Nature lovers and environmentalists in city are a cheered lot as the chain linked fence errtected along the bund of Kukkarahalli Lake will be removed by the University of Mysore following a prolonged agitation by them accompanied by media campaign.

Prof. K.S.Rangappa, VC of the University of Mysore, who yesterday visited the lake to take stock of the situation, expressed dismay over the erection of the fence which marred the beauty of the lake. He said that he would discuss the issue with the activists and resolve it at the earliest.

Prof. Rangappa also announced that a Kukkarahalli Lake Development Committee would be constituted to ensure that the habitat of the lake was maintained in its pristine form.

Environmentalist U.N.Ravikumar, artist Badal Nanjundaswamy and K.Manu of Mysore Amateur Naturalists (MAN) said that the lake should be conserved as an Open Air Natural Environmental Laboratory and any development should not impact the natural bird habitat.

Meanwhile, members of MAN pointed out that there were nearly 200 species of birds that roosted in the lake as per the survey conducted in the past and the lake was recognised as an important bird habitat by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Bird Life International in 2005 and regretted that the lake had seen bad days due to relentless anthropogenic pressure by way of Human-Centric Development works which continuously ignored the requirements of the birds.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore