Monday, October 27, 2008

I'm moving...

I'm moving to wordpress. All my future posts will be posted here. Now I am working on a creative(??!!) header image for this new blog, so the first post may not happen very soon.

See you there.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Kemmangundi on a team outing

A trip which got materialized after 11 months with 11 members. Thanks to all those leeches, which made the trip more adventurous and dramatic with all that blood scenes. Yes, that was one bloody good day.

IMG_2868

IMG_2880

Rest of the pics here

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

A weekend in Kerala

One weekend. 2 guys. 1 Alto. On a mission to Kerala.

Onwards:
Started-Bangalore: Friday night 12.30am
Reached-Bekal : Saturday morning 10am
Route: Bangalore-Mysore-Madikeri-Sullya-Kasargod (pathetic roads from Madikeri to Sullya)

In Kerala:
Places visited on Saturday: Bekal fort, Pallikunnu beach - near Kasargod
Places visited on Sunday: Dharmadam, Muzhupuzhangad beach and Kannur fort - Kannur

Return:

Started-Kannur: Sunday evening 4am
Reached-Bangalore: Monday morning 5am
Route: Kannur-Thaliparamba-Iritty-Kottiyoor-Boys town-Mananthavadi-Batheri-Gundalpet-Mysore-Bangalore (Excellent roads without any traffic, but complete ghat roads till Batheri and very steep hill climbing between Boys town and Mananthavady. Crossing the Bandipur forest zone was thrillig to see road signs saying "Go slow-Wild animals crossing". Car puncture after Mysore made things worse and got struck in the highway in the midnight. Finaly someone came for help.)
Rest here

Solutions just a mail away

Yesterday, I mailed to the head of a bank, Karnataka-loan recovery division with copies to the south zone and country heads. The content of the mail below:

Hi,
This mail is to bring to your notice regarding the issues I have been facing with your recovery team.

I had a two-wheeler loan from your bank in 2006 (loan a/c no LTBNG0000XXXXXXX) which I cleared it in 11 months EMI. Few months back, I was stopped by the recovery team of your bank claiming that I have bike loan due. After producing my loan a/c no to the bank, I came to know that there is another loan account created for the same bike registration number and also with my name for which the EMIs are in due. I made it clear to the bank then, that I have no dues( I remember it was someone named Harish from Bangalore office who talked to me, ofcourse in a harsh way thinking that I have absconded for this loan). After few days, I was stopped again by the recovery team, claiming that I have not paid the loan. After proving themn again with the correct loan no, I was told that there are chances of ceasing the bike without my knowledge if they see it in public and they demanded for money (for reasons I dont know) and I paid them an amount considering the situations where I would have to park my bike somewhere in any public place.

Yesterday, I was again stopped by a group of people asking for the loan due. I would call it as an harrasment, the way they approached me on the road. It needed again another 30 mins for me to prove them that its not my fault and I dont have any dues. This has become so annoying that everytime they stop me when I am in a hurry to go to work. Again, they were asking for some money (read as bribe) saying that if I pay the money, the issue will be solved immediately. This time I didnt pay any money and am sure that they are not happy with this. Also, I am really scared now to park my vehicle in public places as am aware of recovery people taking the bike. I may not be there always with my bike to prove them that my loan has been cleared already.

Immediately, I made a call (Call no ref: XXXXXX) to customer care with hopes that they would be in a position to take action or atleast lodge a complaint or service request. But they denied to take it as a complaint and asked me to approach the bank for the same. I have mentioned the details below.


Details:
Loan no: LTBNG0000XXXXXXX
Bike No: KA 04 XX XXXX (you may search with this bike no and you will be surprised to see two loan accounts created for this bike no)
Bike model: Unicorn
Bank Ac No (ECS payment) : XXXXXXXXXXXX

Please do the needful and remove my bike no from the list.


Thanks,
--
Abubaker Siddiq. A


I got a call from the local head within hours asking for apologies and assuring me that my number has been removed from the records immediately. He was going on with the usual stuff that 'we value our customer..blah blah blah". He said nobody would touch my bike and I am free to park it in public places. Also he assured me that I will get my NOC delivered to my address within 2 days for which I appplied long time back. After that call, I wrote a mail saying:

Hi X,

Thanks for your efforts on solving this issue. I dont know how fast this would be materialized but I am glad that at least someone was there to hear my concerns.

You were asking me on the names of the people and I could remember one name -XYZ (Mob no: 9731XXXXXX). I think he is a Police official who came along with that recovery team. Please make a note of it. Well, I hope that giving this number doesnt get me into any other unnecessary problems.

Again, thanks for your efforts. I really appreciate that.

Thanks,


He called me back again to assure that everything is clear now and asked me to keep a copy of the NOC always when I travel to be on safer side.

Now I am just sitting relaxed and waiting for the NOC. Well, this is just one instance where you get into problems for someone's mistakes. But atleast now things have changed to an extent to solve your problems in couple of mails. They say its as simple as that.