Back to myMysore.com -> myMYSORE ISSUES & IDEAS -> The Two "I"s -> Saving Mysore's Park
Post Info TOPIC: Saving Mysore's Park
Bhamy V Shenoy

Date:
Saving Mysore's Park
Permalink   

What crimes have we committed to deserve a minister-in-charge like D. T. Jayakumar? When there are more pressing problems of Mysore like water shortage or uncollcted garbage all over the city, or dysfunctional education system, why is the minister DTJ is concerned to solve the parking problems of some hoteliers on Harsha Road? In the first place this was the problem was created by them by violating the building bye laws in the first place. Now DTJ wants to commit the second blunder by violating the Karnataka Parks and Open spaces act.

Since laws are made by man, and if they do not serve the man, they need to be changed. How can any one disagree with such a philosophical argument by DTJ? But this Park Act serves the majority of people brillantly. It was thanks to this act, a building constructed by a movie actor commissioner Shivarma in Cheluvamba Park is likely to be demolished.

MGP had won the case in the local court and got a judgement for its demolition. The corporation has gone on appeal. MGP has also gone on appeal requesting the money be collected from Shivaram. Again thanks to this park act, People's Park was saved. Some politicians had the brilliant idea of "getting a free library" by leasing some land in that park. Again MGP filed a case agianst this grand scheme.

The latest ploy is to take a "llittle part " of Curzon Park to help the hoteliers all in the name of development. I am sure the right thinking people of Mysore will not allow this to happen.

I am sure MGP ( otherwise known as Mysore Galata Parishat) will be happy to hear any idea on how to save this park from the cruel clutches of the minister who is bent upon destroying the park.

__________________
GVK

Date:
Permalink   

What's wrong in having a free public library in the park, Dr Shenoy ?


Incidently, would like to inform hime and other MGP members that they post messages in a blog we have created for MGP. They should access  www.mysorengosforum.com - click on 'NGOs blogs'; log into MGP blog (you need to register - with your name and password - to post messages on the blog designated for MGP).  



__________________
Bhamy V Shenoy

Date:
RE: Saving Mysore's Park : What is wrong about having a public library in the park?
Permalink   

First of all if we allow any building to come in the park, soon park will disappear and we will have only buildings. With that in mind, the law was adapted called Karnataka Open spaces and Park conservation act. At least so far as we have that law by allowing any building to come in the park, we will be violating the law.

Now as for the public library in people's park, it was just a ploy to get land in the park to construct hotels and other things. Thus by promising to contsruct a library costing about Rs. 30 lakhs, the leaseholders (incidentally all politically connected people) were to get the license to build hotels. I am sure no one would like to destroy hertiage park along with tree which are very old. This is one of the stratgies politicians use to grab the land and monetize it. What a shame. It was only because of the interest shown by a forest officer who had great affection for tress, we in MGP came to know about this shenanigan and could stop it so far. However there is still a rumour that the orginal leaseholder may still win the court case and may be allowed to build hotel in the people's park.

__________________
GVK

Date:
RE: Saving Mysore's Park
Permalink   

Bhamy V Shenoy wrote:

If we allow any building to come in the park, soon park will disappear..... as for the public library in people's park, it was just a ploy to get land in the park to construct hotels and other things. 
I'm afraid, I fail to see the library-hotel connection. Is it some kind of package, that you get to raise a hotel in the park, if you put up a library ? Dr Shenoy hints at pending litigation,and any further clarification on his part may be construed subjudice. But let's get this clear, Dr Shenoy. Do I read  that your objection isn't to a library in the park, per se ?   

__________________
Bhamy V Shenoy

Date:
Permalink   

Sorry for not giving a clear explanation.
There are two aspects of the problem. One is the violation of Karnataka Parks and Open Spaces Act. Another is the corruption issue.

MGP objects to construction of the libary even if it was done by the government itself and there was no corruption involved. There are many places where one can construct a library and we should try to maintain parks which serve as lung spaces in an urban environment. Today we may not fully appreciate the value of such lung spaces. However as population increases in Mysore, we will certainly appreciate such parks.

