Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting held on 10 August 2024 at the Residence of Sri Rajavarma Ariga

Eshwar Nagar Residents' Welfare Association

Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting

Date: 10th August 2024

Venue: Residence of Mr. Rajavarma Ariga

Attendance:

1. Mr. Rajavarma Ariga B (President)
2. Shri Ganapathi Kamath (Treasurer)
3. Mr. Harish Kalmadi (Executive Committee Member)
4. Dr. Sureshramana Mayya (Executive Committee Member)
5. Prof. Yagnesh Sharma (Executive Committee Member)
6. Mr. Srinivasa Rao (Advisory Member)
7. Dr. Raghu (Executive Committee Member)
8. Shri Rajkumar Mascreen (Executive Committee Member)
9. Shri Sheila Noorulla
10. Sri Vinayak Shenoy (Secretary of the Association)

Meeting Proceedings:

1.      Welcome, and Review of Previous Minutes:

The meeting commenced with a warm welcome by the Secretary of the Association, Dr. Vinayak Shenoy, who expressed his gratitude to all Executive Members in attendance. He then reviewed the minutes of the previous meeting, which was held on 15th  April 2024 at the residence of Sri Rajavarma Ariga and sponsored by Sri Rajkumar Mascreen. The review highlighted key discussions and decisions during the previous meeting, focusing on membership development, financial status, and various community initiatives. He also informed the committee that Vice President Dr. Shyamsunder Bhat sponsored today's meeting.

He noted that 15 members attended the meeting on 15th April 2024. The attendees included Dr. Shyamsunder Bhat, Shri Ganapathi Kamath, Shri Srinivas Rao, Shri Rajavarma Ariga, Dr. Vinayak Shenoy, Dr. Shubha HNS Rao, Shri Deviprasad Shetty, Dr. Arun Maiya, Shri Manjunath Manipal (Counsellor), Dr. Sureshramana Mayya, Dr. Ravindra Maradi, Shri Rajkumar Mascreen, Dr. Balachandra, Dr. Raghu, and Dr. Yajnesh Sharma. He emphasized that the meeting was productive and summarized the key issues discussed.

2.      Key Issues Discussed:

• AGM Planning: The committee decided to conduct the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in September 2024, subject to the availability of a suitable hall. Some members proposed a separate cultural evening without business discussions to be held in December 2024 during the school holidays, which was agreed upon.
• Vehicle Parking Issues: The persistent vehicle parking issues near the Polytechnic area, which cause daily inconvenience to residents, were discussed. It was decided that this issue should be addressed with the institute's principal. Parking issues near the church were also raised, with members emphasizing that they are not against any religion or community. It was suggested that we meet with church authorities to request that parking be restricted to one side of the road. However, since this issue only causes problems one day a week, it was decided to defer further action.
• Municipal Water Supply and Borewell Issues: The irregularity of the municipal water supply and the poor quality of borewell water, full of sediments and mud, were extensively discussed. Despite the availability of abundant water, the problem remains unresolved. Repeated calls to Chethan, the Assistant Engineer, have not yielded results. Additionally, voltage fluctuations were noted as an ongoing problem.
• Illegal Homestays and Noise Disturbances: The issue of illegal homestays and disturbances caused by midnight dancing was raised. Members suggested lodging a complaint with the police to address these disturbances.
• Bus Bay Issue: The ongoing issue with the Bus Bay at Eshwar Nagar was discussed, and little progress was made. The committee thanked the Executive Committee Members who were involved in the successful completion of the Health Camp, the subsequent distribution of spectacles, and the successful organization of the Yoga Camp on International Yoga Day.
• Membership Drive and Financial Report:

The membership drive has seen significant growth. The Treasurer, Shri Ganapathi Kamath, presented the association's financial accounts and then requested that the President, Sri Rajavarma Ariga, continue the meeting proceedings.

1.      AGM Planning:

Mr. Rajavarma Ariga initiated the discussion on the upcoming AGM. He informed the committee that he and Shri Ganapathi Kamath had booked the hall for 28th September 2024 by paying an advance. The dance teacher, however, would only be available after 15th September, which meant that the AGM could only be scheduled after that date to allow time for rehearsals for the entertainment program. Consequently, the date for the AGM was finalized as 28th September.

Next, Mr. Ariga addressed the fundraising issue for the AGM. Given the limited subscription fee of ₹500, it was decided that additional contributions would be necessary to host a grand event. Last year, the association honoured three distinguished members for their contributions to society. This year, it was proposed to honor three more members: Col Shanbhag for his contributions to defence, Srinath, an expert artist from the area, and Sri Prakash Shenoy, whose service to society is highly appreciated.

