Bangalore: Formation of Greater Bangalore would help in protection of lakes outside the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) limits, Health and Family Welfare Minister R. Ashok said here on Sunday.

Speaking at the inauguration of development works at ward no. 38 in Moodalapalya, Mr. Ashok said that lakes within the city limits had been encroached upon on a large scale and the remaining ones were in a bad shape. With Greater Bangalore, the lakes in the eight Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) could be constantly monitored and steps taken to ensure their survival, he said. Mr. Ashok said that Greater Bangalore would not come into existence immediately, but would be formed after extensive consultations with technical experts, urban planners and the general public.

He reiterated the urgent need to accelerate development works in the ULBs and for comprehensive development of the city. At present, residents of ULBs were suffering due to lack of civic facilities, but basic amenities would be easily accessible to the residents once Greater Bangalore came into existence, he said.

Development works to the tune of Rs. 1.87 crore were also inaugurated at Moodalapalya. A 24-bed maternity hospital with operation theatre and laboratory facilities at a cost of Rs. 57 lakh; a Rs. 60-lakh building with 16 classrooms at the BMP junior college and a one acre park renovated at a cost of Rs. 70 lakh were inaugurated.

Former Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy also spoke. Binnypet MLA V. Somanna, Deputy Mayor Lakshminarayan, BMP Planning Committee chairman B.S. Puttaraju, and BMP leaders H. Ravindra and B.R. Nanjundappa were present.

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