As Greater Bangalore was created some time back, we needed to get a transfer from the Panchayat khata to the BBMP khata for our house. Ideally, it should be an automatic procedure but walk into a BBMP office to get a feel of the corruption prevailing. The ramshackle place would be filled with people, who try their best to ignore you, talk over the phone, or plain not look at you. They do not give any information and expect palm greasing for every small thing.
Many people in my colony paid a bribe ranging from 16K to 8K to get their khata. I am strictly opposed to bribing. Along with a friend, I went and submitted a simple application along with the required documents. All the documents were suitably notarized. After 2 weeks, we went to check the status and got darshan of the Revenue Inspector for the first time. He looks as slimy as his dealings are. He just asked us to come next week, as the BBMP elections required his attention. Had I offered to pay him bribe, I am sure all his attention would be solely reserved for my application :).
Anyway, we went back after a week as told, and he still could not tell us the status of the application. He told us to come the next week after the Election counting was over. When we reached the next time, after waiting for half an hour, he walks in and then says that the file had not even moved from the person who sits in the next chair to him, to whom we had submitted the original application! It was already a month! The BBMP website says that if within 30 days you do not get your khata, you can file under RTI asking about the status of your application.
I was really upset. I told him angrily that he had nicely sat on my file for one month even though all my documents were in line. In addition, he said that we needed to pay the House tax for the year 2010-2011 as well, as he had not forwarded the application in the previous financial year. I had to pay the tax, when I had the entire year left to pay it to process my application due to his fault. I threatened him with a complaint to seniors and told him what exactly I thought of his bribing ways. Next day, I went and submitted the tax receipt.
He said it would take another week or so, as the file had to go to 4 officers. Another angling for bribe that I ignored. After almost 11 days, I went again one evening, I was told to come next morning, as he was not around. Next morning, I went to his office, he was not there even at noon. I wonder if they ever work!He told me over the phone that my file was approved, and that he took “personal interest.” He was still angling for bribe! I waited more than an hour, and he did not turn up, so I went home. I went again in the evening. This man would not even show me the papers, he started saying for the benefit of others that I had no respect for him!! Also, since he took “personal interest,” I needed to consider that. I had enough of his harassment till then. He was the one at fault, and he was complaining about respect. My tongue along with my face became fiery. I told him that I had the number of his seniors as well as the Lokayukta. If he did not give the document to me then I will approach all the authorities along with filing an RTI application. How dare he openly ask me for bribe? I won’t say he was shameful, but he knew I was going to do what I threatened. So, he got moving. Within an hour’s time, I managed to have the khata document in my hand!
I am very proud that I did not pay him a single penny in bribe and got my document for just a fee of Rs. 125, the official fee. I not only saved my money, but I proved that we can move towards reducing corruption, if we are steady in our conviction not to pay bribe. Yes, it required effort on my part, but I am immensely satisfied with myself.
Like that popular advertisement goes….. ” Woh khaate hain, kyunki hum khilaate hai.”
“They ask for a bribe, because we give them.” It is time we started taking some responsibility for the corruption we see around us.This is my entry for “I Stood Up” contest of Women’s web I stood up Blogathon.
CONGRATS…..
If I was in India would have demanded a party 🙂
Have gone thru this Khata business so know exactly the ‘procedure’
And we thought that board exams are difficult…;)
thumbs up!!..VANI
YAY!!!
Absolutely right.
Its the public that should stay together to keep those idiots at bay.
🙂
Good job!
I hope people use their rights just like you, rather than cry about it.
Good job!
🙂 Lucky you!!!!!!!!!
BTW great job done
I am still fighting with the BSNL people
gr8 job …considering u r non kannada. he was trying to take advantage ..vani …
and amazing being non kannada u managed to get the job done
Hi Rachna, I am very proud of you. Yes, if everyone behaves like you, society will be a better place.
I too regret to say was many times in these situation, not for a house but business projects.
I guess thats how most people become rich. I personally hate bribery….but thats the way things goes, even here where I am, but not like in some Asian countries, on a big scale.
Well done, Rachna.
