Amidst tales of lakes in the city disappearing due to pollution and greed, it is heartening to hear of a lake that has come back to life through the efforts of citizens. Four years after a trust was set up to revive the lake and make it a green space for the public, Chinnapanahalli Lake gets more than a thousand visitors everyday. A senior citizens' park was inaugurated at the vicinity of the lake on Friday.
The park has several species of trees, stone benches, gazebos and a 350 m long pathway for senior citizens to walk around. "Most of the people who frequent the park are senior citizens, so we thought we should have something for them. While a 1-km long stretch around the park is used by joggers, it is not easy for some senior citizens to cover the entire stretch. We have designed a smaller pathway for their benefit," said Prabhashankar Rai, president and managing trustee of Chinnappanahalli Lake Development Trust.
The lake and its surroundings attract a number of people looking for some greenery and a quiet space to walk. Ramesh Puttanna (60), a retired DRDO official staying at ACES Layout, said he and his wife went for an walk around the lake every evening. "The area around the lake has around 2,500 plants, of which close to 500 are of medicinal value. There are lots of flowering plants as well," said Mr. Puttanna. “The park will provide a safe place for the elderly to exercise and enjoy greenery,” he added.
A few hundred volunteers from General Motors came forward to plant saplings and clean the surroundings around the lake on the occasion.
