Republic Day is the perfect time for residents of a housing society to forget their differences and quarrels. After all, celebrating the unity and brotherhood of the country should encourage each of us to follow the same principles. Most housing societies have at least a flag hoisting event on Republic Day. Others have more elaborate functions. What your society chooses to do would depend on the budget – and more importantly on the level of enthusiasm among residents.

What You Can Organize on Republic Day

(i) Flag Hoisting: No Republic Day function is complete without the flag hoisting ceremony. The flag hoisting is normally held early in the morning. A senior citizen of the housing complex could be asked to hoist the flag. Organize a choir to sing patriotic songs and end with the national anthem.

(ii) Sports Meet: A sports meet is a good way to get better participation. Most children are eager to sign up and you can be sure that parents will come to encourage and cheer their kids. A couple of contests can also be organized for adults.  A prize distribution ceremony at the end will wrap up the function perfectly.

(iii) Honoring Heroes: Republic Day is also an occasion where heroes are honored. It is a good idea to have a small ceremony to honor those people in your housing society who have contributed time and effort for good causes. This need not be restricted to just society activities. Residents of the housing society who have worked for upliftment and empowerment of the disadvantaged in society can be given a small token of appreciation.

(iv) Fancy Dress Competition: Fancy dress competitions are regularly organized in housing societies as part of the Republic Day celebrations. You can make the competition a little more interesting by introducing a theme – for example, children can be asked to dress up as national leaders involved in our freedom struggle. Other competitions like singing competition, dance competition or coloring competitions revolving around the theme of patriotism can be organized.

(v) Residents Meet: Republic Day is also a time when residents get a chance to network and socialize with their neighbors. A residents’ meet organized on this day will ensure good participation since almost everybody takes a day off work on Republic Day. The Residents Meet can also be used to discuss and thrash out petty problems and troubles between various individuals or groups.

(vi) Cultural Programs: A cultural program in the evening is normally organized in most housing societies. Aspects of life from various regions and parts of India can be showcased during this program. This will help residents of the housing complex to understand each other’s lifestyle and will encourage brotherhood.

The country celebrates Republic Day in order to bring about a sense of identity, patriotism and unity among people. After all, a country can grow only if people have pride in themselves and their country.  The same holds true for a housing society, and a grand Republic Day celebration is a good way to encourage harmony among residents.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!

ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

ApnaComplex organized the Oota from Thota event on Sunday, 8th Jan, 2012 at Electronic City, Bangalore and here is the participants perspective of the event.

There was a sizable crowd of green enthusiasts with personal passions of greenery, gardening, no-plastic, organic farming and community well-being, bonding together through a common thread on this platform. Delighted to see participants coming from far distances such as Hanumant Nagar to attend the event and that’s true passion!

The pace got set with a talk from Dr.Viswanath of Garden City Farmers Trust – who presented some hard facts on the kind of food that we eat today. The dangers of consuming pesticides-ridden food taking their toll over a period of time was emphasized to create awareness. Though the speech was an eye-opener, all hope was not lost yet. Be it a terrace or a balcony, Dr. Viswanath & Laxminarayanan, also from Garden City Farmers Trust, showed the basic steps of planning for a garden, soil, grafting, seeds, seasonal plants etc. Pictures and success stories were shared on how even amateurs grew their own vegetables like capsicum and brinjal and fruits like the papaya and grapes in as little as 2ft by 2ft by 2ft space.

Following this, was another inspiring session from the Ms.Vani Murthy, another go-green expert who gave an actual demo of the materials that can be segregated in our day-to-day rubbish from our homes. Simple things like dry leaves, vegetable peels that can be separated out and mixed with soil and shredded newspapers to create nutrient-filled compost for plants. The difference between recyclable and reusable materials was also spelt out for the rapt audience.

The way the questions and queries from the audience till the very end were answered reflected the passion of the speakers.

Finally there were the packed stalls relevant to the theme of the day. Kids and their family thronged to the tasty organic chaat and snacks stall put by In the Pink. Then there was the unique and surprising flavours of homemade jam from Nature in a Bottle that teased your taste buds – you couldn’t resist taking home a bottle or two. For those looking to start their own kitchen garden, they were spoilt for choice of the garden tools and instruments, and exotic seeds by Varsha Enterprises. There was on display and sale, a variety of very informative and cost effective composting products and solutions from “Daily Dump” right from offices to homes to communities. Also present was Opron Biotech providing digital diagnostic equipment such as Thermometers, Blood Pressure Devices.

