FINALLY! Desilting Begun for Extreme-Makeover of ‘GUJJARAKERE by Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) at a Cost of Rs 4 Crore
Mangaluru: Many ministers, MP’s, MLA’s and MCC Mayors during the last so many years had promised to turn Gujjarakere into something good, but all in vain. The last person to develop and give assurances of developing Gujjarakere was MLA J R Lobo– was before his defeat in the last election. Later it was the turn of the newly elected MLA Vedavyas Kamath to take up the project- but it seems like Mangaluru Smart City Limited has taken up the task to upgrade and beautify this “GUJJARAKERE” and make it useful. Earlier, the residents in the vicinity of Gujjarakere were skeptical saying that they will only believe when the project materializes? And the residents were right, instead of Gujjarakere turning into a “TOURIST SPOT” had turned into a “MOSQUITO BREEDING SPOT”, spreading Malaria and Dengue.
BEFORE…..
But at least there is sigh of relief for the area residents, that the work on revival of Gujjarakere is in progress under the Smart City Mission project, which is a prominent water body in Jeppu is spread over about three acres. The water-body has a history of over 1800 years and remained ignored for many decades. The Gujjarakere Theertha Samrakshana Samithi’s campaign on saving and rejuvenating the water-body almost completes a decade. Every year in the past, we have heard that crores or lakhs of rupees have been sanctioned for the Gujjarakere development, but we have not seen any development. So where has the sanctioned money gone? I bet it went into politicians, MLA’s and area corporators pockets!
PRESENT….
Narayan, a resident of that area speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “Every time they make plans, later the construction is not well planned. The amount of money spent on this lake has gone waste. This was once a Holy place; today drainage water from nearby buildings ends here. Even the steps leading to the lake have cracks, and part of it had collapsed. It’s nice to note that finally, some development work is done to this lake, so it could be useful”.
Nemu Kottari of a Samithi formed to look into the issues of the Lake said; “The work on desilting the lake begun in the first week of April. We want the water body to remain unpolluted and thereby help in improving the ground water table in the vicinity. The fresh lease of life to the lake will certainly improve ecology in the vicinity. Gujjarakere was once the only source of drinking water in the past and associated with the religious ceremonies of the nearby Mangaladevi Temple and Sri Mahisha Mardini Mariyamma Temple. Over the years, with apartments/houses coming up in this area has polluted the lake by draining the sewage into it. Hope we will see some changes now, for a difference”.
Sources reveal that the lake is linked to two distinguished saints, Macchendranatha and Gorakshanatha, who lived in the surrounding areas of Mangaluru. The two of them were celebrated deities of the famous Kadri Sri Manjunatha Temple. This lake is also connected to nearby famous temples like Mahatobara Sri Mangaladevi Temple, Halekote Sri Mariyamma Mahishamardini Temple, Bolar and Sri Gorakshanatha Temple, Gorakshadhand. But the negligence towards this lake by the district administration and MCC had resulted in the dilapidated condition of Gujjarakere. Sources also reveal that during the previous initiatives launched to clean Gujjarekere, labourers had hunted and killed many tortoises that had made the lake as their home. Thus when work begun in early April, Tauseef Ahmed, a animal activist, took upon the responsibility of creating awareness on the need to protect the tortoises which in turn help in keeping these surface water bodies clean. Owing to the awareness, labourers did not massacre the tortoises this time.
It is learnt that, before removing the silt, the impure water was drained to some extent. The rejuvenation proposal covered dredging of the lake to a depth about two metres deep. As part of the revival a walking track around the lake, children’s play area, a public toilet and an open gym have been planned. There will be railings around the lake and the surroundings will be beautified with landscape works, according to the proposal.
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