The network of over 800 lakes built by Bengaluru founder Kempe Gowda, which were once part of the Garden City’s heritage, are likely to be part of the political agenda this time for elections to BBMP as well as the State Assembly.
Some experts and scientists who are keen to not just protect the existing lakes from encroachment, but also revive at least a few of the extinct lakes, are making efforts to ensure that the issue becomes part of the citizens’ poll agenda so that there would be pressure on political parties to act.
For a start, some experts, students’ organisations, farmers’ and labour leaders and a few political personalities have come together to hold a brainstorming session on Bengaluru city becoming a city of “vanishing lakes” from being a city that once benefitted from the network of over 800 lakes.
The session is scheduled on June 5 to mark the World Environment Day. Also, it is being held in Yelahanka, believed to be the place of action of Kempe Gowda.
Agricultural economist and former chairman of Karnataka Agricultural Prices Commission T.N. Prakash Kammaradi, who is playing a key role in the initiative, expressed concern over the lakes that were part of the rich heritage of Bengaluru being lost due to encroachments. “Bengaluru city could not have become such a developed city without the huge network of lakes build scientifically by Kempe Gowda who ruled in 16th Century. There is a dire need to understand the vision in a bid to prevent further encroachment of the surviving lakes,” he said.
“It is very unfortunate that such a serious issue, which is central to the existence and development of Bengaluru city, is not on the top of political agenda when it comes to elections,” he said, and suggests that AAP, which is trying to set its foot in Karnataka, should include this in its poll agenda.
However, the proposed brainstorming session on Environment Day is apolitical as people from various walks of life are participating in it. Cine actor-turned environmentalist Suresh Heblikar is inaugurating the event. AAP State convener Prithvi Reddy, farmers’ leader G.G. Halli Narayanaswamy, IT consultant Pratap Hegde, and labour leader L. Kalappa would participate in the event.
