THE PERSPECTIVE
* * *
letter of 20120121
Cheriyath
Jyothi B.Sc., M.B.,B.S.,
theCloister,
nr rockPark,Venkode P.O.,
Thiruvananthapuram
– 695028, IN.
No.clo2012/bld/00 january 21, 2012
SITING
OF THE BUILDING
1. this
is regarding the house being constructed for me by your team at the
site at the above address.
2. from
the basement part which has almost been completed I feel that the
siting has not been done properly and the building once completed in
the present position will NOT conform to the stipulations in the
kerala Panchayat Buildings Rules, 2011.
3. I
have done the necessary spade work in the last couple of months and,
with your kind help, am keen on competing the house at the
earliest. But
before going ahead I would want to ensure that I am not going to end
up with an illegal construction in my hand.
4. I
would appreciate it very much if a graduate engineer from your own
staff ( other than the one already involved in the work done over
here ) would kindly visit the site and inspect the structure
already constructed and advise at the earliest.
sd.
(
C. Jyothi )
To
the
director,
first feedBack to builder
Cheriyath
Jyothi B.Sc., M.B.,B.S.,
theCloister,
nr rockPark,
Venkode
P.O., Thiruvananthapuram – 695028, IN
No.clo2011/bld/00 October 19, 2011
feed
back
I.
THE “FIRST”
BILL
a.
the “first” bill after the basement work has been more or less
completed has been made excluding the very first work taken up –
excavation, the digging of the earth for the foundation, the so
called “vanam
vettal”.
1.
The rates for the excavation initially I was told was Rs.8/- per
cft. This was later on raised to Rs.11/- per cft on the ground that
the soil was hard - ”gravel”. Ironically, in the vary same
foundation with a length of less than ten meters the soil was found
too soft at one end and a concrete slab has been made at the base of
the pit there !
2.
Even at the increased rate I have paid an amount a few thousand
rupees more than the calculated amount.
Could
that be the reason that the account is not being settled ?
b.
The increase in rate for the “vanam
vettal“
is in line with the general trend that can be found throughout the
bill.
1.
For “atichu
kettal”
the rubble work above ground, the rate quoted in the draft was
rs.19/- per cft but in the “first” bill it has been increased to
Rs.25/- cft.
2.
Again for the “steel work” part of the concrete work in the
excavated area I was told to pay Rs.1200/- but the contractor
insisted on Rs. 1800 and ultimately I was made to pay what the
contractor wanted.
3.
These are instances which are in my knowledge directly. I feel the
same could be true of the rates and charges for other items in the
bill as well. For example the rate for making the brick belt that
involves a lining of a single brick on each side with 9cm x 9cm
concrete in between and “steel work” of putting just one single
8mm steel rod inside the concrete at rs.40/- for 30cms ( 1 foot) I
feel are exorbitant.
4.
I feel the goal posts were being shifted a bit too frequently to suit
your convenience.
5.
Even if the rates were raised at a later date, as being claimed, I do
not think you can raise it with retrospective effect. That way If the
bills were prepared in time the rates would have been lower.
I
would like your co-ordinator to have a look into this bill approved
by the associate co-ordinator and see that the rates applied are the
correct ones and ensure that I am not being taxed too heavily in
future as well.
II.
THE WORK
SUPERVISION PART
a.
When every one of your staff at the site said that “kalakki
ozhikkal”
( the practice of putting earth on top of the underground rubble work
and pouring water on top, the theory being that the earth, along with
the water, will percolate into the rubble and fill the gaps in
between the rocks ) was repeated as per my instructions, some one
was lying, and I know who; it is not me.
1. It
is not me who ordered the “repeat”. There was no question of my
doing so for I feel that “kalakki
ozhikkal”
as done at my site is a futile exercise, the end result of which, as
far as I could see, was a “mud belt” on top of the underground
rubble work. in fact, I was really sorry that the 500ltrs of water I
had transported to the site on my own from a puddle in the rocks had
been used up in this endeavor and there was no question of my asking
to repeat it exhausting another big load of water.
2. But
I did telephone an engineer on your staff who knew me slightly ( as
your two engineers directly involved in the construction, were not
attending my calls, a very frequent phenomenon ) and suggested that
we put this hypothesis to test in academic interests and lift up a
few of the rock pieces from the rubble and see how much earth has
actually gone in to the gaps between the rock pieces underground. I
even volunteered to pay extra for the work done in lifting the rock
pieces and replacing them. That was all.
I
have been making suggestions from the very beginning, from the
designing stage onwards. But the final decision always was left to
you, the professionals in this field.
b. However
the work supervision part I feel can do with some improvement. This
was obvious from the very fact that your professionals were forced to
make changes based on the comments made by me, a lay man, and that
too on critical aspects.
1.
For instance,
i)
the rubble work on the part of the basement meant to support the
walls on the inside of the building was not prepared for taking the
wt on the edge - unlike the outer four walls of the building, for
example, where the rock pieces were stacked carefully to get as
smooth and regular an edge as possible on the outer side. With my
very limited knowledge of basic physics and my extremely dull
intellect I thought it was possible that under the circumstances if
built on the edge of the rubble work, ( mark you, it is not a
concrete slab and is an irregular structure ) the walls might become
unstable - I was worried.
ii)
The crux of the problem here was that from the very beginning, the
instructions contained in your own clear cut line diagram was being
flouted with impunity. The workers on ground probably have not been
briefed and most likely were not even aware of the line diagram.
iii)
The excavation was not done exactly where it was meant to be. The
result was that if the brick belt and there by, the walls inside the
building, were located at the centre of the rubble work as shown in
the plan, the internal diamensions of the rooms would have
increased/decreased by a fraction, say for example from 300 cms it
would have become 310 cms or may be 290cms.
iv)
Rather than accepting this insignificant change in the diamensions
of the room, your professionals decided to move the belt and thereby
the wall to the brink and for all practical purposes risk
compromising the integrity of the structure – a very wise decision
in deed! I thought that a very safe and sensible decision would
have been to make these walls in the interior at the centre of the
rubblework as clearly shown in the line diagram ( and that excludes
the toilet area ); at least no harm could have been done that way.
v)
All of this was happening when the brick belt itself was yet to be
made. What was required was just move the markers if the suggestion
was acceptable but people on ground were making a hue and cry about
it!
vi)
It was when I found that your men on the spot were not able to even
comprehend what I was saying that I tried contacting your office and
mailed pictures to you; All I had wanted was a second opinion before
the damage if any was done. I am glad that my suggestion was
accepted at least partially.
2.
The above instance involves just simple common sense and is obvious
to an ordinary mortal like me. But unlike you learned professionals,
I wouldn't be knowing the a,b,c of the intricacies of the more
complicated construction matters that are going to come up at the
later stages.
3.
I am sorry to say that your attitude to the whole project was
marked by apathy and indifference. I am aware that the construction
of this very small house is pea-nuts to you people; but to me it is
all important and under my special circumstances, literally a
question of life and death.
My
request to you in this context is that more attention be paid from
your side to what is happening on ground.
III.
PLEASE KEEP
YOUR COOL
Finally,
please dont get angry because you were caught napping.
No
tantrums and no shoutings – not at me; I won't have it, under any
circumstance.
(
C. Jyothi )
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