Whose Side Are The Police On: Goondas or Civilized Society?

A pedestrian was knocked down and killed by a reckless motorist on Lalit Mahal road recently and in the aftermath, a crowd driven by vested interests butchered thirty two roadside trees even as the police who were there in strength watched mutely. Mysore Grahakara Parishat after a great deal of reflection on this matter, its adverse implications on the environment, future development of the city and law and order in the city decided to hold a meeting at the Arch Gate on the road this morning (January 20) to mourn these developments. But shockingly, the police, at the last moment refused permission to hold this meeting.

MGP submitted a request for permission on January 18 and since it assured in its letter that the meeting would be a quiet mourning meeting with no disturbance and no hindrance to traffic, it assumed that the request would be routinely granted. But at about 8.30 PM on eve of the proposed meeting, the police called MGP and said that its request had been rejected. When asked the reason for the denial of permission, he referred it to his deputy commissioner, Sri. Ravi Kanthe Gowda.

When contacted, Sri. Ravi Kanthe Gowda said that he would allow a demonstration at K.R. Circle. We told him that the event took place on Lalit Mahal Road and that it made no sense to have a mourning meeting at K.R. Circle.

During the conversation it was clear that the DC was very upset at MGP's statement that the police stood and watched while the lawbreakers were vandalizing the trees. His argument was that the police had prevented the crowd from cutting trees! But none of the media which covered the event saw it that way. Photographs which appeared in the papers show armed police watching passively while the trees were felled.

Since the refusal to give permission came so late, MGP had a tough time calling its members and other like-minded people and inform them that the programme was cancelled. When the few who were not informed went to the venue on the 20th, they were misinformed by the police there that the protest had been shifted to K.R.Circle.

It is ironic that the police in Mysore who are supposed to be the upholders of law and order do not interfere when people cut 32 trees in clear violation of the law, but do not allow law-abiding citizens to hold a peaceful meeting. If law-violators are encouraged and law-abiders are suppressed by the police themselves, the future does not look bright.

Dr.Bhamy V Shenoy, Mysore Grahakara Parishat

Photos from the December 2009 issue of Grahaka Patrike

(B.Vaikunth Shenoy)

An MGP delegation met with the RTO S.H. Kallera on 9-10-09 to discuss various issues including auto meters. From left, S.Y. Sadashiva Murthy, Dr.T.N. Manjunath, Msj.Gen.(Rtd.) S.G. Vombatkere, V.Mahesh.

MGP members gave a consumer awareness programme for NSS volunteers and ITI trainees at Vidyavardhaka Industrial Training Centre on 16-10-09. Prof. S.K. Ananda Thirtha is speaking. Other MGP members present were C.V. Nagaraj (2nd from left) and Vasant Kumar Mysoremath (3rd from left).

(B.Vaikunth Shenoy)

Hundreds of autos with Kerala registration (KL) are plying the roads of Mysore. Lack of Karnataka registration is depriving the state exchequer lakhs of rupees in registration fees and is proving a hindrance to accident victims since such autos can not be easily traced.

(B.Vaikunth Shenoy)

MGP, the INstitution of Engineers, Mysore Chapter and Deccan Development Socisty, Hyderabad conducted a 1-day workshop on Genetic Engineering, Farming and Food on 7-11-09. Dr. Michel Pimbert, Director, International Institute for Environment and Development, UK, gave the Keynote address. Others in the photo (from left). C.N. Babu, Chairman, IE, Mysore Chapter, Maj.Gen.(Rtd.) S.G. Vombatkere, President, MGP, P.V. Satheesh, Director, DDS, Hyderabad and A.S. Satheesh, Programme Convener, IE, Mysore Chapter.

Annual Report for 2008-2009

MGP continued to create and increase awareness among the citizens about their rights and responsibilities as consumers through articles in various newspapers and magazines and its own publications. MGP's own Kannada monthly newspaper Grahaka Patrike is in its 17th year of publication.  

MGP continued its programme of educating the public on the harmful effects of food adulteration. In 2008-2009, its members, C.V. Nagaraj and M.N. Ranganath visited schools, colleges, rural organizations, etc. in and around Mysore giving 34 food adulteration demonstration-exhibitions accompanied by consumer education talks.

MGP member Prof. A. Ramalingam conducted several awareness programmes on water contamination in which he informed common people about simple ways of testing for bacterial contamination and simple methods to render water safe for drinking.

MGP also organized a roadside demonstration-exhibition for the general public on 16-3-09 next to Ayurveda College, to celebrate World Consumer Day. Simple tests to detect adulteration in many food items and bacterial contamination in drinking water were demonstrated. This programme which was attended by about 3,000 people. In addition to the members mentioned above, D.V. Dayanand Sagar, Maj.Gen. (Rtd.) S.G. Vombatkere, Asha Vombatkere, S. Sobana, P.M. Bhat, V. Mahesh, M. Jayaram, Vishwas Krishna and K.R. Sheshadri participated in the programme. They were assisted by students from the Sri Kaginele Mahasamsthana Kanakaguru Peetha Teachers College.