All-in-all a very satisfying and different way to spend a Sunday – one small step for the conscientious citizen. Heartening to see the pockets of change and hoping that this cascades into the right direction for Bangalore and rest of the world.

The event was supported by Garden City Farmers Trust, Celebrity Paradise Layout and Citizen Matters along with ApnaComplex.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!

ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

The need for fire management has become an integral part of every housing society, and this is especially true in a housing system where hundreds and thousands of people reside in close quarters.

Effective safety measures including actions or precautions should be adopted in a housing society in order to forestall any hazards or accidents and make sure that no residents are harmed, or even the buildings for that matter.

Fire Safety Measures in a Housing Society

Fire safety measures should be taken when a housing society building is being constructed; steps should be implemented to protect the structure while the building is standing; and general safety tips need to be taught to all residents in order to train them for emergencies.

There are some basic conditions that need to be fulfilled:

• Your housing society buildings should conform to the local building code.
• The upper limit tenancy within any part of the building should not be exceeded.
• Fire suppression systems should be installed (like sprinkler systems), and fire hose reels, fire hydrants, and fire extinguishers need to be provided.
• The residents of the housing society must be given lessons on how to use fire extinguishers and fire hose reels.
• Fire extinguishers should be placed in easily accessible spots so that the occupants of the housing society know about their location and can easily access it at the time of need.
• Fire extinguishers need to be checked and maintained on a monthly basis by the maintenance crew.

• Automatic fire detection and alarm systems (smoke detectors) should be installed on all floors and these will inform the occupants about the impending danger ahead of time and they will be able to evacuate the building without any mishap.
• The maintenance team should ensure that all alarms are free of dust by regularly vacuuming over and around them. They should replace the batteries in smoke alarms regularly.
• Proper exit signs should be installed as these will help the occupants to act quickly in case of a fire.
• Smoke exhaust systems can be installed on every floor as they help in minimizing the accumulation of smoke in case of fire, which could be quite dangerous and life threatening.
• Hazardous materials should be stored very carefully as they are most likely to catch fire within the building.
• Flammable materials should be monitored within the building.
• One of the important steps is to conduct fire drills throughout the year. Once this is done in a regular manner there will be less chaos during an emergency.
• The housing society management can conduct fire safety education programs for children during the weekends.

Failure to meet these safety measures will significantly affect the levels of fire safety in a housing society building and can compromise on the safety of the occupants.

Tips for Residents

You can also work towards maintaining a fire safe housing society by following these small tips.

• Don’t overload electrical systems.
• Be careful about smoking near combustible objects.
• Don’t store combustibles near equipments that emit heat, sparks or flame.
• Maintain all electrical wiring in good condition.
• Maintain your heating and cooking appliances.

Once these safety measures are followed, the housing society will be truly protected against sudden mishaps and accidents.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

With Diwali around the corner, safety measures in a housing society must be taken against all possible threats to ensure that there are no mishaps of any kind.

Fire safety in a housing society is especially of prime importance, and fire exits must be provided in all buildings and this is mandatory.

Housing Society Fire Escapes

A fire escape is an emergency exit usually located outside a building but always as a separate entity from the main building. As the name specifies, it provides an escape route in case a fire breaks out within the housing society building or any other emergency surfaces, when the main exit is cut out of access.

Fire escapes have many levels, and they have horizontal platforms on each level (floor) that are connected to each other through ladders or stairs. These escapes are made of steel to keep leaves or snow from settling on them. They are generally made from fire resistant materials and extend from windows at every level.

The access from the inside portion of the housing society building to the fire escape is usually through a fire exit, but in certain buildings, the only access might be through the windows.

Fire escape doors are normally fitted with fire alarms in a housing society in order to prevent unauthorized people from gaining access and in order to prevent people from using the route for other purposes.

Installing and Maintaining Fire Escapes

• If you find out that your housing society building does not have fire escapes, you can take up this issue during a resident meeting and ensure that the management committee gets them installed.
• Every floor must have fire escapes as an alternative to staircases and lifts as these can’t be used during the time of fire.
• The maintenance team should ensure that no objects are kept in front of the fire escape, in order to ensure that the exit route is not blocked.
• The exit routes must be cleaned and maintained regularly by the maintenance team so that there are no problems during an emergency. This should be done on a monthly basis.
• While installing the fire exits or escapes, care should be taken and quality infrastructure should be installed as this is a serious investment.
• The ladders can be of chain or web type. Railings should be provided along the ladders and the fire escapes in order to prevent any falls.
• The ladder from the first level of the fire escape to the ground floor can be fixed. A better idea would be to opt for a ladder that swings down along a flexible joint or slides down.
• Movable fire escape ladders are preferred in order to dissuade burglars from entering the buildings through such fire escapes.

With your personal safety and the safety of your family in mind, ensure that you bring up the concept of fire safety during resident meetings so that fire escapes are installed. While moving into a housing society, ensure that the buildings have proper fire safety measures in place.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!

ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

Proper roads are absolutely necessary in every apartment complex. The roads in an apartment complex are mainly used for traveling purposes, and they also add an element of beauty to the apartment complex.

The Need for Maintenance

Maintaining the roads is quite important, for daily activities within the complex to pass unhindered. Well maintained roads in an apartment complex also increase the value of the place.

When roads in an apartment complex are not maintained in a regular manner, the apartment association will have to spend much money on filling the potholes or setting up new roads.

This money, which can be saved through periodic maintenance, can be channelized to various other projects that require attention in an apartment.

In order to ensure that the roads are properly maintained, take up the issue with the apartment association during resident body meetings. While residents can take small steps in order to contribute their bit, the apartment association can get the maintenance team to do the difficult tasks.

• Residents should be constantly updated about the need to maintain roads by the apartment association
• Littering on roads should be strictly prohibited and waste bins should be provided for this purpose
• Stagnant bodies of water should be immediately cleared, especially after instances of rain
• The roads should be swept regularly by the maintenance crew

Maintenance Measures in Apartment Complex Roads

The roads in an apartment complex undergo a lot of destructive changes, and fatigue cracking, rutting, roughness, weathering, and raveling are common problems that can be noted.

The apartment association will have to take on different approaches based on the problem involved. Crack sealing is a process that’s followed in order to maintain roads and surface treatment can be done in order to prolong the life of the particular road.

This treatment measures should be taken up by professionals, who can be hired by the apartment association. Through surface treatment measures, these problems can be solved.

• Fatigue Cracks – These are cracks that are seen on the roads due to fatigue.  These cracks occur due to the added effects of wheel loads. Fatigue cracks are a sure sign of the road’s structural deterioration, and the treatment depends on the severity of the cracks. Water and dirt should be prevented from entering these cracks as they might grow worse this way.
• Environmental Cracking – This is transverse or longitudinal cracking that develops in asphalt as it ages and endures thermal stresses related to everyday temperature changes. These cracks are very small when compared to fatigue cracks, and moisture should be prevented from entering these cracks for them to not develop.
• Surface Wear – The wear on the surface is mainly due to tire wear and material degradation (raveling). Its maintenance includes removing the surface and/or covering up the surface which is worn. Again, surface treatment depends on the severity of the surface wear.
• Rutting – This signifies permanent degradation in the layers of the road. This can happen if the structure design is improper or if the roads are overloaded. It can also happen if the surface layer is of poor quality.
• Potholes – Pits or holes produced by wear or weathering on the road surfaces can be fixed through surface treatments.

A lot of factors affect the type of maintenance undertaken within the housing complex. These include the type of distress, vehicle loading, the general climate in the region, the cost of treatment; the roads expected life, the existing road type, and availability of good materials.

Residents can help maintain the quality of roads within the apartment complex by giving regular feedback on their defects to the management as well as bearing with the inconvenience caused during the repair of the roads.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

We will be having a party/prize distribution ceremony filled with games, dance, music and fun. Please be a part of the fun and watch every participant of TPL go home with some prize!

