Mangaluru (The Hindu): District in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai on Friday asked the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to initiate the process of developing Baggundi lake in Baikampady with the participation of industries in the region.

He also directed the officials of the Revenue Department to search the land records as to find out the exact nature of ownership of the lake since the area surrounding it was said to have been allotted to Jayaprakash Engineering and Steel Company (JESCO).

The Minister was on a visit to Baggundi lake that has been contaminated by industrial effluents flowing from many industries in the Baikampady Industrial Area that later join the Phalguni (Gurupura) river. He said major industries like MRPL, BASF, NMPT, and others could chip in contributions through their Corporate Social Responsibility Funds for the development of the lake.

Gaurav Hegde from Kanara Small Industries Association informed the Minister that only about 13 acres is shown as lake while at present, the area has expanded considerably. The government has to hasten the legal proceedings before the High Court to get the land allotment to JESCO cancelled before rejuvenating the lake. The land has to come back to Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board, the Minister was told.

Mr. Hegde told The Hindu that the association had prepared an elaborate plan earlier for the overall development of the lake and make it a tourist spot for Mangaluru. That plan can be revived any time, he said.

B.A. Mohiuddin Bava, MLA for Mangaluru North and senior officials were present.