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Manna Palla to be developed on the lines of Hyde Park

Ganesh Prabhu

The 100-acre lake will have a grove, jogging track and boating facilities

A POTENTIAL PICNIC SPOT: A view of the Manna Palla in Manipal.

Manipal: After a day's taxing work, if you want to unwind, "Manna Palla" or Manipal Lake will be the place for you.

The Manna Palla Development Committee has planned to develop the place into a major picnic spot.

The development of Manna Palla was taken up in 2002, when the Manna Palla Development Committee was set up. Udupi Urban Development Authority (UUDA) allocated Rs. 20 lakh to the project and the district administration sanctioned Rs. 6 lakh from the proceeds of the zilla utsava.

Manna Palla is located on 100 acres of land in the heart of Manipal.

While the water is spread over 40 acres, the remaining 40 acres of land would be used for building a Rotary Shatabdhi Vedike and to raise a grove.

The land levelling work has begun. Organisations such as Manipal Rotary, Manipal Hills Rotary, and Mahila Samaj have donated Ayurvedic and herbal plants, which are being raised at the grove.

Ambitious plans

All these trees are expected to make the place serene. Tree guards have been provided to protect these plants.

A playground and a garden are under construction.

The committee has released 60,000 fingerlings into the lake.

Manna Palla Development Committee secretary A. S. Bhojaraj says: "The committee wants to develop the lake area on the lines of Hyde Park in London."

To develop a jogging track, land has been levelled in 2.4 km area around the lake.

A playground was expected to come up there. Pedal boating in the lake was being planned. The committee had urged the authorities to build a swimming pool here.

Among the other plans of the committee were creation of a sunset point, a flower garden, terrace garden, construction of an island amidst the lake to attract birds, and erection of fountains on the lines of the Brindavan Gardens in Mysore. But there is more to this lake than just being developed as picnic spot.

"We want to develop the lake in such a manner that it can increase the groundwater level in the nearby areas. This we intend to do by storing the rainwater which would have otherwise gone waste," says Mr. Bhojaraj.

The Deputy Commissioner is the president of the Manna Palla Development Committee, which has councillors and some eminent persons and experts as its members.

Funds

Says Mr. Bhojaraj: "The lake cannot be developed with the funds released by the Government, organisations and philanthropists should come donate for its development.

"The officials of Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environment Project (KUDCEMP) have promised to provide Rs. 8 lakh.

"If developed on proper lines, it will emerge as a tourist centre in the State."

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