On 27th June Minor Irrigation Minister Shri Puttaraju visited Agara Lake, in the recent amendments to the Tank Development Act replacing Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) with Minor Irrigation as regulatory authority.
Even though many Citizens & Lake Activist are opposing the amendments citing the lack of expertise in Minor Irrigation Department and that Urban Lakes are different from Rural Lakes, ALPMS team had invited the Minister vie RS MP Kupendra Reddy to visit the revived Lake which is today a benchmark for most Lakes in Bengaluru.
'Agara Lake Protection and Management Society (ALPMS) the citizen group that has been campaigning for revival of the Lake for over 5 years also requested the Minister to looking into shifting of the RTO vehicles on service road that are creating a huge problem for Lake visitor and also submitted a memorandum asking the Minister to inform BDA to create parking space for Lake visitor vehicles under the flyover and also apprised the Minister about the need for regular funds for maintenance of the Lake' said Kavitha Reddy Lake Activist & VP ALPMS.
LDA & Forest Department officials and ALPMS Team was present during the visit and CEO and LDA Smt Seema Garg spoke about the uniqueness of the Lake and its revival process and citizen involvement.