Killing of a Bangalore lake

         It was in the year 2010 august there was this exotic birds which came to our lake Iblur and we were all thrilled as the park nearby was also cleaned up and a walking track laid.Papers talked about Lake development Authority and crores being earmarked for fencing,cleaning and rejuvenating Bangalore lakes.We saw some fencing being laid at Agara lake. But smaller Iblur lake held its own with a small circular parisal boat and some odd 5 0r 6 fishermen doing their living by catching fish.I donot know whether fishing was illegal or not but the Lake was tolerably clean inspite of immersions of giant idols of Lord Ganesha and Durga during the poojas.I think these small band of fishermen kept the lake clean so that fish will thrive and they can make a living.There was this Forest Department which will not allow a metalled road to come up surrounding the road on western side which would have benefited immensely as the main Outer ring road was on the eastern side of the lake.I am posting the Youtube links below when the exotic birds were swimming in 2010.
    Iblur Lake with Exotic birds 
    Iblur lake and black ducks 
      This happy situation changed and I think it is because fishing was stopped by the authorirties may be due to lack of bribe or legally some body wanted it to end.Now this has created the Parthenon weed to envelop the whole lake in a matter of just 6 months.The you tube links to the situation as it looks now is better than words.
       Iblur lake with weeds covering

      Iblur Lake with weeds
 
       Whom to blame for this killing of a beautiful lake in just 6 months.? Was the removal of Ex Chief Minister Yediurappa responsible for this paralysis in administration? Politicians,babus,Forest officials who are responsible for this?

Ladies Public toilet

What is the one issue which I will like to see implemented in India? This question was posted by a blogger group.I thought over it for some time and came to this idea of "Ladies Public toilet" as the one area which is deficient in modern India.One can always see on the highways when one travels by bus or train, village ladies getting up from relieving themselves.As my mother was diabetic i know her need for frequent urination and so the need for a Ladies urinal and various ways my father used to become a screen along with young me on the highways.Now when my only daughter being on heavy dose of anti/Psychotics, she also faces this problem and I am an expert in finding ladies Urinals at unlikeliest places in Bangalore.The Mushrooming malls around Bangalore are a great help but when I think of ordinary village women folk and others especially senior citizens suffering from diabetes or Prostate problem then the issue becomes one of public nuisance for other Citizens while it is a life and death issue for those sufferers. To solve this issue one has also to find water in and around highways and so water is a major issue of resource to solve this problem.When Indians do not have clean germ free drinking water throughout India, the question of ladies toilet takes back seat. As a village boy who grew up among the Temples of Tamilnadu, I wonder now how royal ladies of yore could control themselves as it is normally the custom for royals to worship along with commoners in Temples (No ticketed VIP darshan those days).We have a Temple pond called (Teppa kulam) in the center of almost every temple where everyone takes bath before going for worship which is a daily routine amongst Tamils in village.We young kids are not allowed to bathe in the pond and those who know swimming might have urinated in the pond itself.Most of the Temples in North are located on the banks of the river while Tamilnadu does not have so many rivers and so the Teppakulam is the answer for washing before worship. When i visited Hampi ruins recently I was fascinated to see a Toilet seat amongst the ruins (carved out of black stone) which is exhibited in the Hampi national museum.

I do not know where and at what location this was excavated but shows that at least royals had this type of toilet.In Bangalore infrastructure development means flyovers which are not normally used as most of the traffic goes by the side or below the flyover. Signal free corridor to Airport is the Manthra but none talks about Signal free corridor to Kempegowda Bus station or City Railway station or to even any major City Hospital. They talk about ambulances on Highways and so many new fascilities and I hope ladies Toilet for the Public also forms part of the thinking amongst the Indian Highway planners