The name Kukkanahalli Kere at once brings in the names of R.K Narayan and KUVEMPU who spent their evenings watching the sunset while writing some of their best literary works. Thousands of strollers over generations have enjoyed the serene beauty of the lake having their walk around the lake and improved their health.
Over the last couple of years the lake has steadily deteriorated with foul smell making it impossible for strollers to walk around the lake.
Just who is looking after the lake?Honestly nobody is clear about it. Whosoever it is they are doinga terrible job of it!
Some say it is the University of Mysore ( Uom). There is a Lake AdvisoryCommittee with Dr. Jayaramiah, from the faculty who on his own has been raising concerns every now and then. From time to time, the C.M. has made announcements that Rs 5 crores was being released for the upkeep of the lake.The Mysore City Corporation also seems to be one of the parties involved in the maintanance of the same.
It is only just a matter of time before the lake becomes a dirty lake spreading bacteria and becoming a health hazard if something is not done quickly - meaning NOW.
The question is- why is a single body not entrusted with the job of monitoring round the clock making sure no effluents flow int o the lake, making sure no sewage flows in to it ? We need a Kukkanahalli kere Lake Authority ( KLA) empowered with the simple task of saving it with experts who have done similar job with budget from Government. It is not a University's job to maintain a lake. That's for sure. You need somebody like Pushkar who turneded Karanji Kere on its head and is one of the best spots in Mysore comparable with any other lake in the world.
Otherwsie we can start writing the epitaph for the kere..
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Comments
kukkanahaLLi
dont two major gunDis flow into into it? one from kuvempunagar side on the south, the other from jayalakshmipuram from the north? what i mean to say is this is not a koLa its a kere. so it will prolly take a village to take care of it and UoM by its self can only do superficial stuff. think eventually they will have to add some of treatment sites on both sides.
do you know if it has been declared a heritage site? that might hopefully make some long term impact.
SO ERR sir, what is this pushkar? what did they do?
are there any public domain documents that i can read on pushkar and on ku.kere?
Kukkanahalli
Thank you for your comment, Tarle subbabhatta.
Mr. Pushkar is an IAS officer who was in charge of Mysore zoo and Karanji lake during 2003-2005. Karanji Lake had all dried up and was stinking.The place was even closed for public. Mr. Pushkar and his team worked to clean up the lake, surroundings, laid new path ways; An aviory was constructed so birds could fly and yet within the confines .Within a year of their hard work, the result was there to see. The water body became clean so migratory birds started flying-in. Along the lush greenery , they provided stone picnic tables, clean drinking water and pay-toilets. As you walk you really start wondering whether you are in Mysore.
Karanji Lake is still maintained and you will find hundreds of visitors especially during weekends. Pushkar an IAS officer from Bihar was transferred to Bidar / Gulbarga bythe then Chief Minister Mr. Dharam Singh. I am sure he would turn Kukkanahalli lake on its head
kukkanahalli
thanks sir,
but kukkanahalli has inputs, which i dont think karanji has. that actually makes me curious. where does all the water from betta and surrounding hills actually flow into? i cant believe all that water just seeps into the land below the hills. but that i will figure out later.
so somebody has to control/monitor/clean the flow into kk. my point is topography of mysore must have created some sinks. and the only way to sustain those sinks is to pursue the cathcments.
Kukkanahalli Kere
TS,
Like you and Arun had made a proposal to beautify some of the roads adding value to the heritage aspect of the city. If by using Google pictures and getting details from Gouri Sathya , Bapu Sathanarayana and Prof. Jayaramiah, a proposal could be as to how to do something on a permanent basis. Right now works goes on ina sporadic manner like they sprayed some chemicals to remove the stench.Now a contractor has promised he will desilt the lake. Basically there is no single nodal agency to look into all aspects such as sewage flowing in from Paduvarahalli, effluents from some industrial units etc and plan for the upkeep on a regular basis.