Chamarajnagar Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Nag and District Legal Services Authority Member Secretary and Senior Civil Judge M. Sridhar on Wednesday inspected various lakes in Chamarajanagar taluk over the issue of encroachments.
Kodimole lake, Nagavalli lake, Jyothigowdanapura lake, Kagalawadi lake, Honganur lake, Hondarabalu lake, and other lakes were inspected.
The lakes come under the jurisdiction of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited and the Minor Irrigation Department. They collected detailed information from the officers on the extent of lakes, encroached portions of the lake, lake development plans and other details at the respective lakes.
The Deputy Commissioner directed the officers to take steps for clearing the encroachments of the water bodies.
During the visit, the local villagers urged the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Civil Judge for directions for developing the lakes.
The villagers also sought action for preventing sewage flow into the lakes.
While directing the officers to ensure cleanliness around the lakes and prevention of sewage entry into the water bodies, the Deputy Commissioner directed the gram panchayat authorities to take steps to prevent the dumping of wastes into the lakes and ensure hygiene.
The Deputy Commissioner also suggested desilting of lakes as per the availability of funds and display of boards.
Ms. Nag said the lakes can be taken up for development and rejuvenation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). By this way the lakes can be revived, she felt.
During the inspection, the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Civil Judge visited the Puttanapura Government Primary School and spoke to the children. The Deputy Commissioner took a Mathematics class for the children.
