Page 22 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

My main contention was that the Honorable Minister should intervene
and ask the Administrator to tell us the basis of demolition as per revenue
records. I wondered why it was taking months for him to give us this
simple information and secondly, whether he had referred to revenue
records before ordering demolition?

Being an eminent advocate and the Revenue Minister himself, he pretty
fast understood the possible error on part of the Administrator. He
appeared convinced with our plea and asked us to meet him at the
Government Rest House in the city on the coming Sunday where he had
called all the District Officials for a review meeting.

We met the minister at the appointed time at the Rest House. We found
him reclined on a luxury sofa cum bed surrounded by all District officials,
all of whom were standing on their feet in the big room. Of course, the
District Collector was the only lucky official who was sitting in a chair in
front of him. We were called in. He asked the Administrator of the
Municipality, "Have you ever checked the revenue records before ordering
demolition?" The Administrator was clueless and had no answer. Then
the honorable minister shouted at him and asked, "Had you checked the
records after the demolition when the residents approached you to know
the extent of encroachment?" The Administrator kept quiet again. The
minister ordered him to communicate to the residents how much the
encroachment was, within three days so that they can rebuild their outer
walls and confirm the compliance to him. Not hearing anything from
Administrator, on third day, we met the administrator again. He told us
that we could rebuild the walls avoiding encroachment of road by four
feet. We were happy to finally have a resolution of long pending problem
after a prolonged struggle.

But as every difficulty and disappointment must come to an end, and
there is something shining bright at the end of the tunnel, I also found
my share of good luck on return from that meeting. I found a dark brown
envelope delivered by Registered Post lying on the heap of bricks of our

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