more than Rs 5,00,000. Parties, who have not yet been allotted Permanent Account Number, will have to file Form No.60 or Form No. 61 in case of Agriculturists.

via DH Realty

Experiment with colors

If you study the new car models that are released everyday, you may not find a big difference in them when compared to the previous models of the same company. The form may be almost similar, but the refinement of the lines, the colours or the accessories used, produce a better model that looks futuristic.

Be it cars or buildings, the refinement of the lines, forms and colours have resulted in some exciting models.

From the pure white colour of the Taj Mahal to the strong red of the Red Fort, colour has been used to create a particular emotion in the onlooker's mind. But in the modern scenario, colour need not be just paint, it can be any material that has a natural colour or that can be coloured.

For painting the exterior of residential flats and residences, there are paints available in various price brackets depending on the durability and finish. The cheapest options available could be cement paints, which would work out to be Rs. 3 - 4 per sq ft of wall surface. For options such as the Sandtex Matt and exterior emulsions, it would cost around Rs. 6 - 7 per sq ft and Rs. 10 - 11 per sq ft respectively. Cement paints will have a 3-year life, while the Matt finish will last 5 years and the exterior emulsion about 6-7 years. Interesting and novel painting techniques like mixing paint with fine sand can also be tried.

We could even look at some textural finishes like the textured concrete finish or a marble chips embedded grit finish that could give a lot of variation in the exterior, costing about Rs. 25 per sq ft. In the later option, the chips themselves have their own colour and are available in various sizes.

Options are available in the form of textured paints, sand blasted finishes, and exposed concrete finishes. Stone facing the walls with Dolphur Sandstone (red and pink) at Rs. 40 per sq ft, Slate, the Pathen Charala (Andhra Pradesh) stones at Rs. 30 per sq ft produces a good finish. The Sholingar rough granite (Rs. 80 per sq ft) and the Thailapuram stone (Rs. 40 per sq ft) are locally available options.

The granite slabs can be flame finished as well for exterior cladding purposes. Maintenance of walls becomes easy as the stones have a stain-resistant surface and are easy to clean as well.

Besides the type of colour, the colour theme is important. To create contemporary aesthetics, you might need to use some rare colours and in some unseen combinations. Dark colours, contrasted by light and bright colours could be used to highlight the various elements of the building.

Probably residences are the only buildings of which it could be said, "they are owned by an individual" or "it is an individual's house.'' Hence the colours and finishes could be used to reflect the person's character and style of living.

The colour scheme used in the inset image is a blend of bright and strong dark colours, creating an interesting mass and highlighting the shading.

The elements of the building can also be designed employing a colour theme. For example, a projecting balcony or a corner window can break the mass and give an interesting colour combination.

Light and shade play a very vital role in the colour schemes. Using the right shading devices at the right places becomes vital. Hence a `braise soliel', a shading device with slits could be employed instead of the usual concrete solid sunshades. Light and shade may be used to highlight a bright colour like yellow or orange. These shading devices not only protect the building from the sun and rain but also give some depth and character to the facade.

If you are looking at something more artistic, materials like metal and deal wood could be used in the exterior where the entrances are to be highlighted with special texture/colours. In areas where there is heavy wear and tear, special finishes can be done. Even an artist could be employed exclusively for creating an interesting wall finish, be it in paint or an amalgamation of various materials like paint, metal, wood or stone. Mural walls can also be done.

So, do experiment with colours and new materials, and the architect or the artist in coordination with the client, would often produce a good output.

via The Hindu

Students design public toilets for Mumbai

In an attempt to renovate Mumbai through innovative measures suggested by students, the JJ College of Architecture started the Faculty Medal Competition designed to benefit the students while addressing pressing urban, social and civic issues. The theme for the maiden attempt of this competition that was held in September 2006 was designing of public toilets for particular sites of Mumbai.

“The competition provided an opportunity to the students to directly tackle real issues,” commented Mustansir Dalvi, Design In-charge in the JJ College of Architecture.

Organized by the college in association with Snowcem Paints, the competition drew over 200 concepts. The best 48 entries were shortlisted by a jury consisting of renowned architects. The jury gave its verdict in October 2006 and the prize distribution arranged on March 9 saw R K Rajiv, additional municipal commissioner as the chief guest.

Harshad Shiltole, a fourth year student who won the first prize, constructed the model of a public toilet at Nariman Point lands end. “Nariman Point is a major locale and quite surprisingly does not have a public toilet. The modernization plan also does not provide for one,” said Shiltole. Minute attention has been spared not only to utility but also to its beautification as the proposed model provides for landscaping inside the toilet. “The Additional Municipal Commissioner has invited me to discuss these plans in greater detail and consider their implementation,” adds Harshad.

In another ingenious attempt, a mobile public toilet inside a bus was designed by Dhiraj Takkekar, a second year student honoured with the second prize. While a mobile toilet is not an entirely inimitable concept, the detailing done by this student is commendable. Dhiraj’s model provides for a sewage tank thus eliminating the possibility of polluting the place where the mobile toilet is set up. It also provides for drinking water facilities, changing rooms and special treatment for women, children and the physically challenged.

Employing their skills, these students have also brewed other interesting possibilities such as rainwater harvesting inside public toilets, temporary folding toilets, toilets harnessing solar energy, toilets built of containers etc.

A special prize was announced for the efforts of the first year students. Manish Davane bagged it with his simple idea, well resolved in form.

The prizes for the competition were in the form of medals and cheque money. There was no mention of the actual implementation of the best plans that surface from this competition, when the idea was conceived. However, the success of the competition and the chief guest’s response has made the students as well as the professors eager to witness the realization of these plans. “We will try our best to get some of these ideas implemented,” commented Rajan Lakule, Principal of the college.

The college intends to conduct this competition every year to generate more such fresh ideas for the city and to provide more such exposure to the students.

via Indian Express.

How to avoid mistakes while taking a home loan

Act in haste, repent at leisure. This adage might as well apply to a home loan seeker just as much as to a bridegroom. Here are 7 golden rules which will ensure that you do not repent in future.

Rule 1: Never choose a lender till the property is identified.

Speak to your bank about home finance only after you have identified the property you want to buy. While most banks will provide finance for ready-to-move-in properties, some banks do not readily finance a property which is being self-constructed or a property under construction. Also, if the property is very old or is being developed by a relatively unknown builder, the bank might have an issue with providing a home loan. Take a sanction for the loan only after identifying the property. Banks are known to reserve the best deals for immediate disbursement cases.

Rule 2: Get clarity about the loan amount you are eligible for.

Banks have different ways to calculate loan eligibility. If loan eligibility based on your income is likely to be an issue, then talk to several banks to find out which bank can give you the maximum amount. It may so happen that based on your own income, as well as your spouse’s, you are still not eligible to get the amount of loan that you require. Then you must seek a bank that allows you to club the incomes of your other close relatives (parents, siblings, children etc.) to increase your loan eligibility. Some banks may agree to club the incomes of two siblings for the purpose of calculating the loan eligibility.

Rule 3: Remember to have own funds to the tune of 10-15% of the house cost.

If the house costs Rs 5 lakh, the bank expects you to pay at least Rs .50,000 to Rs.75,000 from your own sources, while the remaining Rs 4,25,000 – Rs 4,50,000 is provided as loan subject to your income based eligibility. If the value of the house goes down in future, your down payment ensures that the bank’s interest is protected by ensuring that outstanding loan amount is less than the realizable value of the property. Once you decide on your dream property, the bank will get the cost of the property evaluated by its own personnel. Surprisingly, this evaluation can throw up a price different (in most cases lower) from the actual price you are paying for the property. In such cases, you will need to shell out the difference between the actual price and the bank’s valuation as additional down payment. So again, it makes sense to ask the bank to value the property (on payment of a small fee), especially if it is an old resale property. The small fee will be worth the while to avoid future hassles.

Rule 4: Go window-shopping, then bargain and then, bargain some more.

You should shortlist four or five banks and get the shortlisted banks to compete for your loan. The cost of your loan depends a lot on your ability to negotiate. Remember that all terms and conditions of a housing loan are negotiable. Interest rates offered by banks take your income and repayment profile into consideration, apart from, of course, your negotiation skills. Apart from interest rates, also check various charges like processing fees, pre-payment charges, legal fees, valuation fees and other hidden costs. Take all these factors into account before choosing your bank.

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Bacon's rent cheque to make £9m

A painting by renowned artist Francis Bacon, given to London's Royal College of Art in return for rent, is expected to fetch up to £9m at auction.

Study from the Human Body, Man Turning on the Light goes under the hammer at Christie's in London on 14 October.

Earlier this year, Bacon's Study from Innocent X fetched $52.6m (£26.5m) at Sotheby's in New York - a record auction price for a Bacon artwork.

The art college is selling the painting to raise funds for a new campus.

Bacon had no formal artistic training and was never a student at the London college.

But following a fire at his studios, the artist took at short tenancy at the college in 1969 - and paid his rent, according to the college rector Sir Christopher Frayling "in spectacular pictorial form".

The painting will form the highlight of Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale this autumn.

The picture is one of a series of studies of the male nude executed by the artist in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Created between 1973 and 1974, it is hailed by critics for its vulnerability and echoes of mortality. Bacon's lover George Dyer had committed suicide two years earlier.

Mumbai's real estate is the most expensive in the developing world

Mumbai, India’s financial capital is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a condominium unit, according to a Global Property Guide survey.Apartments in South Mumbai cost around US$9,000 to US$10,200 per square metre.

“Such stellar prices can only be found in the world’s leading cities,” says Yasmin Rahman, yields and valuation analyst at the Global Property Guide.

These prices are exceptionally high for a country with a GDP per person of only US$770 in 2006. Even for highly paid call center agents with annual income of around US$3,000 to US$4,500, these condominiums are still unaffordable.

Property prices in other cities in India are significantly cheaper than in Mumbai. In New Delhi, the administrative capital, used apartments cost around US$2,000 to US$3,000 per sq. m. In Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley, prices are around US$950 to US$2,000 per sq. m.

Rocking and rolling chair

Though technically a rocking chair, we think "rocking & rolling chair" might be a more appropriate moniker for this spacey concept. If the "Rocking Wheel Chair" concept by student designer Mathias Koehler doesn't bowl you over, we don't know what will. (via TreeHugger.)

Though it looks like something that would be more at home in a cheesy, futuristic, over-the-top alien flick, we love the way the "rocking" functionality has been integrated with the overhead reading lamp we could also see "amusement part ride at home" added to the multi-tasking list of functions it provides. If this rocker ever makes it to production, we'd recommend one of two additions: either a five-point harness or someplace to store a barf bag.