http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/poll-promise-to-downsize-lake-takes-a-heavy-toll-on-kolleru/article6676691.ece
NATIONAL » ANDHRA PRADESH
ELURU, December 9, 2014
Updated: December 9, 2014 23:53 IST
Poll promise to downsize lake takes a heavy toll on Kolleru
THE HINDU
Pelicans at Atapaka Bird Sanctuary in Kolleru Lake in Krishna District. Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar
The election-eve promise of the ruling TDP-BJP combine to downsize the Kolleru lake seems to be taking a heavy toll on the bird sanctuary.
Eying around 2 lakh voters in nine mandals of West Godavari and two mandals in Krishna district falling under the lake, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu made a joint statement from an election rally in Bhimavaram to reduce the wildlife sanctuary area from the +five contour to +three contour. The move is intended to release an extent of 30,000 acres of land from the sanctuary area for fish farming by the native fishing communities. Eluru MP Maganti Venkateswara Rao of the TDP a few days ago led a delegation of fishermen from the villages inside the lake to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an appeal to prevail upon the National Board for Wildlife, headed by Mr. Modi himself, to consider their demand.
A considerable number of MLAs and MPs, including a prominent Minister, are reported to have stakes, either overtly or covertly, in the annual Rs. 2,000 cr. pisciculture business in the Kolleru lake. It all created an adverse environment for the agencies entrusted with the protection of the Kolleru which figures in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance, as a wildlife sanctuary in line with the High Court’s directions.
According to information, fishponds re-emerged on more than 80 per cent of 14,000-odd acres of zeraiti (private) lands in the prohibited sanctuary area after demolitions during the operation Kolleru programme in 2006. The alleged failure of the government to follow the due process of acquiring these lands by extending compensation to the land owners is said to be the reason for restoration of pisciculture in these patches. Zeraiti lands apart, the government lands in the +five contour are also allegedly subjected to encroachments for fish farming on a large scale in the recent past.
A Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Wildlife Division, Srinivasa Rao, was placed under suspension sometime ago for his alleged nexus with encroachers, resulting in restoration of fishponds in Pidichintapadu area. When the Forest personnel dismantled a prawn culturing pond built in 150 acres in government lands inside the sanctuary at Chatakai under Bhujabalapatnam gram panchayat of Krishna district a few days ago, a Minister was alleged to have pressurized the official top brass to condone the encroachers.
Updated: December 24, 2014 01:07 IST
Assembly to urge Centre to reduce Kolleru contour level
THE HINDU
A view of Kolleru Lake at Pandiripalligudem village near Kollitetiikota in Krishna District. Photo: Ch. Vijaya BhaskarAdopts unanimous resolution in this regard to mitigate the problems of farmers. Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said YSR had only implemented the Supreme Court directive and removed encroachments in the lake.
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution to request the National Board of Wildlife, Union government and the Central Empowered Committee to recommend reduction of the boundary of Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary from +5 contour to +3 contour to mitigate the problems of farmers.
The resolution focused on the affected livelihood of farmers after the Kolleru lake was declared a wildlife sanctuary up to +5 contour in 1999 and the inability of the State to pay compensation for the acquired lands running into thousands of crores as it would cause heavy financial burden on the exchequer.
But the resolution moved by Forest Minister Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy was not without fireworks as the opposition members sought to know the need for a second resolution when late Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy had already moved one and sent it for consideration of the Centre in 2008.
While Leader of the Opposition Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of unfairly taking credit for the resolution moved by YSR, Mr. Naidu reminded him that it was only after he (Naidu) promised to introduce a private Bill, Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy was compelled to move the resolution to appease Kolleru farmers in the run up to the 2009 elections.
Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said YSR had only implemented the Supreme Court directive and removed encroachments in the lake. But realising the hardships of the farmers and the poor, he moved the resolution in the Assembly on September 4, 2008 for reducing the contour to +3 level. Subsequently, the National Board of Wildlife constituted a committee to study the issue from both the perspectives of farmers and lake conservation. He, however, extended his support to the government resolution.