Have a great weekend and stay young, Lee.
yes thumbs up buddyy…keep the show going..cheers:)
@Bhagyareema Thanks! The things we struggle with sometimes makes me wonder.
@Vani Thanks!
@Sorcerer Thanks! I hope that people become more aware and use this route, instead of cribbing and bribing, many times to cover up their own law breaking.
@Bhupesh Lucky! I don’t think I was lucky, I really had to fight it out. I hope your fight with BSNL is fruitful too.
@Vani And, that takes my goat. He was able to follow both English and Hindi, but to harass me, he troubled me much more. Even though, I told him that he was free to speak in Kannada,as I could understand the meaning.
@Uncle Lee Thanks so much for the encouragement. I know, some people would say, “what is the need to run around so much?” The point is that we crib and yet we do nothing about improving things. We always expect others in taking the lead to change something.
@Ramesh Thanks so much!
A move in the right direction.
@Haddock Thank you!
Hi Rachna,
that was a real strong attitude from you, hope everyone could do this way,
u know what, ive seen people who dont like to bribe but , just because they dont want to go behind these things umpteen times they pay off, that attitude have to change to bring about a change….
better said than done right?
It was nice to know someone who did what she thought…
🙂
@readersdais Thanks for visiting my blog. Thanks also for the thumbs up. You are right that many times we pay bribe because who wants the hassle of running behind unpleasant people. What I did is really small. I just hope that educated people like us realize how much harm corruption is singlehandedly doing to our society. If even one person is inspired to go this route, then my objective is achieved.
🙂 hey thanks for yr suggestion..heheh…
I am so impressed Rachna.
Kudos.
@Agnes and Bart
Thanks!
Appreciate your efforts. But have you considered the following things:
1) You dint really save money, as he made you roam around a million times. of course that costs money.
2) Since you dint pay him bribe, i bet he will create some sort of problem for you in the future, saying you dint pay some stupid tax or your name is wrong even though its not your mistake
@Nagarjun Thanks for visiting my blog and for your comment. Just to answer your points
1) No, I did not spend much money. The office is very close to my house. I made a total of 8 visits and a few of them I clubbed with the other work I had in that area.
2) He can’t do a thing because all my tax is paid. I pay my tax online, so I don’t even have to go to him. My documents are in order, so what can he do? Besides, there are many more people who have now taken the no bribe route.
Just FYI, I had got my Gram Panchayat Khata too without paying a single penny in bribe some 4 years back.
I guess, we as citizens, have to stop feeling scared when we have done nothing wrong!
First time on your blog!!!
Liked it:)
@Anamika Thanks for visiting. Hope to see you here more often.
Felt so proud of you…
Hopefully i too act with some guts when such a situation comes!!!
@Jon Thanks for the encouragement and your visit. That’s really so sweet.
Good job Rachna..
Here is the story of some people who didn’t pay bribe.You might have read it
http://vicharpravah.com/index.php/power-of-common-man/3-erdaicate-evil/5-about-khata-registration-transfer.html
@Balu Thank you for your kind words. It’s a pleasure to have you on my blog, and hope to see you here often.
I am sorry, I have a different opinion. You haven’t done a great job. Instead you should have looked at the root cause of bribe. Have you ever thought why he asking bribe ?.
If we fill that hole, we can eradicate complete corruption. First, one should fight for equal salaries regardless of type of job. In India there is vast differences in salaries between gvt. employee and a IT engineer. Have you ever thought how to remove this difference ?. If he has equally paid like any other, he wouldn’t have asked for tips.
What you did is,, you just went to a gvnt office and shouted at a B-class clerk with your skill. You should have went to higher officers and should have spoke to them. Why didn’t you took that route because you cann’t fight with higher officers. One thing is sure corruption is not at the lower level it is at the higher level.
Finally, you got your katha without paying tips ( which is good ) but you run around to the office several times. With this you think, you won. “Bechara, clerk”
@Dharanendra I am sorry but the explanation you offer is completely ridiculous. A government servant takes up a job knowing what salary he will get. Have you seen the number of hours they work? You want to justify that because he gets paid less, he has a right to ask for bribe for doing the job that he is there to do in the first place. Do you understand how convoluted your logic is? I am a tax-paying citizen, and it is not my responsibility to know how much his income is and what say a scientist or a doctor or a techie gets.
Secondly, corruption is at all levels but you can be assured that it is maximum at the levels of people who directly interact with the common public because they can harass people directly. I would have gone to a higher authority if this had not worked. I would have filed an RTI application after that.
Since you think that a person who harasses young and old and asks them for bribe is bechara, there is something wrong with your reasoning process itself. Yes, I made 3-4 trips in all but I stood up for my rights, and I am proud of that. If people stopped bribing and started standing up for their rights, we can do something about corruption.
Probably, you should re-read my post. I never said, he has the right to ask bribe. All I am saying is you need to change the system, not from the lower level but from the higher level.
Everyone in an organization follows their superiors to build a career. A peon thinks my manager is taking so much money for some small work, why not I take 50-100Rs to allow people to see him.So if we you shout at peon, what is the use.
I agree gvt. employees work less number of works. Whom to blame for that. You fight for increasing the bench mark for selection process.
You know how much money IAS/ officers take to sanction or approve a BDA layout/plan. I am sure your layout would have also gone through the same.
You have to get a bigger picture of the whole system and fight at the root level not at the leaf level.
I am thrilled by your conviction and glad that you could achieve your goal.
Corruption has seeded in because we have let it happen… and to uproot it, we have to change ourselves.
For example, if you come to me for some work, and I say I have 100 things to do before I do yours, you would tend to offer me a bribe to get your job done first, isnt it?
@Anupama Thank you for visiting my blog. I totally agree that we have to look within ourselves and change ourselves first.
Rachna, you have set a precedent which all of us should follow. I have recently bought an apartment and I am facing the same problem. I have been asked by the builder to pay 10k for the khata transfer from their name to my name. Inspite of all my neighbors paying the bribe to get things done, I still haven’t paid it and I am waiting to find some time out so that I can head to the panchayat office and get things done, but yes, I am non Kannada and I don’t even have adequate knowledge to run a basic conversation.
Hi Arnab, I suggest that you go to the BBMP office either with a friend who can converse in Kannada (preferable) or try to speak in Hindi. Most of them know Hindi, but they can turn hostile once we show no response to bribing. Apparently Citizen’s Charter is in place now. Just do a search online and have the BBMP Commissioner or someone’s number with you along with the Lokayukta number and Janaagraha’s number too. Be nice to them but tell them that they should give your khata within 30 days or you will file an RTI. Make sure that all your documents are in order. Also, keep copies of everything you submit and also take their sign as received on your application. All the best!
This is inspirational. Really, it is. I have linked your post on my blog :). I hope more people read this.
Thank you Pawan! I hope so too. I hope that people do try to do things the right way if we want to make a dent in the menace of apathy and corruption that we see omnipresent around us. Thank you for sharing my story.
It is good news that you could get BBMP Khata on the basis of panchayat Khata. Kindly let me know whether your site was in the land with DC converion and layout approval from whom? Also what is got was really
‘A’ khata or what they call B khata which is no khata at all. Also is it good enough for getting plan sanction because in all probability you may not have been able to pay development charges.
Hi Rachna,
I too am running for my Khata transfer. I had submitted it on 2nd June 2012 and it still not done. The coming Wednesday will be the last day I go to the Marathahalli ARO Office. In my case the papers did move from one table to the other, however the lady who is supposed to collect the DD and write the Khata certificate is postponing. I have paid Rs.940/- as DD which includes 2% of the stamp duty + Rs.125/- Didn’t you have to pay 2% of stamp duty as the khata charge?
Kudos for your efforts, I hope to get the certificate next Wednesday,if not I will blast her and file an RTI.
~raghu
Hey thanks Raghu! I wish you the best. And, I did not need to pay any stamp duty at that time.
