Bengaluru: On the occasion of the 158th Income Tax Day, the Karnataka and Goa income tax department along with the state forest department and United Bengaluru took up a cleaning drive and plantation of saplings at the Madiwala Lake.
The 272-acre lake has undergone a massive transformation and the premises now encompass a walking path and a biodiversity park.
In his address B.R. Balakrishnan, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Karnataka and Goa Region, said, “We wanted to conduct a social awareness event which is close to the people and important for the city. Two major issues that came to our minds are traffic and lakes. Many of city’s lakes are in a bad state due to sewage and encroachment, this is just a beginning and it is our commitment that we will be working on other lakes as well.”
N.R. Suresh, Convener, United Bengaluru, highlighted the worsening condition of the lake and said, “Not many come forward to revive them. When officials from Income Tax Department contacted us for cleaning of Madiwala Lake, we were ready to provide all assistance. We also look forward to partner with them for their future initiatives.”
Punati Sridhar, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Karnataka and B.K. Singh, Commissioner of Income Tax, Karnataka and Goa Region along with other officials from IT and forest department were present during the occasion.