TODAY'S PAPER » NATIONAL » ANDHRA PRADESH
February 18, 2009Committee fixes contour +3 of Kolleru lake
G.V. Ramana Rao
Activists working to save the lake allege foul play
Maps used in fixing the contour lack legal sanctity, it is alleged
Aquaculture between contours +3 and +5 to hit biodiversity
VIJAYAWADA: A map that is a hodgepodge of several maps available with different departments has been selected to fix the contour + 3 of the country’s unique Kolleru Lake by a committee of officials drawn from the departments of forest, revenue, irrigation and land records, amidst allegations of foul play.
Resolution
It may be recalled that the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, in a unanimous resolution, reduced the size of the Kolleru Bird Sanctuary from Contour + 5 of the lake to Contour + 3, though it was protected under the international Ramsar Convention right up to Contour + 10.
Contour maps
An inter-departmental meeting was called to come to a consensus on the contours of the lake, as there was a lot of variation in the contour maps available with the departments of forest, revenue, irrigation, fisheries and land records.
The committee, comprising Chief Wildlife Warden of Andhra Pradesh, West Godavari district Collector and Joint Collector, Krishna District Revenue Officer, Irrigation Deputy Chief Engineer and Drainage Executive Engineer, at a meeting in Eluru on Saturday, finalised the Contour + 3 in the map prepared by the Kolleru Development Authority in 1981 when Mangapathi Rao was its chairman, and Contour + 5 in the Fish Tank Demolition Map prepared at the advent of Operation Kolleru.
Activists working to save the lake say that the contour map of Kolleru Development Authority is itself a combination of contour maps available with the different departments and lacks legal sanctity.
Aquaculture
They allege that rich fish tank owners would benefit the most by the decision of the committee.
The clearing of aquaculture tanks under Operation Kolleru has resulted in the rejuvenation of the lake, with several species of birds like the Grey and White Pelicans returning there for roosting.
There is a phenomenal increase in the numbers of birds visiting the lake in the different seasons.
Essential zone
According to the Asian Water Fowl Census conducted every year, the bird population increased from 1,056 in 2005 to 75,000 in 2008.
Even the flamingos that are not seen in such environs made a visit to the lake.
Flora and fauna
According to limnologists (specialists in the study of freshwater lakes and ponds), Kolleru Lake is unique because of the diverse flora and fauna between Contour + 3 and + 5.
During summers, the lake shrinks to below Contour + 3 and swells during rainy season to Contour + 5.
Without this zone, the lake loses its uniqueness.
Biodiversity
Even biodiversity experts endorse the view of the limnologists.
Biodiversity Board member V. Bhaskara Ramana Murthy says that the biodiversity of the lake will be affected if aquaculture is allowed in the area between Contours +3 and +5.
Kolleru committee opposes downsizing of lake contours
HYDERABAD: The seven-member committee appointed to look into the possibility of downsizing the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary, spread across Krishna and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh, has ruled against reducing the sanctuary area from +5 feet contour to +3 feet contour.
Stating that this is "not viable", the committee constituted in 2010 by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has said that shrinking the area "would further worsen the situation of Kolleru," the largest freshwater lake in India. Besides, the committee feared that most of the lake-bed would turn into fish tanks, floods would remain incessant, the ecological set-up of the area would degrade and wildlife would suffer serious damages, in case the sanctuary area is shrunk any further.
The report, a copy of which has been accessed by TOI, was submitted to the MoEF earlier this month. It may be recalled that in 2008, the AP state assembly passed a resolution requesting the National Board of Wildlife and the central empowered committee to reduce the boundary of the wildlife sanctuary (from the existing +5 feet contour to +3 feet contour) to "mitigate the problems of farmers" whose livelihoods depended on the area declared as Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary (GO 120) in 1999.
Stating that this is "not viable", the committee constituted in 2010 by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has said that shrinking the area "would further worsen the situation of Kolleru," the largest freshwater lake in India. Besides, the committee feared that most of the lake-bed would turn into fish tanks, floods would remain incessant, the ecological set-up of the area would degrade and wildlife would suffer serious damages, in case the sanctuary area is shrunk any further.
The report, a copy of which has been accessed by TOI, was submitted to the MoEF earlier this month. It may be recalled that in 2008, the AP state assembly passed a resolution requesting the National Board of Wildlife and the central empowered committee to reduce the boundary of the wildlife sanctuary (from the existing +5 feet contour to +3 feet contour) to "mitigate the problems of farmers" whose livelihoods depended on the area declared as Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary (GO 120) in 1999.
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Constitution of committee for conservation of Kolleru lake sanctuary
http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Kolleru%20Lake%20Sanctuary.pdf
Kolleru Lake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2014) |
| కొల్లేరు సరస్సు Kolleru Lake | |
|---|---|
at dusk
| |
| Location | Andhra Pradesh |
| Coordinates | 16°39′N 81°13′ECoordinates: 16°39′N 81°13′E |
| Basin countries | India |
| Surface area | 245 km² |
| Designated: | 19 August 2002 |
Kolleru Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in India located in state of Andhra Pradesh . Kolleru is located between Krishnaand Godavari delta. Kolleru spans into two districts - Krishna and West Godavari. The lake serves as a natural flood-balancing reservoir for these two rivers. The lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru streams, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari systems by over 68 in-flowing drains and channels.this lake is a major tourist attraction. Many birds migrate here in winter, such as Siberian crane, ibis, and painted storks. The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million resident and migratory birds, including the Grey or Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis). The lake was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the international Ramsar Convention. The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of 308 km².[1]
Current state of the lake[edit]
Kolleru lake is suffering from the unsatisfied greed of people and selfish interests of mankind who exploit the lake’s integrity. Thousands of fish tanks were dug up effectively converting the lake into a mere drain. This had great impact in terms of pollution, leading to difficulty in getting drinking water for the local people. This is in addition to the loss of ecological diversity and intrusion of sea water into the land masses and its fallout in terms of adverse influence on the rainfall pattern in this region. This imbalance has an adverse effect on the thousands of acres of crop in the upper reaches of sanctuary in view of stoppages of water flow into the sea because of obstruction by bunds of the fish tanks that appeared illegally.
Satellite images taken on February 9, 2001 by the Indian remote sensing satellite found that approximately 42% of the 245 km² lake was occupied by aquaculture, while agriculture had encroached another 8.5%. The area under aquaculture consisted of 1050 fish ponds within the lake and 38 dried-up fish ponds, which together covered an area of 103 km². The agricultural encroachments were mostly rice paddies. Surprisingly no clear water could be found in the satellite image. The rest of the lake is being diminished by water diversions or was infested with weeds like elephant grass and water hyacinth. Rich in flora and fauna, it attracts migratory birds from northern Asia and Eastern Europe between the months of October and March. During this season, the lake is visited by an estimated 20,00,000 birds. The resident birds include Grey pelicans, Asian Open-billed Storks (Anastomus oscitans), Painted Storks (Mycteria leucocephala), Glossy Ibises, White Ibises, Teals, Pintails, Shovellers. The migratory birds include Red-Crested Pochards, Blackwinged Stilts, Avocets, Common Red shanks, Wigeons, Gadwalls and Cormorants, Garganys, Herons, Flamingos & among others. See the Pictures of Birds at Lake Kolleru at [1].
Kolleru lake contains numerous fertile islets called lanka's,many of the small ones are submerged during floods. The origin of unusual depression which forms the bed of the lake is unknown, but it was possibly the results of an earthquake. Therefore many ancient villages are precepted in the bed of the lake as a result of floods and earthquake.
