The Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), which was formed in Mysuru in the year 1989, has been active in the cause of providing quality civic services to Mysuru’s about 15 lakh citizens. During its 34 years of service to the community as an NGO, there is hardly an area that MGP has not touched and helped the community with better service and infrastructure.

At present Mr. Sreeshail Ramannavar is the President of an eight-member Executive Committee of MGP. The Working President is Mrs. Sobana Sambasivan, a retired Professor, Secretary is Sridhar Gundappa Gowda and Treasurer Mr. S.V. Shankar, a retired Bank Officer. MGP at present is said to have more than 600 members, though a majority of them are silent members. Their philosophy is in the good-old saying ‘Consumer is the King.’ Naturally, it will promote good governance for Mysureans.

Dr. Bhamy Shenoy, the Founding-President of MGP, has brought out a small booklet of 32 pages with photographs titled ‘MGP – A Retrospect.’ He says, “This book gives a brief account of the various projects that MGP took ever since it was formed in 1989 saving parks, preserving lakes, saving Chamundi Hills, greening and cleaning Mysuru, dropping Chamalapura coal power plant, reforming power sector, prevention of food adulteration, fighting against corruption, improving water supply and sewage handling system etc.”

The objective of writing this booklet, according to him, is to inspire the MGP members to take more interest in the activities of MGP by involving themselves personally whenever a call comes for action.

The booklet is a pictorial history of MGP and its journey in the service of Mysureans in the past 34 years. Rightly, the booklet is dedicated to Dr. H.A.B. Parpia, who was one of the first members of MGP. Late Dr. H.A.B. Parpia was the Director of CFTRI and lived in Mysuru till his last days. He was a committed social worker, deeply involved specially on matters connected with road safety and traffic control and education to the poor  and the downtrodden. He was one of the guiding forces of MGP along with Maj.Gen. (Retd.) Sudhir Vombatkere. There are also other distinguished persons whom Dr. Bhamy Shenoy has mentioned in the booklet.

One important annual activity of MGP was holding the World Consumer Day for which senior Government Officers would be invited. Food adulteration was another cause and the parks that are badly maintained in different parts of the city is also in its focus. MGP had even started a mouthpiece newsletter in its early days to educate the consumers about their rights and responsibilities. The booklet puts on record various causes it has fought over the years.

It had taken up the cause of making our city plastic-free with a slogan ‘Say No to Plastic,’ but does not seem to have succeeded. However, it has created awareness about the adverse ecological effect as a result of using the plastic bags, plastic bottles etc.

There was a time when Mysuru won the national award as one of the cleanest cities in India. Sadly, Mysuru has lost its place and cities like Indore, which were nowhere in the picture, are getting the recognition as clean cities. Whatsoever it be, Dr. Bhamy Shenoy’s effort in bringing out this booklet will yield result only if it is distributed among all its members, who in turn should distribute it to the residents in their respective layouts and areas.

The booklet is priced as ‘Suggested Donation’ at Rs. 40 and those who wish to have it can contact the MGP Office at No. 6/1, Vivekananda Road, Yadavagiri, Mysuru – 570002 or call Ph: 0821-2515150. —OSR