YOU are what climate you live in. The characteristic affability of the archetypal Mysorean offers an eloquent commentary on the cosmic and celestial nepotism they have pampered him with in terms of benevolent, even somnolent, latitudinal (12 degrees 18 minutes North) and longitudinal (76 degrees and 42 minutes East) co-ordinates. (Look at that, not a single odd number!). The Mysorean wears these degrees with the pride that an accomplished student wears theirs on their graduation day. His body language says it all and you can spot the Mysorean from afar. Even when he is actively engaged in any activity, he seems disengaged so much so even a Mahendar Singh Dhoni or Bjorn Borg would look to be warm-blooded in comparison. Is it not paradoxical that the shock waves caused by a wayward supersonic jet, with its lightning sortie through the city's airspace over the weekend, did not go unregistered on the soporific denizen? Well, that was not the only paradox. At best, it was the beginning. Next day, 04 January 2009, brought out another paradox (and the paradox was accentuated by the fact of it being a Sunday): when the city launched a purposeful initiative to trace the factors fuelling pervasive terror and combat the same with a view to making Mysore a safer place.
"Safe Mysore," the new drive, is a citizen initiative under the banner "Alert Citizens Team (ACT), which is also the title of this blog. With patronage from the police department, the campaign has taken its first major step towards achieving the goal of safeguarding the interest of the city. That there was enthusiastic participation from the stakeholders, who spent the best part of the Sunday deliberating strategies to achieve the goal, suggests that the paradox no longer exists in their minds. It must go to the credit of these Mysoreans that they are perhaps the first in India to have turned proactive in their response to the Mumbai carnage. It is bound to send out a strong message that if Mysore can do it, why not the rest of India.
The purposefulness of the day-long exercise was borne out by the number of organisations that lent support to the event as also by the profiles of the many dignitaries hand-picked by the organisers to speak. Justic MN Venkatachaliah, Chairman of Human Rights Commission; Dr Ajay Kumar Singh DGP (Corps of Detectives); Lt Gen Arjun Ray, CEO of Indus International School; KPC Gandhi (Truth Labs, Hyderabad) and Firoz Bakht Ahmed, writer and social activist. So reads the list.
This forum seeks to dwell at length upon the issues contributing to terror, citizens' role in mitigating the menace, sensitizing the public to the ugly phenomenon, enhancing the level and quality of discourse on the subject, etc. It is by no means restricted to Mysoreans; anybody from anywhere can share their views, offer their ideas and suggestions, talk about similar initiatives, besides, of course, being free to borrow from the experiment that ACT has just launched in Mysore. The blog will keep a regular tab on progress achieved as a fallout of the workshop held on the Symbolic Sunday when Mysore, of all places, sought to announce its readiness to combat terror. It has just about begun to fight the paradox associated with its existence. It is for all those global citizens exposed to the mindlessness called terror to act now in a concerted manner. This is just the first take of the first ACT!
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Kudos to the person who has created this Blog which will go a long way in bringing all the thought process, comments, suggestions of the entire citizens of Mysore and encourage the Citizens of Mysore to actively participate in the implementation of action plan and make Mysore a better and Safe place. This model if we all can make it work might trigger a movement throughout the State initially and then across the entire country since the Director General (COD) Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh mentioned in his address that he will take it up in all cities if this is implemented successfully. Each one of the citizens is part of ACT (Alert Citizens Team) and act proactively to make this a success. We are confident that by the proactive participation of all the Citizens of Mysore especially NGOs and the leadership of Commissioner of Police Dr.Parashivamurthy we can successfully implement the Action Plans and create a movement.
ReplyDeleteSAFE MYSORE
A Strategic Planning Workshop
Background
A group of us strongly felt that the recent events in Mumbai and frequent attacks by terrorists across the country has made it imperative that the citizens of Mysore should join as a non political and non religious organization irrespective of their faith, to oneness as fellow human beings and find out action items and organization needed to do this to provide a safe Mysore.
The workshop addressed this need of allowing citizens of different profession ethnicity to actively come together and bring out a Strategic Planning Document (SP), implement the Action Items and build a safe Mysore and also in the long run allow all faiths to come together at cultural, social and spiritual levels.
Objectives
To bring actions on the ground to make "Safe Mysore".
To bring all faiths to oneness as fellow human beings.
Methodology
We invited people from all faiths, media, police, industries, commerce, security agencies, educational institutions, various NGO’s, medical fraternity and hospitality industry, and whichever group interested in a "Safe Mysore" to actively participate in a one day Workshop. The entire workshop’s discussions were around three levels. The Physical (Operational Level), The Intellectual (Psychological) level and Spiritual (Subconscious Level) level of Action Plan (Short, Mid, and Long Term Plans) leading to Brotherhood, Harmony and Peace.
