REJUVENATION: Plans are on to transform Kavoor Kere in Mangalore which has accumulated silt.

MANGALORE: "Kavoor Kere," one of the largest water bodies in Mangalore taluk, will be revived with government funding, according to J. Krishna Palemar, MLA.

Mr. Palemar told The Hindu that the lake, which is spread over an area of 8.37 acres, dried up due to accumulation of silt. The lake, which was not included in the government project to rejuvenate 1,000 lakes, will be revived as a separate project with an outlay of Rs. 58.1 lakhs.

Mr. Palemar said that silt will be removed from the entire lake, which will be restored to its original depth, and steps taken to arrest the accumulation of silt.

The authorities will landscape the area, and efforts will be made to regenerate the forest area around the lake with trees endemic to the Western Ghats. Boating facilities will be provided.

A mini-zoo has also been planned to convert the place into a tourist spot.

Mr. Palemar said that a large extent of land around the lake has been encroached upon, and he has written to the Deputy Commissioner to get the encroachments removed and give full possession of the lake area free of encumbrances to the Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environment Management Programme (KUDCEMP). He said tenders for the works have been called and they are in the process of being approved.

He said the KUDCEMP indicated that land has to be given to it for removing silt without any encumbrances so that the work will not be hindered.

Tourist spot

Mr. Palemar said the lake could be a perfect tourist spot in Mangalore. It can draw tourists from Moodbidri, Surathkal, Mangalore and Bantwal. He said that there is a proposal for private participation in providing eateries, a swimming spot with adequate safety features and animal rides.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail