Bharatiya Jain Sanghatan (BJS), a voluntary organisation, which has taken up a project to rejuvenate four lakes in Mysuru, began work on desilting the lake at Mysuru Pinjrapole Society at Chamundi foothills in Mysuru on Sunday.
The process of desilting the lake at Mysuru Pinjrapole Society campus was taken up in the presence of Mysuru District Lake Protection Committee member U.N. Ravi Kumar, who advised and guided the team on the ideal desilting process to be followed while rejuvenating a lake.
Members of the BJS, Mysuru Pinjrapole Society, and others had gathered on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ravi Kumar emphasised the need to protect the eco-system and safeguard the lakes from damage.
National Secretary (Organisation) of BJS, Dinesh Palrecha, and president of Mysuru Pinjrapole Society Mr. Sumathilal Pagaria were among the dignitaries present on the occasion. The Bharatiya Jain Sanghatan had initiated its “Jain Jal Kranthi” project, to ensure not only ensure availability of water, but also fertile silt to nearby farmers from better cultivation of crops.
Described as the “dream project” of BJS founder and leader Shantilalji Muttha, the ‘Jain Jal Kranthi’ launched its initiative on April 15 by desilting the lake at T. Katoor.
“More than 1,300 truckloads of fertile silt has been availed by the farmers neighbouring the village so far,” said a statement from the organisers.
Work on rejuvenating the second lake at Gujje Gowdanapura commenced on April 17. “Here too there is a good demand for the fertile soil and the farmers are enthusiastically supporting the project by carting off fertile silk in their tractors to their lands. Nearly, 1,200 tractor loads of fertile soil have been excavated by BJS so far, thereby increasing the water storage capacity of the lake,” said a statement from the project co-ordinator Prakash Gulecha.
Work on the rejuvenation of the third lake under the project was inaugurated at Gollanbeedu Sargur on Bogadi Road in Mysuru on April 21 on the occasion of Bhagwan Sri Mahaveer Jain Kalyanak Mahotsav. “The farmers here are also happily and continuously carting the silt by loading it on their tractors,” Mr. Gulecha said in the statement.
The desilting of the lakes will continue until there is a good demand for the fertile silt from the farmers. “This desilting process aims to improve the water storage capacity of the lakes, improve groundwater table as well as make available fertile silt to the farmers,” he said.
While the lake rejuvenation project has been sponsored by Abhay Firodia, a statement from the organisers said Mr. Ravi Kumar has been visiting the project sites regularly along with members of BJS.
