By January, Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bengaluru will sport a mini Niagara Falls. The artificial waterfall will be 120 feet wide and the water will fall from a height of 25 feet.
The State’s Horticulture Department has funded Rs. 2.7 crores for the waterfall project. The Public Works Department has been working on the project for a whole year.
It is being built near the Lalbagh Lake and the water from the lake will be used for the cascading effect. It has been reported trail runs will be conducted in a fortnight.
A member of the Advisory Committee, D. N. Ravi said, “Apart from drawing visitors, the waterfall will help get rid of microscopic algae which have rendered the lake water greenish and are a threat to aquatic life. Untreated sewage and sediments on the lake bed are sources of nitrogen and phosphorus, which have contributed to exponential growth of algal cells. Excess algae in water prevents sunlight from entering its depths. Also, greenish water prevents birds from spotting and catching fish, because of which their numbers have come down in the lake’s vicinity.”
The project is aimed at improving the lake’s flora and fauna by reducing algae and not using chemicals. To recreate the Niagara falls, a 250 HP motor is used to pump the water from the big lake to the small lake.
The Department of parks and gardens hope the new addition to the Lalbagh gardens will attract tourists and people from the city.