First Step - The invitees were briefed on the Safety of Mysore with respect to the three levels on which the Citizens need based activities will be centered assuring SAFE MYSORE. They were exposed to lead presentations and case studies by experts who have been there and done it.
At the end of the lead presentation and case study, groups are formed according to the interdisciplinary nature of the groups. These groups are provided with a facilitator. These groups output was presented by the respective facilitator.
Now the output of this workshop will be consolidated and action plan matrix with time line will b evolved as a Strategic Plan Document by the ACT that means YOU. Citizens of Mysore, We come to you for help to provide Thought Leadership and Action Leadership. Let’s together make it happen. Let us have the privilege of creating this movement.
The idea of launching 'Safe Mysore' is fine. But, as usual, a good number of speakers on the dais and of people among the audience, on the day when the programme was organised, consisted of 'retired people' who have enjoyed the privileges the system has been providing. For activists like me, the system - governments without governance full of corruption, violence of different sorts, and criminlaization -- is the major hurdle.The educated and elite middle class, essaying to be richer and richer by fair or foul means, just like the barbaric rich, contribute more actively to the sytemic failure than the ordinary and uneducated and misinfomred masses. Anti anti-terror activism has to address issues related to systemic corruption.
ReplyDeleteAs I responded to one of the speakers on the day of the programme which I attended, we, the citizenry, can do very little in terms of effective action as long as such programmes or proactive initiatives do not address the systemic failures which continue to belittle the great strides we have achieved as a nation. We have made tangible progress. Credit is due to men and women who have it honestly.
Most of the intelligentsia are either part of the problem or part of the helplessness, a predicament of the common man. Look at the betrayal by the men behind Satyam Computers where there seems to be little satya. This is the kind of violence that is more dangerous than actual terrorism. I wish the police force at subordinate levels is more honest and committed to the cause of the nation. I wish the Corporate Sector learns to be more and more human. I wish the known educational institutions with which some of the organisers of the programme are associated are less and less squeezing via capitation fees and donation menace. Acquiring tainted wealth, a sort of violent activity, is not only the forte of many of our police men but also the great middle-class bureaucracy. The kind of audience gathered in the auditorium, despite their gestures of appreciation, did not give me a feeling or impression of hopeful action in the near or distant future.
This does not mean that we have nothing significant to do. True, 'thus the people, so the governance' but we need to be critiquing. Critical thinking has to spread and create ripple effect. Then, change is possible. Then, there will more and more spiriutal paths available to us by visioning and seeing like seers. The kind of religion that extends to platform constructions as it is in the case in front of KR Police Station or on the same road and elsewhere in the city does not give me signs of hope towards civility and sweetness of culture. Why are we so mute that we, including the Police men and other officials of the Corporation or MUDA who are aware of such non-senses, exhibit such an apathy and indifference?
Dasan - Mysore
12th Jan.09
Dear ACT Team,
ReplyDeleteApologize for my delayed posting. The SAFE Mysore strategic workshop has been a great eye opener for the Mysoreans. It was a very well attended program from the elite and intellect of Mysore. I feel, Mysore is the right place to start such activities. Unlike Bangalore, where it is very difficult for like minded people to meet, discuss & deliberate, the same is possible in Mysore. Given the intellect presence in Mysore, Mysore should be Think-tanks and provide the strategic directions and thought leadership to other cities. Some of our friends may brush aside jargons like strategy and thought leadership, but we should understand that Terrorist also work with a strategy...
Well, this is right time to implement some of the thoughts which are the outcome of the workshop, with the new and stable governments at Center and State.
I do agree that the youth is missing in action, we should pull them out of their cyber world by demonstrating some real and concrete action plan on the ground. For now, lets be the youth.
Let's be positive and initiate those small steps which will lead to strong movement called 'ACT Mysore'.
Thanks for patient reading,
Sridhar
Honestly, I was disappointed when this blog did not attract the kind of considerable attention I envisaged soon after it was set up. Not that it has really begun to attract it now. However, what is noteworthy is that at long last there is every indication that it will attract due attention. Having attended a couple of ACT meetings, I am convinced that things are moving on the right track. What inspires that confidence is the sheer methodicity of approach of the key members of ACT, headed by Prof Shivaram, as also their sustained enthusiasm. Given the nature of the task on hand, such prolonged preparation as being made by ACT was necessary to give a veneer of foolproofness to this ambitious initiative.
ReplyDeleteWishing ACT well,
Vijendra
Press Note
ReplyDeleteA group of Citizens of Mysore strongly felt that the recent events in Mumbai and frequent attacks by terrorists across the country has made it imperative that the citizens of Mysore should join together as a non political and non religious organization irrespective of their faith, bringing oneness among fellow human beings, to find out root causes and draw up action items and identify organization structure needed to create safe Mysore through Harmony. This led to the birth of ACT Mysore (Alert Citizens Team Mysore).
ACT Mysore organised a Strategic Planning workshop on 4th January 2009 under the Patronage of DGP Karnataka and the Chairmanship of Commissioner of Police Mysore. The workshop addressed this need of allowing citizens of different professions and ethnicities to actively come together and bring out a Strategic Planning Document (SPD) to implement the actionable Items and to build a safe Mysore, thereby in the long run allowing all faiths to come together at cultural, social and spiritual levels with the objectives of bringing actions on the ground to make "Safe Mysore" a reality.
The Methodology
ACT Mysore in association with Department of Police invited people from all faiths, media, industries, commerce, security agencies, educational institutions, various NGO’s, medical fraternity and hospitality industry, and other groups interested in "Safe Mysore" to actively participate in the Strategic Planning Workshop. The entire workshop’s discussions were focused around three levels, The Physical - Operational Level, The Intellectual – Psychological level and Spiritual - Subconscious Level. The action plan categorised under – Short term, Mid term, and Long Term Plans were drawn up.
The output of this workshop was consolidated and an action plan matrix with time lines was evolved as a Strategic Plan Document by the ACT. These action plan items were prioritized and six of them have been taken up to be implemented by individual teams and is being launched on Saturday the 27th June 2009.
The prioritized action plans are as follows;
1. Bring in Civic responsibilities and patriotic fervour through, Street Plays, Painting, Debate, Collage, Essay Competitions, Poster competitions. – Team Leaders – Rtn.Satsh Kumar & Ln.Arun Kumar
2.Rejuvenating the Civic responsibilities & moral values through training and role plays among the citizens to strengthen the Citizens’ Will which can be translated into Political Will driving positive and proactive activities improving the governance at different levels. – Team Leaders - Col.Banuprakash & Capt.Krishnaprasad
3. Self help and Women empowerment programs to enhance the economic level of individuals, since poverty is the major cause of concern bringing inequality and disharmony. – Team Leaders -Rtn.Mrs.Srinidhi Murthy & Rtn.Ramamurthy
4. Inter faith dialogue and interaction to bring in oneness cutting across cast creed and bringing peace through harmony.- Team Leaders - Mr.Achuta Bachalli & Mr.Shoeb Kureshi
5. Establishing crime and terror stopper centre – a Private Public Partnership initiative between Citizens and Police Department, creating alert citizens proactively participating in prevention of crime and terror rather than cure. - Team Leaders - Prof.Shivaram Malavalli & Col.Bhanuprakash
6. Organising an year long “Namma Mysooru Habba” Celebrating National Festivals involving all strata of the citizens to bring in harmony and sense of belongingness leading to brotherhood – Team Leaders - Rtn.Srihari and Team
All are cordially invited to attend to make this a movement
Mr.Sunil Agarwal
Commissioner of Police, Mysore
Prof.Shivaram Malavalli
For ACT Mysore
Times of India
ReplyDeleteSmart ACT for Safe Mysore
26 Jun 2009, 2220 hrs IST, TNN
MYSORE: The citizens are taking a step forward to make Mysore a safe place to live
in.
Having formed the Alert Citizens Team (ACT), they are teaming with the police to launch the `Safe Mysore' programme on Saturday. It aims to bridge the gap between the police and the public and make the community aware of its role in better policing.
City police chief Sunil Agarwal rooted for public-private partnership to effectively tackle the crime rate. "A safe city is a big responsibility and the PPP is must," he told reporters on Friday.
The ACT, Mysore, is the fallout of the Mumbai carnage that developed a sense of helplessness among people. The ACT in consultation with the police has evolved a strategic plan document.
The focus is on promoting civic responsibility, reviving the civic responsibility and empowering women and youth. Inter-faith dialogue and interaction are also the major components of the project.
Shivaram Malavalli, who supported India's first science and technology entrepreneurs park (STEP), says: "This is our effort to help the law implementing agencies to tackle terror. The action plan is designed to produce results. Mysoreans must pitch in to make it happen."
The ACT is also establishing a crime and terror stopper centre, Col Bhanuprakash explained. The centre will be set up at the Institution of Engineers (India) which will receive the information and pass it on to the police for necessary action. This is because percolation of information is crucial to attend to security.
Many social organizations and NGOs and social activists have joined hands with the ACT to fight terror.
The organization is also planning Mysooru Habba to establish a communication network between people following different faiths.
Retired chief justice of India justice M N Venkatachalaiah will launch the ACT's outdoor activities like street plays and also launch ACT website and blog. www.actmysore.weebly.com