Activists want MCC to make Gujjarakere water potable

‘This will help restart annual ritual of immersing idols of Mangaladevi and Mariyamma deities’

While activists fighting for the restoration of the old waterbody Gujjarakere at Jeppu in the city are happy over the recent progress made in restoration project, they are demanding that the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) work towards making the water potable. “We are happy that our two-decade fight for restoration of the lake has yielded fruit and the lake is getting back to its gaiety. But the real thing that is needed is to make the water potable which, in turn, will help restart the annual ritual of immersing idols of Mangaladevi and Mariyamma deities at this waterbody,” said Nemu Kottary, the convener of Gujjarakere Theerta Samrakshna Samiti, which has been fighting for restoration of the lake since 2001. In 2007 then district in-charge Minister Krishna J. Palemar initiated the work of building embankment around the lake after clearing debris dumped in the waterbody.