VIVEK KUMAR SINGH

'The Times 'East of Pune' Property Showcase' was less about properties and was more about plots. Plots means, the agriculture land - mostly, on the hill top and hill slopes. Obviously, located not in the east - but, in 'West Pune', a few kilometers away from Hinjewadi.

All 'well known' names were present - Sairung Developers (www.landequityexpo.com), Right Choice Group (www.rightchoicegroup.in), Future Development Construction Company (FDDC) (www.fdccindia.in), The Landmark Corporation (www.thelandmarkcorporation.com). Including, some Universal Landmarks(www.universallandmarks.com). Together these 'plotting schemes' had occupied bigger and prominent space in Hyatt Regency on Nagar Road.

After visiting a couple of plotting stalls, I realized that their 'sales talk' is the same.

Invest in land.

Earn appreciation.

Become rich. At any cost. By any means.

Forget the death of Vishakha Sachin Wadekar and her 14 month old baby Sanskruti at Shindewadi near Katraj Tunnel.

It may be 'man-made disaster' or a natural calamity - who bothers about - what did really happen - at a place far away from our Pune City - at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand?

Looking at the crowd of visitors in these plotting stalls, I had no option but to agree with the salesman.

God has stopped making land. Not human beings. If you lost one - you can get a new spouse.

But, if you lost an opportunity to own a piece of land, - who knows - whether you will get a second chance or not.

Some visitors raised questions about the hot debates on 'land mafia and destruction of the hills around Pune'.

Oh! That's nothing more than TV News Channels' desperate efforts for higher TRP ratings. He was told.

The sales guys in these plotting stalls didn't have to take much efforts to convince that greed is better than green. Prosperity than people. Money than life.

After visiting most of the stalls, I sat in the hotel lounge. Looking at visitors coming out of exhibition hall. Everyone was smiling. As if, he has attended some celebration and want to say, "Thanks, The Times of India!"