Rejuvenation of dying lakes begin

Rejuvenation of dying lakes begin
Bangalore, DH News Service:
Thursday, May 28, 2009, 1:30 [IST]

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday inaugurated the programme to rejuvenate the fast dying lakes in the City.


The first phase will include 31 lakes around Bangalore, of which, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will begin the work on 12.

“We have allocated over Rs 104 crore for the redevelopment of these 12 lakes. Perhaps if the previous government had taken a keen interest as this Government, then may be the cost would have been only Rs 25 crore,” Yeddyurappa said.

Under the BDA, the lakes will be redeveloped in one year. “I assure you that by the end of these 12 months, I will be back to inaugurate the lake for public usage,” he said. Approved by a special committee constituted under Yellappa Reddy, the 12 lakes taken up by the BDA for redevelopment has been allocated a sum of Rs 104.61 crore by the Government.

Present at the event, Minister In-Charge for Bangalore (South), Katta Subramanya Naidu said, a total of 378 lakes would be redeveloped in the next two to three years.

Minister In-Charge Bangalore (North), R Ashok blaming the previous governments said, “If you consider the statistics, the number of lakes closed by the previous government is itself higher than those closed by private enterprises.” He added that the 100 lakes within the core area of the City will be redeveloped in the 2nd and 3rd phase of this work.

Other projects

The chief minister said, henceforth nearly 2,000 people from poor families, in villages and cities will be given free treatment for cardiac problems at the Jayadeva Hospital in Bangalore. “I have often seen and wondered what the poor man would have to do to get operated for his cardiac trouble. Hence we have decided to provide free medical treatment for 2,000 people every year from the State,” Yeddyurappa said.

Besides, the scheme of providing monetary aid to SC/ST students scoring 75 per cent marks in SSLC, currently restricted to girls, is likely to be extended to boys as well. “The scheme will ensure that 36,000 children in the State will be given Rs 10,000 each for further studies,” he said.

Weekly trip to slums

After the weekly review of development works that seems to be put on hold indefinitely, the CM Yeddyurappa has now promised to visit slums in the City every week and try to look into the works taking place there.

“I wish to tell our BDA Commissioner Siddaiah that every week I will be visiting one slum in the City and look into the troubles there,” he said.