BANGALORE: Land developer and businessman N. Muthappa Rai on Thursday said he has requested the State Government to permit a non-governmental organisation (NGO) run by him to develop the Tonnur Lake in Pandavapura taluk in Mandya district into an international tourist centre on a "no-profit basis."

Mr. Rai told presspersons here that a month ago M.R. Foundation for Social and Economic Development had submitted a proposal to the State Government in this regard.

He said he wanted to introduce scuba diving in the sprawling lake and build a cultural centre. About 3,000 solar lights would be installed. Initially, Rs. 4 crore would be spent on the project, he said.

Mr. Rai said at present the Government auctioned the lake annually for taking up fishing. "I have told the Government that I will not take up fishing there and instead develop it without any financial help from the Government," he said. Mandya MP Ambarish and Panadavapura MLA Puttaraju and they had welcomed the idea, he said.

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