MGP members Prof. A. Ramalingam, Dr. Bhamy V. Shenoy and Sri. D.V. Dayanand Sagar conducted an extensive campaign against the polluted tap water supplied by Mysore City Corporation.

MGP continued to fight against violations of the Comprehensive Development Plan with members P.M. Bhat, Maj.Gen. (Rtd.) S.G. Vombatkere, Dr. Bhamy V.Shenoy, D.V. Dayanand Sagar and Dr. S.A. Prasad taking the lead.

MGP members continued to use the Right to Information Act to obtain information of public importance from government authorities. MGP member Sri. Agasanapura Chandrashekharappa continued to fight for the implementation of the Right to Information Act in Mandya district.

MGP members G.S. Nayak, Shankar Sharma, Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) S.G. Vombatkere and Dr. Bhamy V. Shenoy continued to fight on issues connected with electricity. 

MGP member V. Mahesh continued to fight for a rational approach to ground water use and rain water harvesting.

MGP members G. Sridhar fought to save Hebbal tank from encroachment and pollution. As a result, some encroachments have been removed.

MGP members A.M. Subba Rao, P.M. Bhat and B.V. Shenoy continued to fight against the improper implementation of SAS scheme for property tax by Mysore City Corporation. 

MGP President Maj.Gen. (Rtd.) S.G. Vombatkere continued to serve on the Mysore District Consumer Protection Council.

MGP members Asha Vombatkere, Dr. H.A.B. Parpia, Sreemathi Hariprasad served on the Committee for Development of Science set up by the University of Mysore.

MGP and Dr. Ajay Memorial Drinking Water Foundation conducted an innovative 10-day summer camp in May 2008 for students studying in government high schools. The aim of the camp was to promote scientific knowledge through experiments. Twenty experiments related to air, water, food and earth and designed to increase environmental awareness were conducted by the students themselves. MGP members Prof. A. Ramalingam, K.B. Sadananda, N. Rajesh, Prof. S.K. Ananda Thirtha and C.V. Nagaraj helped design these experiments. As part of the camp, the participating children designed and built a rain water harvesting system in a house in Vontikoppal. They also conducted a city-wide survey of drinking water in which 70% of the water samples were found contaminated.

MGP's fight against the proposed coal-based power station at Chamalapura met with success. After hearing a case filed by it, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission which regulates the power scenario in Karnataka ruled on 3-4-08 that the bidding guidelines issued by the Government of India have not been complied with and that the issues raised by MGP should have been considered before the decision for setting up a plant at Chamalapura was taken. The Commission has advised the government to take a fresh decision on Chamalapura taking the above facts into consideration. It now appears that the government is not very keen on proceeding with the power station.

MGP member Dr. Bhamy V. Shenoy spoke on consumer awareness to members of Rotary Mysore Brindavan on 8-8-08. MGP member Prof. A.Ramalingam inaugurated the Science Forum of K.Puttaswamy PU College on 20-8-08. MGP in association with the Institution of Engineers (India), Mysore Local Centre organized a seminar on Energy Security on 28-8-09. MGP, under the leadership of Prof. A. Ramalingam and D.V. Dayanand Sagar ran a stall at the Dasara Exhibition to educate the public on food adulteration and water contamination.

MGP in association with the Institution of Engineers (India), Mysore Local Centre, Green Peace India and ACICM organized a one-day workshop on "Coal Power Generation and Alternatives" on 21-12-08.

MGP ran a stall at the Makkala Habba on 7-2-09 in which school children demonstrated methods to detect food adulteration and water contamination. 

MGP in association with the Institution of Engineers (India), Mysore Local Centre, arranged a talk "Rethinking Food and Agricultural Research" on 24-3-09 by Dr. Satheesh Periyapatna.

Photos from the January 2010 issue of Grahaka Patrike

(Syed Tanveeruddin)

To widen Lalit Mahal Road, the roots of many trees are being cut. This will kill the trees.

(Vishwas Krishna)

Road works are going on all over Mysore. But much of it is being done in an unprofessional manner. This trench left open near the suburban bus stand is a danger to both pedestrians and vehicles

(Vishwas Krishna)

This footpath has been left unfinished for several months now. Water and trash are collecting in the depression left by the unfinished work and are causing a nuisance.

(Vishwas Krishna)

Several crores of rupees were spent to remodel the city bus stand under JNNURM funds. But they have left the slush, the garbage and the public urinals untouched.

(Vishwas Krishna)

Several modern facilities have been provided at the KSRTC bus stand in the JNNURM project. This cold water dispenser is one of them. Bt unfortunately, it has never worked.

(Vishwas Krishna)

Scene next to Thathayya Park in the heart of the city. Lots of garbage both inside and outside the park.

(Vishwas Krishna)

City Corporation is spending enormous amounts of money to manage solid waste. But scenes like this are all over the city.

(Vishwas Krishna)

Several slick glass and aluminium offices have been built at the suburban bus stand in the JNNURM project. But there are no occupants.