Mysuru: A massive cleaning drive was organised by over 300 people including morning walkers and members of over 16 supporting organisations at Kukkarahalli Lake on Sunday morning. The three-hour drive commenced at 6 am at the main entrance of the Lake, near the Railway Crossing, Saraswathipuram.
The drive was organised by Wild Mysuru, Let’s Do It! Mysore, Young Indians (Yi), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Humane Touch, Clean Mysuru Foundation, MGP, YHAI Gangothri Unit, Mysuru, GSS Yoga – Yogic Research Foundation, DRC Cinemas, masthmysore, Koti Vruksha Pratishtana, Mysuru Memes, Samarpana Foundation, Gandada Gudi NGO and People Tree. It yielded more than six tonnes of garbage which included plastic bottles, paper cups, plates, liquor bottles and other littered refuse. By cleaning the Lake, green activists spread the message of maintaining cleanliness and conservation and protection of flora and fauna in the Lake.
Surprisingly, the area adjoining Hunsur Road yielded a huge collection of liquor bottles and bone pieces indicating that people sneak into the Lake through the fenced border at night and indulge in partying.
According to volunteers, the cleaning drive was organised before the arrival of monsoon as if not cleaned now, rains would wash away the waste into the Lake which will be further polluted. They said that more than 150 bags of garbage were collected.
Kukkarahalli Lake houses a large number of plants, trees, birds, animals and insects which included 189 species of birds, 12 species of animals, more than 400 varieties of plants and trees, variety of butterflies and 35 types of spiders. Commenting on the cleaning drive, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Health Officer Dr. D. G. Nagaraju appreciated the efforts of public and volunteers in cleaning up the Lake. “Hundreds of walkers come to Kukkarahalli Lake for morning and evening walks and at the same time, there are people who come to the Lake just to dump garbage and there are vandals who come in the night to consume liquor and discard bottles,” he said.
“Kukkarahalli Lake is the city’s property and everyone must strive to protect it. People must come out of the mindset that only the MCC must clean the Lake and its surroundings,” he added.
Later, the garbage was shifted to the MCC’s Excel Solid Waste Treatment Plant at Vidyaranyapuram and MCC trucks carried the waste.
This post was published on April 30, 2019 7:51 pm