Southern States - Karnataka

Anekere Lake under threat from `Salvinia'

By Ganesh Prabhu

Karkala June 28. The dangerous Salvinia weed has covered most of the Anekere Lake in Karkala. The lake, which is rich in biodiversity, has a history of its own. The 25-acre picturesque lake was built by Pandyadeva, a Bhairasa King of Karkala, in 1262.

What makes the lake more attractive is the presence of the Kere Basadi, which was built in the centre of the lake in the 13th Century. Under religious protection of the Basadi, the lake developed its own eco-system teeming with many varieties of life forms, some of which are unique.

The lake has been a home for over 60 species of aquatic and other plants, as many as 20 species of freshwater fish, nearly 14 species of reptiles and over 30 species of birds, which have been flourishing here since long. The lake has been the main source of water, charging over 200 wells in the town, besides irrigating vast paddy and other fields in the nearby areas.

The Collector of South Canara, which then came under the Madras Presidency, in a notification in August 1942, prohibited fishing activities in the lake. The notification clearly stated that catching and taking away fish by any person amounted to theft and he/she was liable for prosecution.

But urbanisation, heavy silt accumulation and other changes in the surrounding habitat in recent years have eroded the original character of the lake. Modern agricultural practices with their excessive reliance on chemical fertilizers and insecticides upstream have contributed to pesticide pollution in the lake. Sewage and garbage from the surrounding areas have added to the problem of pollution. In the last five years, the lake has been under attack from the vicious alien weed called ``Salvinia molesta''. This dangerous weed could completely destroy life forms in the lake and there is a possibility of the lake disappearing.

In a unique citizens' initiative, a project to remove the weed and save the lake was launched under the leadership of the Rotary Club of Karkala in August 1999. Nearly 700 NSS volunteers, 225 schoolchildren and a large number of members of Rotract and other youth clubs and labourers put in their efforts to remove the weed. But the weed re-appeared the following year with renewed intensity. With the result, the lake has been completely swarmed by the weed since then and natural vegetation and perhaps, all the fish have perished.

A sum of Rs.50 lakhs is required for the ecological restoration of the lake. The works will include removing the weed and silt to improve the lake's water holding capacity, carrying out repair works to contour bunds, channelling inflow and outflow systems. The citizens now are determined more than ever to save the lake.

Bharathesh A. of the ``Save Anekere Samiti'' said that the Rotary Foundation had agreed to help and it was expected to provide Rs.4 lakh through a matching grant project. A sum of Rs.50,000 had been collected from the people. But this money was not enough, he said.

The Samiti wanted to take up the ``Save Anekere'' Project after formulating a complete plan as the weed had potential to re-appear unless silt was completely removed from the lake. Even after removing silt, the lake would have to be monitored for the next five years.

The noted ornithologist, S.A.Hussain, who earlier worked at the Bombay Natural History Society, is guiding the ``Save Anekere'' Project.

The Government's response to the proposal has been confined to routine announcements with no follow-up action. Dr. Bharathesh said that the former Chief Minister, M.Veerappa Moily, recently announced that Rs.1 crore would be granted from an Asian Development Bank (ADB) scheme, and Rs.30 lakh from NABARD for removing silt from the lake.

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