Karnataka - Mysore   

‘Protect lake, don’t develop it’

PHOTO:M.A. SRIRAM

Needs care: A view of the Kukkarahalli Lake in Mysore. —

MYSORE: For a lake that has inspired many an artist including poet Kuvempu, the latest grant of Rs. 1 crore from the State Government for its upkeep has brought cheers to many.

But, funding has never been a problem for the Kukkarahalli Lake which, along with the Chamundi Hills and Karanji Lake, is reckoned to be nature’s gift to the city. Naturalists in Mysore say that more than the funding, it is lake management and an ecological approach to its conservation that should be stressed upon.

In government parlance, the concept of “development” — be it the Chamundi Hills or a lake — has till now entailed just construction of an edifice, making new pathways by destroying the existing vegetation, creating “facilities” for the people, which invariably means destroying the surrounding green cover. This was evident in the recent pre-budget meeting for the development of Mysore, when speaker after speaker — all politicians — stressed the need for having a “green belt” around Mysore.

But, in the same breath, they went on to add that the Chamundi Hills be “developed” and a ropeway project be initiated to get there, while another sought a botanical garden in Mysore on the lines of the Lal Bagh in Bangalore. Nothing wrong with the demands, except for their failure to make a strong case for the “protection” of the Chamundi Hills and the lakes of Mysore. This, according to environmentalists, is the bane of the city where a natural forest like the Chamundi Hills and the Kukkarahalli Lake are sacrificed at the altar of “development” and destroyed, so that projects which do no good for society, and are a drain on the State’s resources, are promoted.

The main question is why cannot the Kukkarahalli Lake and the Chamundi Hills be protected instead of being developed?

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

Stories in this Section

‘Protect lake, don’t develop it’
Mysore zoo to conserve rainwater
Village residents lift social boycott of 14 families
SUCI terms State Budget ‘anti-people’
‘Utilise funds only for welfare of forest-dwelling tribal people’
ICICI Bank begins release of seized tractors to farmers

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu