Mysore/Mysuru: Strongly opposing the Forest Department’s moves to introduce entry free for Lingambudhi Lake, citizens under the banner of Lingambudhi Park Joggers Samiti, staged a demonstration in front of the North Gate of Lingambudhi Lake in Ramakrishnanagar here yesterday.

Maintaining that Lingambudhi Lake is the biggest lake of the city with a long historical background, the protestors said while most parts of the Lake is filled with water, the rest of the area is notified as a Reserve Forest. Contending that lakes and other such water bodies are public property, they argued that the Forest Department’s moves to introduce entry fee will only discourage citizens from visiting the Lake for jogging and walking. The Department’s decision to introduce entry fee under the pretext of lake maintenance cost, is nothing but an injustice rendered to the public, they said.

Opposing the Forest Department’s move, the protestors wanted the Forest Department to instead  organise programmes aimed at educating elderly citizens, children and  students on bio-diversity. They urged the Forest Department to drop the move on entry fee.

ACF Lakshmikanth, who spoke after receiving a memorandum from the citizens, said that there is no proposal before the Forest Department on introduction of entry fee. The entry to the Lake will be free as usual, he maintained adding that citizens need not be unduly worried about entry fee.

Samiti members Siddesh, T.R. Sunil Kumar, Nagesh, P.S. Sandhya, Avinash, Kini, Lakkimar, Narakesari, Shivakumar, Basavanna, Lokesh, Sumathi and Janardhan, members of Basaveshwara Seva Samiti, Surabhi Mahila Sangha, Nagarika Samitigala Samanvaya Vedike  and others were present.