Whose Chennai is it?

I realise how bubbly Chennai can be if we have more people who can help us network.
For Madras Day.
But then how many people can we really contact even as we mind our work?
I tickled Bharat Jairaj of the Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG), a well known activist group based in Adyar.
It had run a 'Whose Chennai is it?' themed round table to mark CAG's anniversary some time ago.
How about looking closely at what the recent state budget had for Chennai?
Mmmmm, Jairaj thinks it is a fine idea.
It is. For, do we really have any role to play in the making of the budget. Nowadays, the TV channels make a noise about the national budget. Few have time for a city and the plans for it.
Jairaj does get back, saying his team is excited about it. And will plan a round table/discussion to mark Madras Day 2006.
(If you want to make a point at this event, get across to CAG at - cag.india@gmail.com)
I have called up another old friend, M. Chidambaram, who is active with Exnora.
Chidambaram, a long time Luz resident ( you can read about his dad's and that generations' histories at the Mylapore social history record that is blogged (at www.my-mylapore.blogspot.com).
Chidambaram, a banker, has been a hardworking Jaycee member and now at Exnora.
Can the Exnora trigger its units across the city to maybe focus on civic issues and community events during the Madras Week?
I guess these issues need further debate in north Chennai. Exnora had one meeting last week - here's another occasion to push the issue. Chidambaram and Govindaraj will hopefully set a busy agenda for mid-August.
We are hoping that more and more community groups will plan events for the event ahead.
Yes, we too could give you some ideas ( query us at madrasday@yahoo.com).
Social worker and activist Mythily Sriram based in Alwarpet who works closely with the city police promises to get messages across to the Commissioner of Police, Letika Saran.
By pulling out pictures of the city police and putting them up at an exhibition in the visitors room of the Police Commissioner's office, yet another nice event will be on the boards. Simple.
And here is another idea - the city police could start its own, small museum in the same campus.
We just need people to push through ideas and convert them into action.
Are you doing it for the city?