Super Bonanza (exclusive of other prizes) for the ApnaComplex TPL Participants – One year Swimming Pool Membership Free of Cost during weekends and non-school hours for all the cricket participants of ATPL. Please bring a passport size photograph for the ids.

The party starts at 12:30 PM with a paid lunch buffet. Buffet Price – Rs.150/Person (Prior registration for the buffet is mandatory so that we can make necessary arrangements)

Agenda for Oct 2nd 2011
Venue: Treamis World School Campus, Electronics City, Bangalore
10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Finals of TPL
12: 30 Lunch
1:30 Party/Prize distribution
3:30 Vote of Thanks followed by High Tea

See you all there!

Organizing Dussehra celebrations in a housing society can be an absolutely thrilling experience, mainly if you take into consideration the many rituals and rites associated with this festival. Dussehra is one of the most awaited festivals in India, given the commercial and social extravaganza that accompanies the religious festival.

Dussehra is a festival that’s celebrated with different beliefs and rituals in across the country. A housing society is an ideal place to celebrate Dussehra, mainly because people who come from various parts of the country and from different cultural background stay in such apartment complexes as they provide a cosmopolitan and multi-cultural environment.

In your housing society, you can provide a stage where the Mysore Dasara can blend seamlessly with the north-Indian Navaratri and the Bengali Durga Puja, within the same premises. Children will be exposed to the various aspects of their own festivals, and they will be able to gain an understanding about the different festivals celebrated across all states.

Some Tips for Celebrating Dussehra

You’ll need to bring together many members from your housing society for the celebrations to be a success. Planning the strategy in advance can help. Always ensure that the apartment association is aware of what’s going on.

• Allocate a budget for Dussehra celebrations. The source of funds can be in the form of donations from residents, and this can be collected before the event or in monthly amounts throughout the year. Local businesses may also be invited to set up stalls for food and entertainment purposes, and you can try and contact other businesses that can sponsor the event and put up advertisements.
• Try and involve the maximum number of residents. Notices circulated well in advance before the celebrations can ensure that individual families don’t make other plans for the festivities. This increases the level of participation.
• Detailed plans should be put in place for the day of the event. Detailed planning can help you avoid last minute modifications and inconveniences. The schedule for the event should be put up on notice boards and other common areas so that people know what to expect.
• Ensure representation from the different communities of people who live within the complex. This will enrich the event and make it more enjoyable for everyone, without seeming bland.
• Make sure that all government laws related to pandals, loudspeakers, and fireworks are abided by. This is something that the apartment association should take care of.
• The food served can be across different cuisines, cooked up by representatives of the many communities present. It would be safe to stick to delectable vegetarian fare throughout the festivities.
• Volunteers should be picked and invited from among the residents of the housing society. Dussehra celebrations are generally large-scale, so a handful of people may not be able to put all measures in place smoothly. A large, structured group of volunteers, with clear line of duties and reporting lines will help you execute the plans.
• Safety and security measures like fire-extinguishers and first-aid-kits should be arranged, along with contact numbers of in-house doctors. Loudspeakers should be used minimally and a lost-and-found desk can be added too.
• Cultural programs for children and adults, like rangoli, drawing, drama, dance, and singing or recitation competitions may be organized.

Dussehra celebrations in a housing society can provide a multi-cultural, enriching and enjoyable experience for all residents, irrespective of their age, culture or roots.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

Navaratri Celebrations in a Housing Society – Tips You Can Try

When it comes to religious events in a housing society, Navaratri is a popular Hindu festival that you can celebrate within the complex. The festival revolves around Goddess Durga and is an occasion for families in a housing society to come together through community celebrations on a grand scale where everyone can gather and celebrate together.

The Magic of Navaratri

Navaratri translates literally to nine nights in Sanskrit and during this period, idols of the Goddess are placed in homes and temples and they are immersed in water on the tenth day.

In south Indian cities, families place golu (an array of idols and figurines) in their house and people visit their neighbours and family members to view each other’s golu collection.

Navaratri Tips for a Housing Society

You can create a central Navaratri event in order to bring the residents together. This should be done through the apartment association.

Once you get the plans verified by the housing society association, you can assign responsibilities to different residents and collect money from all residents in order to organize the event. You can handle the accounts yourself or delegate the responsibility to another resident.

• Organize a Main Event

With the help of the other residents, you can organize housing society celebrations where everyone can gather together instead of holding individual events. This can help in preventing the wastage of food, water, electricity and other resources.

You can talk to the managing committee and arrange for an idol that can be housed in one of the common areas for the general celebrations and prayers.

• Promote Homemade Sweets

You can inform all families to make their own sweets and bring them for the main event, as buying sweets from outside can be quite expensive for such a huge event. This will also bring some variety into the proceedings and families will be able to share these sweets and get to know each other.

If possible, give away the remaining food after the celebrations to the less fortunate who may not be able to afford such luxuries.

• Keep Your Sound Levels Down

While celebrating Navaratri in a housing society, care should be taken to ensure that the noise level does not get out of control as it can be a source of extreme discomfort for neighbours and other nearby buildings.

Since Navaratri lays great importance on the recitation of religious hymns and prayers and also involves a number of pujas, chances are that sometimes festivities can get a little out of hand. It is imperative that no one is disturbed in the excitement of the festival and its celebration.

• Spare a Thought for the Environment

Immersing idols of the Goddess in the water is common practice and care should be taken to ensure that the idols are immersed in predefined locations within the housing society. Setting up an artificial body of water can be a good idea. All idols should be made of naturally degradable substances that do not cause any environmental harm, and you can spread such awareness.

Try and use a single idol for the entire housing society as this would be extremely beneficial and go a long way in helping the environment and setting an example. With the right steps, celebrating Navaratri in a housing society can be a unique experience.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

Colorful Onam arrangements are often made in a housing society to cater to the multicultural crowd of people who stay in such complexes. The festival of Onam is celebrated with much fervor and zeal for a period of ten days, especially in the state of Kerala.

Onam Arrangements in a Housing Society

You can get your friends and other residents together this Onam by organizing some group activities that you can run by the apartment association team, before you carry them out.

• Make Pookkalam or Floral Arrangements

One of the key features of this festival is the intricately designed floral Rangoli which is spotted at the entranceway of all houses. In a housing society, you can hold a competition among all residents during the festive season Onam.

Instead of plucking the flowers from the premises (for use in these rangoli), the housing society can arrange for the wholesale purchase of flowers which serves as an efficient cost cutting solution.

• Organize Various Games

The highlight of Onam and probably the most enjoyable part about the festival is the numerous outdoor games that are played during Onam in Kerala. Organize games such as Talappanthukali (a ball game), Kayyankali (a one-to-one fight) and Ambeyyal (A form of archery) and youngsters can participate in these games.

• Host a Tradition Onam Meal

On Onam, people come together and feast on mouth-watering delicacies. The housing society can organize a potluck feast, where each family is in charge of making a particular traditional dish. The delicious food items are served and eaten on banana leaves.

The meals are grand and sometimes more than 13 to 15 curries are served in addition to the regular items. Once you get all residents to participate, there’ll be a lot of variety as far as the dishes are concerned. An Onam feast is incomplete without the traditional pickles and papadam!

• Organize Traditional Dances

You can also try and arrange for various dance groups to perform within the premises of the housing society during the festival of Onam. Kaikotti Kali is a dance form performed by eight to twelve women who wear the traditional Kerala Saris and dance around a holy lamp called the Deepam.

Pulikali is traditional dance where the performers paint themselves in red, yellow and black symbolizing a tiger. The residents can join in with the dancers and enjoy an evening full of merriment. While bringing in dancers and other outsiders, though, security measures must be tight and beefed up.

• Have a Firework Show

During the festival, lamps are lit in all houses and temples and the sky comes alive with a vibrant display of fireworks. With the help of the other residents, you can arrange for a firework display in your housing society and the money for this can be collected in a common way.

• Set Up Shopping Stalls

Shopping for new attire and furniture is another key feature of the festival of Onam. Try and talking to the apartment management and see if you can allow various traders and stores to set up stalls within the premises selling traditional Onam attire and other accessories, for the convenience of the families.

Onam is no longer a festival that’s restricted to malayalis – there are many people who follow the festival thanks to its vibrant nature. With the above mentioned tips, you can conduct a memorable Onam event in your housing society.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!