Lake conservation, development decisions to be taken in CM's meet, says Karnataka minister Boseraju

The Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology, held a review meeting at Vidhana Soudha to assess interdepartmental coordination.

Bengaluru: A high-level meeting of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority, which oversees nearly 40,000 water bodies across the state, will soon be chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, officials announced on Monday.

In preparation, N S Boseraju, Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology, held a review meeting at Vidhana Soudha to assess interdepartmental coordination and discuss strategies for revenue generation and conservation of water bodies, the officials said.

According to a statement from the Minister’s office, Boseraju stressed the importance of conserving and managing the state's water bodies to boost groundwater levels. He urged robust interdepartmental collaboration to tackle conservation challenges and suggested identifying revenue streams such as fishing, floating solar installations, and boating to fund management efforts.

“As the Chairman of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority, CM Siddaramaiah will soon preside over a crucial meeting to finalise decisions on lake conservation and development. Departments have been instructed to submit detailed reports on issues requiring the CM’s approval,” the statement added.

The Minister also highlighted the significance of reviving Lake Users’ Associations, an initiative proposed in the previous state budget. He directed officials to draft proposals to implement the plan effectively.