Government urged to save Kempambudi Lake

Government urged to save Kempambudi Lake

Staff Reporter

It has been encroached upon by vested interests: samiti

Members representing nearly 40 organisations took out a procession

The samiti’s demands include fencing of the 47-acre lake among others

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Sewage water flowing into the Kempambudi Lake in Bangalore.

BANGALORE: The Kempambudi Kere Ulisi Andolana Samiti on Sunday urged the Government to protect Kempambudi Lake at Gavipuram here from encroachment and restore it to its original glory.

Addressing a gathering on the lake premises, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president T.A. Narayana Gowda said that many lakes and historical monuments built by the erstwhile ruler Kempe Gowda in and around Bangalore had vanished and the existing ones were in a bad shape.

Kempambudi Lake, one among those on the verge of extinction, had been encroached upon by vested interests in the name of development, he alleged.

The former MLA, K.N. Subba Reddy, said that development work of the lake, which started during the time of S.M. Krishna Government, was still incomplete. Every effort should be made to restore the lake, he said.

Among others who spoke included H.S. Doraiswamy, educationist, and K.P. Putturaya, former Director of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science.

The samiti’s demands include fencing of the 47 acre-lake, clearance of unauthorised structures in the lake area, and renaming of the playground after Kempe Gowda.

Earlier, members representing nearly 40 organisations took out a procession from Dodda Ganapati Temple on Bull Temple Road in Basavanagudi to Kempambudi Lake. Holding placards, they passed through the main streets of Hanumanthanagar and Srinagar before reaching the lake.

Sri Chandrashekarnatha Swamiji of Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana and the former MLA, Pramila Nesargi, were present.