Mysuru: Responding to protests by NGOs and environmentalists over the desilting and development of the historical Kukkarhalli lake by the University of Mysuru, Deputy Commissioner D Randeep has written to the Lake Development Authority to depute two experts to study the lake's conservation. "The university has been asked to suspend desilting work until then," he added.
Executive engineer in charge of the project, Kishore Chandra, said the university, which was the lake's custodian, planned to develop it at a cost of Rs 1.58 crores.
"Though sewage entering the lake has been diverted, it has been fed with it for so long that its water is contaminated with nitrates and lacks oxygen. We planned to insert diffused aerators at a cost of Rs 25 lakh to purify it and also build an aquarium, orchidarium, and a butterfly park around it at a cost of Rs 35 lakhs. We also hoped to renovate the boating jetty and install information boards on the rare birds sighted here," he said.
But NGOs, and the Save Kukkarhalli group have protested the lake's development, claiming that the project would damage its ecology. They alleged that the desilting would cause its water level to recede and pointed out that the Poornayya Nala, the lake's feeder canal, was already blocked by several layouts in its vicinity. They believe setting up a sewage treatment plant and opting for grey water harvesting can do more to save the lake.
