Boating project meant to protect water body sinks

HASSAN: A bus stand and boating spot were two dream projects envisaged for Hassan. While the city has got a new KSRTC bus stand at Channapatnakere, the boating project meant to protect a lake appears to have sunk, and along with it apparently Rs 3.28 crore spent on it so far.
The project was to come up adjacent to the bus stand. But part of the funds remains unutilized with the district administration and the project is in limbo.
Incidentally, the bus stand has come up on what was once a lake in Channapatnakere. The initial idea was to either revive the lake or start a boating spot so that the water body remained protected. However, only a bus stand came in its place.
The boating project was approved to protect the lake. In 2006, Hassan Urban Development Authority spent Rs 3.28 crore on it but later stopped it without attributing any reason. Rest of the Rs 5 crore allocated for it is lying with the district administration. Deputy commissioner KP Mohanraj declined to speak on the matter.
Environmentalist HL Vijay Kumar Sharma says the boating spot was an awaited project in the city.
"There was no opposition for bus stand construction because the remaining space was kept aside for the water body. Now there are only bushes and waste being dumped there. In the name of development, water bodies have been destroyed," he said.
"We didn't worry when the bus stand was constructed by covering the lake. For, there was a proposal for boating spot and we thought it would be a good recreational facility for the city. Also, the lake was getting protected by the project. However, both plans have failed. Neither has the government fund been fully utilized nor have they developed it," says Ravi,a resident of Channapatnakere.