Kukkarahalli Lake: There are common sense ways to save it

Sir,

Thanks for arousing the interest of the citizens of Mysuru in conserving the Kukkarahalli Lake. The conservation of the Lake has sparked discussions and raised several important points.

The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has hired INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), a consulting firm from New Delhi, to assist with the conservation efforts.

The cost of this consulting service, amounting to Rs. 63.80 lakh, has led to questions about the prudent use of tax-payers’ money. Some argue that local expertise could have been tapped instead.

The Lake spans approximately 200 acres and the University of Mysore (UoM) is the custodian of the Lake where the Forest Department has also a say.

MUDA’s primary responsibility lies in providing house sites to the needy on a no-profit or no-loss basis, and its involvement in Lake conservation may be questionable. Many feel that MUDA should not have interfered in this.

Some self-proclaimed experts have propagated misinformation, claiming that the dead Poornaiah Canal serves as the primary water source for the Lake. I live nearby and have not seen water flowing into the Lake from the Poornaiah Canal in the last 60 years.

The Lake received water from several small creeks during rainy season, but unfortunately, these creeks are now choked up. For example, there was one creek that ran from the side of the University Printing Press, another from Kalamandira and a third from the UoM Pavilion.

The storm water drain from Paduvarahalli and Vontikoppal, contaminated with sewage, continues to adversely affect the Lake. Given the topographical characteristics, reviving the Lake appears unlikely without pumping Cauvery water from Vani Vilas water storage facility.