Threat of encroachment looms large over Anekere Lake in Karkala

A resident of Karkala, N N Jain, has submitted a petition to the chief minister’s office, accusing officials in Karkala Town Municipal Council (TMC) and Minor Irrigation Department of encroaching on the historical Anekere Lake in Karkala.

Anekere, located in the heart of town, was built by then-Bhairarasa King of Karkala, Pandyadeva, in 1262.

The lake has served as the town’s principal water source, charging over 200 wells and irrigating vast paddy fields surrounding the lake.

Anekere has a rich biodiversity with over 60 species of aquatic and other plants.

Studies in the past had revealed the presence of 20 species of freshwater fish, over 14 species of reptiles and 30 species of birds flourishing in the lake, including 10 migratory birds from as far as the Himalayas.

However, in recent years, changes in the surrounding ecology, urbanisation and deposition of silt have destroyed Anekere’s natural beauty.

Pesticide runoff, due to present farming practices and sewage and garbage ended up contaminating the lake.

“Anekere today is covered by the poisonous weed Salvinia molesta,” said former Rotary (District 3182) governor Dr Bharathesh Adiraj, who was closely involved in the cleaning of Anekere lake campaign.

Residents worried

In recent times, there have been many attempts to encroach upon Anekere, spread over 24 acres. Ever since work began on dumping loads of mud in Anekere with the help of heavy machinery, residents and activists have been apprehensive.

G M Rathod, serving as an assistant engineer in the Minor Irrigation Department, told DH that the work had begun on laying a 480 mt long and 1.5 mt wide ‘walking track’ at a total cost of Rs 1.5 crore. The walking track lies parallel to the existing narrow road which connects National Highway 169.

Rathod said that three sides of the lake have a walking track.

“The entire walking track will be completed by end of December,” he added.

If former councillor of Karkala TMC Prakash Rao asserts that it is a road-widening project with zero repercussions, Karkala TMC executive officer Roopa T Shetty and PWD assistant engineer Somashekahr assert that it is not a road-widening project.

Ayurveda practitioner and activist S N Amruth Malla said the officials have remained non-committal as the walking track project has triggered apprehensions among the public.

“The proposed 250 metre long walking stretch will encroach nearly eight acres of Anekere Lake,” he stresses.

Energy Minister and Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar said that he will not allow the lake to be encroached upon even by an inch.

“I have personally visited the site and the apprehensions that the lake is being encroached for road widening are unfounded. Truckloads of mud are being dumped to raise the level of the walking track to the existing level of the road. After the pitching, the excess mud will be removed,” said the MLA.

Amruth Malla said even if the ongoing work is for a walking track, the project still poses a threat to the natural habitat.

Karanth had moved the High Court

In the late nineties, veteran writer Dr Kota Shivarama Karanth had moved a petition in the High Court, against the government’s decision to build a bus stand in Anekere.