Rejuvenated Gujjarakere water is not potable, says report

Though Gujjarakere in Jeppu received a fresh lease of life under Smart City Mission, the water in the lake is not potable, a report on water samples tested at the College of Fisheries has revealed.

Though officials had succeeded in plugging sewage entering the lake, coliform count and faecal coliform count in the water of Gujjarakere were found to be above the permissible limits, according to a test conducted at Fisheries College.

Nemu Kottari of Gujjarakere Theertha Samrakshana Vedike charges that even after rejuvenating the lake, no steps had been taken to purify water in the lake.

In fact, the samples that were tested on July 9, 2021, too had confirmed the presence of coliform and faecal coliform count.

Even after conducting the dredging of the lake the total coliform count in the water sample was found to have increased when tested on April 29. These reports are a matter of concern, said local residents.

They alleged that the UGD works were not conducted in a scientific manner. The lake, spread over 3.4 acres, has a history of over 1,800 years and had remained ignored for decades.

Gujjarakere Theertha Samrakshana Samiti’s campaign on saving and rejuvenating the lake yielded results, with the work being taken up under Mangaluru Smart City Mission.

Gujjarakere was a source of drinking water in the past and linked with the religious ceremonies of Mangaladevi and Marigudi temples.

During the Deepotsava of Mangaladevi Temple, the chariot passes near the lake and proceeds towards ‘Gujjarakere Katte’, a pedestal near the lake where the procession idol of the presiding deity is worshipped.

Nature lovers in the vicinity of Gujjarakere have alleged that the lake has turned into a place for illegal activities. Miscreants are seen consuming alcohol and smoking at night.

The locals said, as per the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development (Amendment Act) Section 12, about 30 metres around the lake should be declared a buffer zone.

The local authorities should clear all encroachments which were facilitating the release of sewage into the lake, they added.