CM to Chair Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Meeting Soon: Minister N.S. Boseraju
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 convened under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. In preparation, a meeting was held on Monday at Vidhana Soudha under the Chairmanship of N.S. Boseraju, Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology, to review departmental coordination efforts and discuss strategies for revenue generation and conservation of water bodies.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary to the Government, Mrs. Shalini Rajneesh, along with senior officials from various departments.
Focus on Water Body Conservation:
The Minister emphasised the importance of conserving and effectively managing the state’s 40,000 water bodies as a means to enhance groundwater levels. He called for robust interdepartmental coordination to address conservation challenges and highlighted the need to identify revenue streams, such as fishing, floating solar installations, and boating activities, to support water body management efforts.
Upcoming CM-led Meeting:
As the Chairman of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority, CM Siddaramaiah will soon preside over a key meeting to finalize critical decisions related to lake conservation and development. Departments have been instructed to prepare detailed reports on issues requiring CM’s approval.
Revival of Lake Users’ Associations:
The Minister also underscored the importance of reviving Lake Users’ Associations, as proposed in the previous state budget. Officials have been directed to draft the necessary proposals to bring this initiative to fruition.
Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Minor Irrigation Department Secretary Raghavan, and representatives from the Finance, Law, Cooperation, Urban Planning, and Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority departments were present in the meeting.