NGO's efforts to save kalyani may go waste as realtors eye it

The Chemist Brigade, which breathed life into a dying kalyani (temple tank) at Vasanthapura near Isro Layout in Bengaluru South is now facing a new challenge.

Not a single drop of water during the recent spell of rain went into it, raising doubts over some foul play. Earlier, attempts were made to grab the archaeologically significant kalyani, which was built by Chatrapati Shivaji’s father Sahaji Maharaj some 350 years ago.

Since July this year, the Chemist Brigade, an enthusiastic group of medical shop owners who are taking up various social activities, has been cleaning up the kalyani. The temple tank fell into neglect due to the apathetic attitude of the Muzrai department. Weeds grew, offering a safe haven to poisonous insects, while construction workers frequented there for open defecation.

With the help of snake catchers like Vallish Vasuki, the Chemist Brigade cleared the area of snakes and other harmful insects. Later, they weeded the entire area and gave a facelift to the tank. As the stormwater drains have been encroached upon, the Brigade created an alternative waterway for rainwater from the road to fill the tank.

On Saturday, when members of the Brigade reached there, they were surprised that the water level in the tank had gone down substantially, despite the torrential rain in the last few days.

Prasad Medappa, convenor of Chemist Brigade, expressed doubts over the manner water disappeared from the tank spread over two acres.

“There’s a systematic attempt to kill this tank. We have worked so hard in the last four months to revive the tank, but some people are sabotaging our efforts,” said Medappa.

There was an attempt to fill the tank with mud, reduce its expanse by three-fourths and construct an approach road cutting through the tank to benefit some realtors. The Muzrai department too had given its consent to the project that would have destroyed the tank.