Mysuru: The Mysore Grahakara Parishat’s (MGP) Satyagraha call against ‘bad governance’ and systematic destruction of Mysuru’s greenery and unplanned and unsustainable development was held this morning where groups assembled at different parks across the city and expressed their concern.
The main focus of the Satyagraha was to register protest against the development of Chamundi Hill under the Centre’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme that is worth over Rs. 49 crore and the destruction of parks in Mysuru.
The event — held in front of the Court, Cheluvamba Park, Nivedita Nagar Park, Netaji Nagar Park on T. Narasipur Road and Ramakrishnanagar Park — saw the participation of many senior citizens and youths who distributed pamphlets to the groups who came to the parks to create awareness on the need to save the environment and sustainable development.
They discussed forming pressure groups to influence the elected representatives and high-ranking officers on the need to save Mysuru for Mysureans.
Former CFTRI Director Dr. V. Prakash told the gathering at Cheluvamba Park that all the residents of Mysuru must say this to themselves in the morning:
“Mysuru matters to us and we shall matter to Mysuru.” In the evening before they go to bed, they must say to themselves, “If Mysuru mattered to me, what did I do for Mysuru today,” he added.
He urged the youths to involve themselves in constructive activities and save Mysuru for future generations. Founding Working President of MGP Dr. Bhamy V. Shenoy led a group at Cheluvamba Park where he regretted that almost all the parks in Mysuru have become a place for construction in complete violation of Karnataka Parks, Play Field and Open Spaces (Preservation and Regulation) Act, 1985.
“Unfortunately, the elected representatives and officers are not aware of the laws and the rulings given by the Courts. They are teaming up with the officers of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to systematically destroy parks in the name of providing amenities for the public and senior citizens,” he added.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, Dr. Bhamy said that the Satyagraha at Cheluvamba Park was a fruitful exercise where for one-and-a-half-hours participants — Kosu Narasimhamurthy, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) S.G. Vombatkere, Venkatesh Rao, Dr. Jayaram, Seethe Rao, Usha and Nanjapur Yaduraj, Dr. V. Prakash, Ravichandra Bekal, Neelamabika, etc. participated and discussed issues that matter for Mysuru.
“It was a great introspection as well as sharing of information on how a few dedicated activists can make a difference. Examples of corruption in MUDA, MCC and RTO, were given and several participants talked about how we the people are as responsible as those who take bribes. It was certainly a good beginning though it is not an unqualified success. Hundreds had promised, but about 30 came to the Cheluvamba Park. One encouraging development is that the activists met in different parts of the city to hold Satyagraha,” he said.
Has any one noticed this farcical Satyagraha led by Barmy Shenoy, to draw attention to himself?
He was the original culprit among hundreds of thousands of non-Mysoreans like himself, who stampeded into Mysore in early 1980s, to settle, thus necessitating the clearance of green fields and forests around the then beautiful city, to create plots for the construction of their houses.
He , the poacher than has now become the game keeper!
He does not want any more developments, now that he and his mates have comfortably settled down.#
Looking at the phtographs there,this event had attractednot many .
“Speaking to Star of Mysore, Dr. Bhamy said that the Satyagraha at Cheluvamba Park was a fruitful exercise where for one-and-a-half-hours participants — Kosu Narasimhamurthy, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) S.G. Vombatkere, Venkatesh Rao, Dr. Jayaram, Seethe Rao, Usha and Nanjapur Yaduraj, Dr. V. Prakash, Ravichandra Bekal, Neelamabika, etc. participated and discussed issues that matter for Mysuru”
Instead of wasting time like this, he should work with the elected representatives and ministers to find a sway forward for sustainable development of the city.
It is very clear that there is pressure on space, need for developments to address the fast increasing population, needss-housing, jobs, transport etc..
The government has to generate incomes through tourism too,=-hence the 10-lane Highway, the additional express trains like the VB exoress, the expansion of Mysore Airport to receive jet passenger liners. The Chamundi Hill is an iconic tourist attraction. In order to ensure its survival, only those who can use steps to the top of the |Hill-the numbers restricted per day, and banning all vehicles even for the VIPs, would help.
Mysore is earmarked for developments both by the Centre and the State and there is no way, Barmy Shenoy can prevent it.
Barmy Shenoy is using people to promote himself, after being one of the thousands non-Mysoreans who arrived in 1980 and triggered the development of housing and extensions, in a way, which became unsustainable. Hypocrite.
What is annoying about B.Shenoy is his rank hypocrisy, when he says, as he did the other day that Mysore is for Mysoreans.
He arrived in 1980 as a non-Mysorean to settle. We. those Mysoreans born, bred , educated and worked in Mysore, could have said to him the same. We did not , as we knew that population of India was increasing, Mysore was developing industrially-speaking, people arrived to take up jobs and retirees like him wanted to settle.
In 1989 he created an outfit called MGP, which despite its advertised pur;pose, was always to discourage development- meaning no more outsiders!
Mysore is destined as a twin city to Bangalore linked by the Highway and express trains, and wll take its share of Industries and businesses away from the more congested Bangalore.
As for heritage preservation like Chamundi Hill, a separate and unique plan tailored to it needs to be developed, which is the task of the state government, without mixing it with other issues related to Mysore.
Mysore is on the road to Greater Mysore, with industries and companies relocating to Mysore as well as emerging in Mysore. Tourism will be abn important cash earner for the City.
My suggestion to B. Shenoy: Best for you to relocate back to Georgia, that is the former USSR colony.
Every so called “citizen activist forums” only see salt and pepper heads talking amongst themselves..where is the youth of Mysuru in any of these gatherings?..is not a greater failure that the youngsters of this city are not aware of and do not engage in any of these issues…the so called palanquin bearer of citizen rights in Mysuru..the Great “MGP” doesn’t have a youth cell…only if the youth of this city are involved can we see progress as a city..stakeholder participation is important for every decision..opposing every idea/initiative due to political or ideological difference can actually take our backwards..contrary to what these great pundits preach..
Was kind of stunned to see construction around and close to the hills, shops close to the vicinity of the temple, garbage strewn all over the place. Gone are those days, we used to climb the hills for peace and quiet, and clean pure surrounding.
Was kind of stunned to see construction around and close to the hills, shops close to the vicinity of the temple, garbage strewn all over the place. Gone are those days, we used to climb the hills for peace and quiet, and clean pure surrounding.
@Anonymous
“the Great “MGP” doesn’t have a youth cell…only if the youth of this city are involved can we see progress as a city.”
I get what you are saying, but this MGP was created as a retirees club, most of the members are retirees, arriving to settle this city which was a relatively habitable place to spend, anchoring their homesteads -buying plots and constructing their houses , using their retirement lumpsum cash.
That was in 1980s. Then to occupy themselves, they set up this MGP-hence there was no place for the youth there.
Simply speaking about the Chamundu Hill conflating it with other wider issues arising from the city developments, calling it good governance can at best produce sparsely attended talk shops in parks.
The specific issue of Chamundi Hill cannot be solved by such poorly attended meetings. or conflating the issues of the city development with that of the Hill preservation issues. They may be linked, but the Hill needs the focus above all.
When the Central and State governments are keen to develop this city creating infrastructures like the Highway, Airport expansion,, train services to bring more medium and large enterprises as well as expanding the tourism, the combined effort of the heritage committee, politicians, young and old citizens are essential to approach the state and national leaders to apprise them of the protection of the iconic Hill.
Any one can see that this so called Satyagraha of the MGP is allergic to the above kind of approach.