Dr. Shobha Kamath will manage the cultural committee and related aspects. Dr. Sureshramana Mayya will compile the AGM program, while Shri Harish Kalmadi and Smt. will coordinate the dance and other performances. Sashikala Rajavarma Ariga. Shri Srinivas Poojari will handle food arrangements. To address the dissatisfaction expressed by some members last year about not being given an opportunity to contribute to the food, it was decided to appeal to members through the WhatsApp group to facilitate contributions for the AGM.

As food is the major expense, Dr. Vinayak Shenoy suggested serving Goli Baje without sweets as a welcome snack, and it was decided that tea or coffee would be the sole beverage. The photographer and sound system team from the last AGM will be invited again, and it was decided that assistance from Smt Suma Nayak and Smt Deepa Shenoy will be requested for desk management. It was also decided that only members' signatures would be collected this time, as there are currently few arrears.

Mr. Ariga appealed to members to reach out to those in their respective areas so they could have more memberships. The inclusion of residents living near Narasinga Temple and Vivekanand Nagar was discussed. Mr. Srinivas Rao suggested that the association should remain cohesive and ensure that activities are conducted smoothly, though it was decided to defer this issue for further discussion.

It was decided that the stage program would last for half an hour, followed by a one-hour cultural program, with dinner scheduled precisely at 9:00 PM. Sri Vinayak Shenoy shared his experience of declining quality when external teams are invited and suggested bearing the costume and other expenses.

Shri Kalmadi proposed including Yakshagana, possibly a "Swagata" or "Balagopala" performance by Vamshi with recorded music. Dr. Arun Maiya suggested combining the stage program with cultural items and not requiring participants to sit on stage. It was finally decided to separate the formal function from the cultural items and to include some fun games. Sri Srinivas Poojari recommended planning the cultural program immediately.

Compliments for the participants of cultural programme were also planned. Dr. Vinayak Shenoy felt that snacks should be ready by 5:45 PM, and it was decided to start tea at 5:45 PM, followed by fun games at 6:00 PM. The AGM will commence at 6:30 PM. It was also decided not to invite any politicians or officials to the AGM. The EC members permitted to delete four members who moved to other areas.

2.      Bus Stop Issue:

The discussion then moved to the ongoing bus stop construction issue. Mr. Ariga informed the committee that the Commissioner had instructed one Mr. Kalkur to finalize the construction. However, a vested interest party objected to the construction when the Kalkur party arrived to setup bus stand The President suggested meeting with the District Commissioner (DC) before taking any further action. Some members suggested organizing a "Dharna" (peaceful protest), but it was ultimately decided to pass a resolution to meet with the DC first.

3.      Water Supply Issues:

Dr. Sharma suggested the construction of a strong sump, while other members recommended starting the water supply during the day rather than at night. Dr. Mayya suggested installing ball valves, and Dr. Vinayak Shenoy echoed the idea of ensuring water is released during the daytime. Dr. Sharma also recommended that all members install air vents to prevent excessive rotation of air meters. Mr. Srinivas Rao confirmed that his air vent was functioning well.

4.      Unauthorized Homestays:

The issue of unauthorized homestays was discussed, with Mr. Srinivas Rao suggesting that complaints be filed with the police immediately if disturbances occur. Dr. Mayya recommended studying homestay rules and regulations, possibly through a Right to Information (RTI) request.

5.      Vanamohotsava (Tree Planting Festival):

Mr. Ariga, Dr. Sharma, and Shri Kamath proposed conducting the Vanamohotsava as early as possible. Mr. Ariga had already brought the saplings for the event.

6.      Fund Position:

Shri Kamath provided an update on the association's financial position. The Savings Bank account has a balance of ₹89,000, with ₹9,000 collected for saplings from nine members and ₹80,000 from membership fees. The association holds three Fixed Deposits (FDs) totalling ₹1,50,000 (₹50,000 each), with one FD maturing on 26th September 2024. The EC permitted the renewal of this FD.

7.      Appreciation:

The members expressed their appreciation for the efforts of Shri Ganapathi Kamath, the Treasurer, and the President in striving to collect membership fees.

8.      Vote of Thanks:

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks from Shri Ganapathi Kamath, who expressed gratitude to the members for attending the EC meeting. He also thanked Dr. Shyamsunder Bhat for hosting the meeting with high tea, and Mr. and Mrs. Rajavarma Ariga for providing the space for the meeting. The meeting ended with the national anthem.