• School children, tourists throng scenic Lake and Butterfly Park
• Two-day festival pushes for conservation of water bodies  

Mysuru:  The scenic and full-to-the-brim Karanji Lake was a beehive of activity as the two-day Karanji Lake Festival began this morning. The lake was thrown open to hundreds of children, tourists and visitors and as an icing on the cake, entry to the lake   was free.

Enthusiastic tourists queued up before the boating counter to ride in over 12 boats — including pedal boats and rowing boats — to enjoy the beauty of the nature. Visitors were allowed freely from the Karanji Lake entrance and entrance to the Butterfly Park too was free. 

The first-ever Lake Festival is being organised at the Karanji Lake Nature Park where experts in the field of lake conservation and wetlands have been roped in to educate visitors about the uses of lakes, how the lakes are useful in bringing rains, how they support aquatic and avian lives, etc.

The lake had gone bone dry early this year due to paucity of rains and the dry lake threatened the very existence of the lake. Records say that the water body had gone completely dry in 1988 too. Using this opportunity, the Mysuru Zoo management that manages the lake undertook scientific de-silting. Subsequently, it rained heavily in October this year filling the lake. Now the picturesque lake is in its full glory.

The Lake Festival is being organised to create awareness about biodiversity and its ecosystem as well as significance of preserving and rejuvenating depleting water bodies.

This morning, a photo exhibition was inaugurated at the lake premises followed by inauguration of the festival by Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath.

The photo exhibition displayed the best photos of the Lake ecosystem that had won prizes in many photo expo contests organised by the Zoo. 

A quiz programme was organised at Regional Museum of Natural History (RMNH) premises. Also, a drawing contest has been organised at RMNH and Mysore Zoo Amphitheatre premises where hundreds of children are taking part to give expression to their thoughts on nature. 

The festival focuses on ideas to save the “dying” urban water bodies besides focusing on the success stories in lake conservation and the best practices adopted in lake management. 

A team from Rangayana staged a street play on conserving trees. Children dressed as trees, fruits, parrots, lions, tigers and leopards performed attractive activities at the Lake bund. 

Mentioning the role of Mysuru City Corporation in conserving the city lakes, Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath said that the MCC played a critical role in not letting sewage water into the Lake. The Mayor also released Zoo Annual Report.

Zoo Executive Director Ajit M. Kulkarni said that the Karanji Lake had been handed over to the Zoo in 2004 and since then, 48 lakh people had visited the Lake raking in Rs. 9 crore as income. Member Secretary of Zoo authority of Karnataka B.P. Ravi also spoke on lake conservation. 

Tomorrow, there will be a bird watching and botanical walk at the Lake from 7 am. Scientists Dr. A.P. Tiwari and Dr. M.V. Vijay as well as Dr. Srinivas, D.H. Tanuja, Shailajesh, Sahana, Pranav and other resource persons will educate participants about the flora and fauna specific to the lake surroundings. 

Later, Naturalist Prof. U.N. Ravikumar will speak about the significance of preserving and rejuvenating depleting water bodies.