District Minister S.T. Somashekar visits rejuvenated Hebbal Lake

Mysore/Mysuru: The Mysuru District Administration has been directed to look for sponsorships from various industry bodies and companies to rejuvenate Lakes under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. District Minister S.T. Somashekar was speaking to reporters at the once dead Hebbal Lake that has been given a new lease of life by Infosys Foundation. The Lake has been rejuvenated in the biggest and successful lake conservation project under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model in the State.

Infosys Foundation joined hands with the Mysuru District Administration and other stakeholders and has conserved the 48-acre Lake after the Foundation pumped in a whopping  Rs. 30 crore funding for restoration works under CSR funds. The Lake campus has been beautified, re-attracting various species of birds.

The Lake now sports a walking and a jogging path, stone benches for walkers and a clean 2.2-km walking path has been laid and fences have been built around the Lake to prevent encroachments. Even a Sewage Treatment Plant has been established to take in the waste water and release treated water into the Lake. 

“I have asked the authorities to approach companies in and around Mysuru to sanction their CSR funds to develop Lakes like Devanur Lake, Dalvoy Lake and other water bodies,” he said.

Lauding the Infosys Foundation for rejuvenating the Hebbal Lake, the Minister said in the coming days, the stakeholders of the Foundation would be honoured for this work. This is a classic example of how a Lake can be restored. They have rejuvenated a Lake in Chandigarh too and both Hebbal Lake and Chandigarh Lake have turned into tourist attraction and a bird paradise, the Minister added. MLA L. Nagendra, MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, BJP State General Secretary M. Rajendra, City BJP President Srivatsa and officials from Minor Irrigation Department were present.