Members of the Mysuru Kannada Vedike protested near Karanji Lake on Thursday against what they alleged was unauthorised construction of a water park beside Mysuru Zoo and within an environmentally sensitive area. The organisation said the project could affect wildlife and biodiversity around the zoo and lake, and called for an immediate halt to the work.
The protesters alleged that the water park was being built alongside the zoo wall in a manner that could harm the biodiversity of the Karanji Lake area. They also claimed that permissions from the zoo authority and the Forest Department had not been obtained. These claims were made by the protesters and were reported by Prajavani; the report did not include a response from the district administration, the zoo authority, the Forest Department or the project developer.
S. Balakrishna, president of the Mysuru Kannada Vedike, said Mysuru Zoo and its surrounding areas provide a safe habitat for rare wildlife and birds, including species facing the threat of extinction. He said the zoo’s surrounding area had been declared a silence zone, but increasing vehicle noise on the route to Chamundi Hill and the expansion of residential layouts were already creating disturbance for animals and birds.
The protest organisation said construction of a water park next to the zoo wall could add further pressure to the area. It argued that the project should not proceed in a location connected to the lake’s ecological system and demanded that the work be stopped and the facility shifted elsewhere.
The allegations place the dispute within a wider urban land-use question: how construction and recreational development are regulated around zoological parks, wetlands and other sensitive public landscapes. In such locations, the impact of a project can extend beyond its site through noise, traffic, lighting, waste, water demand and changes to surrounding activity. The source report, however, did not provide details of the project’s size, developer, construction approval, environmental permissions or current stage of work.
The protesters also accused the district administration and the zoo authority of remaining silent over the alleged violations, saying this had created doubts about oversight. They demanded an inquiry into those responsible for what they described as rule-breaking construction and sought measures to protect the animals and birds in the zoo and Karanji Lake areas.
The organisation warned that it would intensify its protest if the government did not take immediate action. The report did not specify whether the administration had issued a stop-work order, begun an inspection or announced a formal response. Further action by the district administration, the zoo authority and the Forest Department will determine whether the construction has the required approvals and what steps, if any, will follow.
