After remaining mute spectators to the continued degradation of Devanur lake in the city, residents of the surrounding localities gathered near the waterbody on Thursday and staged a demonstration to draw the attention of the authorities to its deplorable condition.
Residents of Rajiv Nagar, Udayagiri, Nagarajappa Enclave, Christian Colony, N.R. Mohalla and other localities gathered on the lakebed holding placards to save the lake, which has become a cesspool of sewage.
The once pristine waterbody was not only the source of water for irrigating the nearby agricultural lands, but also used to attract migratory birds from far and wide. But because of the negligence of the authorities, the storm-water drains, which also bring underground drainage, enter the lake from the eastern and western sides.
With the lake also becoming the dumping ground for garbage and animal waste from meat shops, it has been attracting pigs and dogs. “This is a black spot in the city, which has been adjudged the cleanest city in the country,” said Mohammed Azhar, convener of the Save Devanur Lake Committee.
Stench
With the fresh water channels to the lake choked, sewage water flows endlessly into it. “There is no hope for the lake unless steps are taken immediately. Already, the lake lets out a foul stench and has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This exposes the residents to vector-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya,” said Zaheer Ul Haq, a resident of Udayagiri and another convener of the committee.
Srikante Gowda, a senior citizen who once owned agricultural land nearby, said farmers used to grow crops using water from the lake till a few decades ago. Now, there is no freshwater in the lake, which is flooded with sewage water from Ghousia Nagar, Shanti Nagar, Rajiv Nagar and Udayagiri from the eastern side, and from Jalpuri, Gandhinagar and N.R. Mohalla from the western side, he said.
The committee representatives later submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, requesting the authorities to immediately divert sewage from the lake, set up sewage treatments plants, mark the boundary of the lake as per official records, put up a fence to prevent its encroachment, and develop the lake as a tourist spot along the lines of Karanji lake.
When contacted, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Tanvir Sait, who is also the MLA from the area, said the lake was earlier under the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC). But, a detailed project report prepared by MCC turned out to be faulty. “Now, I have got it transferred to MUDA, which is taking up the matter,” he said.
