The super-harassed citizen

Someone I know mentioned the other day how busy he was just trying to move into a small home he had recently built.  He was caught up in the the struggle to get things cleared.  As he put it: "All those government clearances, electricity and water connections, occupancy certificate from panchayat etc, etc."

In another post going viral in cyberspace, the environmental campaigner Claude Alvares lashed out against the "special status for moneybags headed to Goa".  Alvares, who has spent much of his lifetime taking up issues in courts, and salvaging some of Goa's charm, put it thus: "There have been regular invading armies and conquests, mostly originating out of Delhi, or Mumbai, or even Haryana and other places, each biting off slices of Goan villages, and the Goa government has in every conceivable case, gone all out to support them." Thus, there is a feeling that life is made hard for the common citizen, while anyone with the moolah can get a green-channel, red-carpet welcome.

This is not to make out a case for violating the law.  But two things stand out strongly here.  Firstly, the law as it stands should not be discriminatory against the small player, someone meeting their basic needs.  Secondly, if laws are crafted in a way that create deliberate bottlenecks, to be bent when needed and at the right price, then something is obviously wrong.

Land and property-related harassment has taken diverse shapes and forms in recent decades.  When so many politicians (from panchayat to state-level) are into real estate, what can one expect?

Land conversions have been much debated.  The arbitrariness of granting conversion sanads is an open secret.  'Orchard' land needs to be converted, even to build a small home on.  There are long delays in issuance of the sanads even after submitting all required documents.

Files may be "lost" or kept pending indefinitely, unless the price is negotiated.  Officers have been known to sometimes raise vague objections, such as "site inspection pending" or "clarifications required".  There is no clear timeline for resolution. Even when 'deeming provisions' or time-bound solutions were offered in the past, these were used for moneyed big players.

Mutations and Survey Records have faced manipulations and inaccuracies.  Some are willing to pay to have the records altered.  Genuine title holders face stonewalling when it comes to correcting records or registering changes.  Local staff can, if they wish, deny access to survey maps or delay field inspections.

But that's not all.  Applications for housing tax receipts or occupancy certificates can often be delayed till the 'speed money' comes through.  File notings can mysteriously stall things, unless one uses pressures or personal influence.

It is time for citizens to scrutinise how government inefficiency, blockages or corruption actually hits them, in their day-to-day lives.  Land is one area, and the stakes are high.  But there are others which affect citizens too. Building permissions and technical clearances are another area for concern.  This is true of both the TCP level and also the panchayats or municipal councils.

In the first, architect's plans, even when complaint, could be rejected or put on hold on account of technicalities.  Harassment worsens if the plot is in a CRZ (coastal regulation zone) or an eco-sensitive area -- all good laws, but with a potential for misuse.

In the panchayats, gram sabha resolutions may be ignored.  Panchayat secretaries or clerks can turn kingpins, when they misplace files and claim these were never received.  Contractors who refuse to pay bribes face deliberate inspection delays.

This doesn't end here, but spills over to the field of housing and residency.  If you're not politically connected (or go in through a politician) then there can be repeated requests for irrelevant documents or affidavits.

Have you experienced the situation in getting water and electricity connections?  A few decades ago, each approval for a water connection had to be signed by the chief minister!  Now, even with legal titles and permissions, approvals from the PWD or Electricity may be withheld.  Linesmen and junior engineers can demand informal fees to activate connections even after the official approval.

Experiences come from the RTO or for taxi and tourist vehicle licensing.  In the latter, applications are said to be almost impossible to process without a middleman.  For driving tests, the use of 'driving school agents' has been long known.  Ownership transfers, new vehicle registration and NOCs are other areas of concern.

Then take issues related to employment and occupations.  Getting a job needs godfathers and paybacks.  But even those starting their own ventures are not given an easy route.  It can be tough for some to get a Shops and Establishment Registration.  Or trade licences, especially for small shops or tourism-related activities.

There's also the harassment that comes in the form of property taxes, income or caste certificate, police complaints and FIRs, and NOCs needed for guns licenses, passport veritifications and the like, that get routinely delayed unless 'facilitated' by 'fixers'.

In government hospitals, appointments for surgeries, scans, or specialist visits can get delayed unless one knows insiders.  DSSY claims need to be smoothed out in clearing.

Land dispute resolution is yet another area for concern.  It is widely known that revenue department cases (of tenancy and mundkar) are prone to pressures from influential parties.  Those without political backing face stonewalling.  In CRZ and Forest permission, legitimate applicants face impossible hurdles, but violators who bribe tend to go away scott free.  Complaints against violators often go un-investigated, unless one pushes persistently or approaches the courts.

With such inefficiencies within the system, is it any surprise that the average citizens does not feel that the system works in his or her favour?  If officialdom is aware of such concerns, why is nothing done to sort it out?