Survey and Fencing - Part 1

Fencing Dream

"Fencing is no big deal. Just ask the company who deals with it and pay them. They will do it for you" is what the assumption I also had before I started this activity. I never felt this fencing itself will become a major activity and an achievement for the farm. 

I decided to go ahead with fencing for the following considerations;

a)  Fencing will clearly demarcate our land from that of neighbours and the common land of Government. So earlier we go for fencing the better so that disputes if any will be settled at early stage.

b) It will protect the crops from stray Cows and other animals.

c) Theft of farm implements and equipments will be minimal

d) It will offer a curtain from outside so that the farm activities can be carried out peacefully.

e) It gives a beauty, elegance and increases the farm value.

Survey Ordeal

Stop.  Before proceeding with fencing i was told a clear survey is required to demarcate the land borders.  That is where the trouble started.  Days on end, i used to wait for a surveyor to come and inspect the farm.  The surveyor should be volunteered by Village officer. Therefore presence of both are required. It is a physical activity and they donot give time so easily.  There are different surveyors, but the land records and patta copy should be identified by Village officer. Though there is nomimal charge for survey officially, there is a fee that you have to pay for his and village officer physical visit. That is not small.. They are like Doctors. They spend less time, are swift and fast and seek fee by hour.  Added to that you may have to be ready with some lunch if required.  Climate conditions also should cooperate.

Meanwhile my friend had cleared the land of any thorny bushes with JCB / excavator and bulldozer. I paid heavily for it. But the work was satisfying. Many a times we used to wait in the land for surveyor who would never meet his appointment.  It happened for many months like this. Finally i got so frustrated with Govt machinery.  One day and it happened to be coincidence that I was there, surveyor agreed to come.  We went to the land, waited and there at the horizon, two angel heads appeared. Surveyor has come.

The minute he stepped into the land, he wasted no time.  He was literally running with inch tape and we were running behind him. He was searching for corner stones with special signs and we were helping him locate them. Luckily for me the progress was good.  Since my farms was in the shape of Amoeba it had many sides and many owners.  The records were jumbled and my broker's accomplice helped surveyor with ease.  They used to cross verify with north, east, south and west border and the adjascent land

owners. 

Generally in villages, once some activity like this happens, people from neighbouring farms

automatically appear there. Same happened here also. There was one dispute which become big. Yes. the farm owner to the east of my farm put his foot and said all belongs to him.  No one could convince him. Perhaps because he never saw a neighbour for a long long time and was trespassing the land to the extent he owned everything mentally.  We asked him to come with his original land records to the office (Which later he never did). But neighter Village Officer nor the surveyor nor any of my friends could pacify him. 

Without being aggressive, we left the case and closed the day.   So some of the land remained unsurveyed till next visit. In addition we could not trace one of the corner stone for the surveyor. I also searched. There were wild growth of thorny busines. We decided to clear off some more bushes for searching and then invite the surveyor again.