We had a temporary power connection provided for
our house in Bengaluru when the construction was in progress and I wanted it to
be regularised. I approached BESCOM which takes care of power supply to
Bengaluru, rather, power shutdowns in Bengaluru, with a request to that end.
“Submit the application along with 1.Two copies of saledeed 2. Two copies of ‘Khata’ certificate 3. Two
copies of ‘Khata’ extract 4. Two copies
of tax paid receipt 5. Two copies of
plan sanction order and Four passport
size photographs .”
I have all the requirements except for the passport
sized photographs and will have to get another set. About two years back I had
my picture taken and got twenty four prints. I was fifty eight then. I had
retired from service, my practice was ten years old and set, my house in Goa had
been constructed and occupied, children had completed their education and were employed,
my LIC policies had matured, my car loan had been repaid, I had no intention of
opening any more bank accounts or taking loan from any agency - in short nothing that would require copies of
ration cards, driving licence, PAN card, photographs so on and so forth. I
thought there was no need for so many prints but got them done just because the
difference in cost between eight prints and twenty four was almost nothing. I thought
that those twenty four may remain with me forever.
They did not last even six months!
You go to buy vegetables in the market and the
vendor will ask for your PAN card, voter ID and two copies of passport size
photographs. You get into a bus, the conductor will ask for photo ID and
photographs. Go to a hotel and at the check in counter you need to provide
photo ID and photographs, I register for a conference and have to give the
organisers my ID copy and two passport size........ . I have had my picture taken twice after the
twenty four that I have mentioned above and right now I have not got a single
print with me. If my wife asks for my Photo ID and two passport sized photographs
before serving me dinner today, I will have to sleep on empty stomach. Good for
health, they say, anyway.
My bank account is thirty years old. They already
have my PAN card, voter ID, Adhar card, ration card and what not as part of
their KYC programme. Still, when I go to open a RD “Sir, PAN card and
photographs”, I want my mobile number to be incorporated with my SB account “Sir,
PAN card and photos”, I want facility of net banking “PAN card and copies of
photograph, sir”. I have fought with the bank clerk any number of times and
have ultimately capitulated. Me - “You
already have everything that you are asking for under your KYC programme”
. Clerk - “Yes sir, but that file is with
the head office and the system does not accept if I don’t scan PAN card and
photos”. You can’t beat the system.
Today I went to the sub registrar’s office to
register a power of attorney and the sub registrar wanted copies of driving
licence, PAN card and two photographs.
The demand for my photographs is never ending.
This time I will have forty eight prints made. I
will keep four of them in the bank locker and enter it in my will - to be used only
when the attendant at the crematorium says “Adhar card copy and four passport
size photographs please.”
I don’t think anymore photographs would be required
thereafter.
