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BBMP pushing lakes for entertainment (www.citizenmatters.in)

Extract of the article

In Puttenahalli, residents have managed to stop BBMP's plan to build a bridge over the Puttenahalli lake. Residents here have been working with the BBMP for around two years to revive the lake and have formed PNLIT (Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust) for this. Local Corporator L Ramesh had mooted the idea of building a bridge
from the walkway of the lake to the island in the middle of the lake. "It would be nice to let people go into the island and get a good view of the lake," says L Ramesh.

PNLIT member Usha Rajagopalan says that the project would drive away birds. "There are about 45 bird species, local and migrant, that are visiting the island and areas around the lake. Presence of people will drive them away and also cause the lake to be littered," she says. Usha says that PNLIT's plan itself was to develop the lake as a bird sanctuary, and that trees were planted in the island for this. "The issue is of BBMP looking at lake development from the perspective of entertainment to public. BBMP does not consider the eco-perspective," she says.

L Ramesh says that the project has been dropped due to residents' protest and also since there are not enough funds allocated in the budget for the lake. "BBMP has only Rs 25 lakh funding for the lake this year, which we will use for installing lights around it. The bridge project has been completely dropped," he says.