Yes, they do fatten themselves on what the public gives. None of us should pay them anything. Sigh better said than done. I am so proud of you for standing up to a corrupt official.
good thing you did! only way to teach these people a lesson, it seems :/
Hey Rachna Kudos to you !!!.. Just saw this when I was googling for something on the same lines. For the past few days, me and 4 more people have been trying to work on getting the Khata for our flat without paying a bribe.. Will msg you FB..need help !
Very encouraging..I salute you for your initaiative and will to fight for your right….
I am not able to get even B Khata. Problem within Mantri developers & BBMP. & in the end the people who suffer is the common man. Big builders like Mantri can register the property without khata but when a common man goes for a resale of the same property, khata is not issued. Fed up of all this sarkari chakkar.
Hats off to your grit and determination. I am going through the same “chakkar” with the added challenge of doing it remotely as I am based in Noida!!
Your story has inspired me……I WILL get the A-khata without paying a single paisa bribe……will keep you posted when that happens 🙂
Thank you so much, Rajiv! And good luck to you.
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Dear rachna….can u tell me what was the outcome of the khatta and I need help on this. I applied for khatta though sakala. All documents notarised and I even got an SMS and a website confirmation saying that my request has been approved. When I went there with the demand draft…they harassed me for two days saying that my file is missing. I complained to the joint commissioner andhe said that I should submit documents to him directly and he will give me in two days. This indicated a bribe…I assume. Then I went again to the aro and he said that I need to submit extra documents which are absolutely not needed and he never mentioned them earlier too . I’m trying to get help from sakala. But all falling through deaf years. Can uhelp pls.
I wish i could help you, Kavita. I have no clue about sakala.
you did a good job but think once how much tension, stress has created till work done,
why this nonsense system in this tech modern days. most of the bbmp clearks and officers behave like uneducated, their writing is horrible they are not clear with any thing I don’t know why they wont think should not trouble the public. the whole system problem which should be change from the route. if the awareness become more and more like you the bribe and uneccessary delay will be reduced. that is the reason this time modi has selected as prime minister for drastic changes in the administration. in my opinion each offecter is responsible for their mistake and accountable for penalty then the system can be modified and strengthened. ok.. good what you did.
I agree, Priya. Wish the system would not put us through so much trouble.
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Am sure your role explained is a role model for many. May be this works well for ladies in front. When Gents approach regarding the same, the intensity of getting delayed is even more.
During my bad experience in the khatha trnasfer, I was thinking of forming a team to handle these kind of situations and helping the people. The team should have people like you and leading it. Politician, Police, Doctor, Lawyer and a loud voice person should be in the team working as non profit organization!! For any delayed/bribe cases found we can go in a team.
Thank you, pras, for sharing your views.
Both Rachna & Dharanendra are correct. However, if you want to catch the topmost corrupted official in one department then, you might have to go for sting operation, which is supported by Lokayukt, but you might have security issue of yourself (though Lokayukt provide security of the complainer & reimburse the bribe amount). I think while doing our work, if we will act like Rachna will be simplest way to stop corruption and of course a reform is required. I have transferred my E-Khata with no bribe and with less efforts than Rachna. She had applied a method and I applied a bit different method. I had to go to Panchayat office once to give my documents and later, I had verified my khata through email for final print. Few tips I can provide here :
1. Take clarity on what you are going to do and why this is required (through internet or call center or from an experienced inline person).
2. Talk to the highest official of that department and ask him about the process / official fees / why agents are charging so much etc..
3. He might not be aware of the process and will redirect you to next senior official to help you.
4. Then you will get PDO (Panchayat Development Officer) / senior most officer contact details of the concerned office.
5. Call him and tell him that you are being redirected by these senior officers for this small work.
6. He will invite you to the office next day and will assign one clerk to finish you work with necessary documents.
7. You also can contact Lokayukt SP of that zone, if still you are instigated to pay bribe.
8. Contact numbers can be availed from Internet or through dialing Justdial.
I feel this method is helping me in my day-to-day work i.e. transfer of RC book of vehicle, electric meter name change, khata transfer etc…
The complete workflow of the process is provided on the Karnataka government website.
http://sakala.kar.nic.in/gsc_home.aspx