In the case of People's Park case, there is also the issue of corruption. Politicians belonging to all parties were able to get bribes for their approval to lease the land to a private group. The then value of the land was more than four crores and in return the corporation was getting a library worth about Rs. 35 lakhs. The corruption issue came to surfce only after MGP filed the PIL in the High Court.

__________________
Capt. Anup Murthy

Date:
Permalink   

I have to agree with Dr. Shenoy, we can't let politicians decide what is good for us. If we give them an inch, they will swallow a foot (or a lot more!). We need greenery and lung space. We must not even encourage tree felling indiscriminately (read my latest post on impression page on a topic called Global warming ? Not in Mysore.


I also agree with him that a library can be built anywhere else and there are places, I presume, allocated for this. The sad state of our public libraries and the lack of quality books is another subject. Parks must not be allowed to have any building and must be developed to provide maximum greenery.



__________________
Bhamy V Shenoy

Date:
RE: Saving Mysore's Park. Should this be on the development agenda for Mysore?
Permalink   

The issue of Saving of Mysore Park was posted seven days back. If we consider the number of replies it has receievd or it has been visited as an index of the interest of Mysoreans, one can conclude that it is not all that important. No doubt our bright politicians have already figured this out. That is why they are not afraid to encroach it or gobble them up when they see an opportunity.

It is only when these parks disappear and with that the lungs of our city, then we appreciate their importance. But then it is too late. How can we put such an important item on the development agenda of our city?

__________________
Capt. Anup Murthy

Date:
RE: Saving Mysore's Park
Permalink   

Dr. Shenoy, one should not be discouraged about the number of responses one gets on a particular topic. My blog attracts a lot of comments but very few are mymysore chaps or mysoreans even. I get a lot of attention from everyone else! The point is that just because the public don't care or don't want to get involved in an issue does not mean that one should stop campaigning about issues like you have. In fact, the public apathy should encourage you to do more for selfless reasons. Let's think of the environment more than what the public think.


Here in Singapore where I am currently, the public parks are maintained very well, generally this place is greener than any place in India, Mysore included, by a thousand times. Signs of progressive mentality? I don't want to compare western countries with us, even our own neighbourhood should shame us into cleaning up after ourselves and greening our city.



__________________
shankar prasad

Date:
Permalink   

Dear Friends,


The best way to tackle these and other issues of public interest is to fight for the ward committees, which needs to be constituted as per the Corporation Act.


We may put pressure on the government, unilateral and multilateral agencies who are funding various projects to stop the aid until the ward committees are constituted. Once the ward committees are in place many a issues can be discussed and the corporation is obligated to take steps on the recommendations of the committee.


shanks



__________________
Bhamy V Shenoy

Date:
Permalink   

Forming ward committees or the real decentralization as envisaged as per 74th amendment to the constitution is the right answer. Realising this another brilliant project of the central government titled JNNURM has put this as one of the conditions to secure grant.

Unfortunately our political leadership or the bureaucrats do not read these documents or do not seem to care. This has been highlighted by MGP and other NGOs. But no one is hearing.

How can mobilise public opinion to force the government to implement 74th amendment in true spirit? Any suggestions?



__________________
GVK

Date:
Reading, anyone ?
Permalink   

Wonder if MGP would consider renewing their campaign, particularly in view of the coming civic elections, which are a few months away. Citizens, under the MGP initiative, should be able to build up public pressure to ensure that all political parties make 74th amendment a poll issue. Candidates should be told they can't have the vote unless they make a commitment on implementation of the act. MGP could think of a signature campaign on the lines of their 'Save Mysore' camapgin. This could be backed up with poster campaign, neighbourhood meetings, media campaign, if local newspapers could be pursuaded to join in. We could even seek the support of leaders with spiritual influence and other community leaders. I am thinking of the cprecedent set up with Mysore Citizens forum, which did some good tsumani relief work. It Would be nice if all NGOs, public interest groups join in to work on a common campaign strategy.


(Some of you might ask, 'haven't I read this before ?' You have, in the context of an earlier post - 'Let's talk infrastructure' , in which Dr Shenoy raised this point. Recyling my thought, in the fond hope it might get noticed here.)        



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Back to myMysore.com -> myMYSORE ISSUES & IDEAS -> The Two "I"s -> Saving Mysore's Park
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard