Mangaluru: Fund crunch, lack of will and red tape which curtailed rejuvenation of Gujjarakere lake located at Jeppu has been finally lifted, with MLA Mangaluru South , J R Lobo persuading the state’s minor irrigation minister to sanction Rs. 1 crore to fund the rejuvenation of the lake.
The seer of Ramakrishna Mutt Dharma Pradhana along with J R Lobo on Monday launched renovation works of the lake. While, Marigudi temple trustee, Yatish Adyanthaya urged the MLA to handover the maintenance once the work was completed, to the temple, locals said, the work must be complete before upcoming Navratri festivities.
It may be recalled that the lake had been witnessing inordinate delay to reach the end phase due to a fund crunch and had succumbed to bureaucratic bottlenecks. Though locals had put up a fight to renovate the lake since 2000, they were unable to realize their demand. On Monday morning residents of the vicinity lauded local corporator and MLA for considering the unresolved issue with seriousness and getting the fund sanctioned.
Addressing the locals, MLA said, the sanctioned 1 crore should be utilized with care. “I would not wish to make this issue a political achievement as development works are above politics.” He obliquely mocked few politicians for publicizing development works in media, which, according to him was just a political gimmick to remain in news. He requested contractor Puthran to complete the works within October, 2015 to pave the way for temple related programs.
He thanked minor irrigation minister Shivaraj Tangadagi for agreeing to sanction the fund. He conveyed that, usually the department does not release funds for rejuvenation works but repeated persuasions made this possible.
He also pointed at drainage water flowing down to the lake due to which hard hyacinth has been growing and assured Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) would chalk out a scientific solution for the problem. He promised that the demands of the opposition leader in the council, Premananda Shetty, who said that the retaining wall already present, has to be renovated, would be taken into consideration.
Dharma Pradhana blessed the occasion and Mayor Mahabala Marla, local corporator Ratikala, opposition leader of MCC Premananda Shetty and others were present.