History[edit]
Two copper plates of the early Pallava dynasty have been found in the lake, tracing its history to Langula Narasimha Deva (Langulya Gajapathi Raju) an Ganga Vanshi Odishaking, (Oddiya/Oriya raju) . According to legend, the Gajapathi fort was located at Kolleti Kota on one of the eastern islands of the lake. The enemy general "muhammadan" probably a Bahamany general encamped at "Chiguru kota" located on the shores. In some ways, the lake protected the Oriya forces. The enemy finally tried to excavate a channel, the modern-day Upputeru, so that the water of the lake would empty into the sea and the level would fall so that they could attack the Gajapathi fort. The royal Oriyaarmy general sacrificed his own daughter to propitiate Gods and ensure his success against Muhammadan and her name was "Perantala Kanama". Therefore the channel was called Perantala Kanama. Sri Peddinti Ammavari Temple(http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=934fc8a991d280132b03e33a0ecf1473&prevstart=0) is one of the oldest and famous temples found in Kolleru. The Suryavanshi Gajapatis of Odisha, on the height of their power in the 15th century, ruled over a kingdom extending from the Ganges river in the north to the Kaveri in the south under Gajapati Kapilendra Deva. But by the early 16th century, the Gajapatis lost great portions of their southern dominion toVijayanagar and Golconda.The Gajapatis were a medieval Hindu Suryavamsi dynasty of Kalinga- Utkal Odisha who ruled large parts of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. During the glorious reign of Kapilendra deva, the first Suryavamsi Gajapati emperor, the boundary of the Kalinga empire (Ancient Odisha) stretched from riverGanges in North to Kaveri in South and from Amarkantak in West to Bay of Bengal(Kalinga Sagara) in east. This lake has a disaster story regarding a quotation many people use it when they lost everything "Na kompa kolleru aiyindi " it meant that back in '50s many of the people of Telaprolu village head family's has invested and boughtlands near kolleru lake due to expansion of lake they lost all their properties.
Sanctuary[edit]
Main article: Atapaka Bird Sanctuary
_at_nest_at_Atapaka_in_Kolleru_W_IMG_3738.jpg)
The sanctuary has the following watch towers for sighting the birds.
Atapaka: 1.5 km from Kaikaluru to see varieties of waterfowl. Murthyraju tank 8 km from Nidamarru East Chodavaram: 53 km from Eluru where Open Bill Storks nest in colonies from July – December.
_in_Kolleru,_AP_W_IMG_4052.jpg)
The sanctuary is approachable from all four sides of the lake by road, directly to the following places.
- Atapaka – 2.5 km from Kaikaluru town
- Bhujabalapatnam - 6 km from Kaikaluru town
- Kovvada Lanka—7 km from Kaikaluru town (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=debb020fc2b1d72f1814d8339518284c&prevstart=12)
- (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=977186538900f1c92b03e33a0ecf1473&prevstart=36)
- Murthiraju Tanks – 8 km from Nidamarru
- Gudivakalanka – 3 km from Gudivakalanka or 15 km from Eluru the recent president of Gudivakalanka is Gantasala Rambabugaru. It is the most beautiful village with customs and traditions. The nearest city is Vijayawada, which is 65 km by road or rail; nearest town is Eluru.
- Prathikola Lanaka or 19 km from Eluru the recent president of Prathikola Lanka is Gantasala Mahalaxman Raju garu. It is the most beautiful village with customs and traditions. The nearest city is Eluru, which is 35 km by road . This village 3d models links
- http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=5aa580760ee3c2e52b03e33a0ecf1473&prevstart=12 (Abhaya Anjaneya swime Temple (25 feet) Prathikola Lanka
- http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=645d386dcf93ba2a2b03e33a0ecf1473&prevstart=0
- http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=8f5a4677a4b6a1662b03e33a0ecf1473&prevstart=0
- http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=c42cfdb2293f22192b03e33a0ecf1473&prevstart=12
- http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=fe5ca54b6cf172262b03e33a0ecf1473&prevstart=12 (Since This Links opens google Earth Software)
Best season to visit: November to March.
Accommodation: Hotels in Eluru, Kaikaluru, Akividu, Bhimavaram and Vijayawada.[2]
Thanks for an excellent write up on Kolleru lake. It is really unfortunate that we have politicians and not the Statemen in our system. Greed has free run over love for nature and conservation. Your efforts are noble, valuable and timely and keep then up. We as IAAB, Hyderabad fully support you. Myself and Dr Vyas have gone for PIL on Pulicut lake and full script of PIL is printed in our last newsletter - Hydrosphere. If oyu could send me your postal address I wi;l amil a copy of the same for your kind reference.
With best regards and good wishes
With you for betterment of ecology and environment
M S Kodarkar, Secretary, IAAB, Hyderabad
website : www.iaabonline.org
If the all powerful YSR Government could not do it, how can we expect the present Government would do that?