Netas posing hurdles to conservation of Kolleru

Hyderabad: Have the directions of the State High Court, Centrally Empowered Committee and the Supreme Court proved to be ineffective in protecting the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary?

If the goings on is any indication and according to the Forest department sources, concerted efforts of a few with the active support of
Netas continue to play havoc with the decade-long efforts to protect the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary, spread in Krishna and West Godavari
districts. “Though some Netas have changed their parties, their policy towards re-claiming Kolleru Lake to encourage fish tanks in the
lake area remained the same,” the sources added.

State Wildlife wing officials claim that fish thanks in about 70,000 acres were demolished way back in 2006, following a direction of the
Supreme Court. Now, in most of those areas fish tanks have re-surfaced. Speaking to The Hans India, a senior official from the Wildlife
department pointed out that the political interference and pressure on the district administration was prevailing so much that it was
planned to demarcate the sanctuary area by constructing about 1,046 boundary pillars around the Kolleru lake way back in 2006. But, so
far, the department could construct only 246.

Even of the 246 pillars, 198 were constructed during 2006-07 and 2007-08 financial years. And, while not a single pillar constructed for
four years, only 48 were added in last two financial years, he said. Similarly, out of ten strategic check posts proposed to regulate the
entry and management of the sanctuary, only six could be completed so far in last nine years, said another wildlife official.

“Political interference has a direct bearing on this tardy progress in the efforts to protect the lake. Cutting across parties, political leaders
have been pitting wildlife officials against the local people, creating law and order problem, making the work and lives of the officials
failing to fall in their line miserable,” said a senior official said.

“It was against this backdrop, the then Principal Secretary, Environment Forests, Science and Technology Janaki R Kondapi had to write
to the then Eluru Congress (now the ruling TDP) MP Kavuri Samba Siva Rao to advise the local agriculturists and landless poor not to
cultivate in the government lands in the Kolleru sanctuary area as was done in the past as it would amount to contempt of court,” he
added.

As a matter of fact, the MP was encouraging the local to go ahead with their fishing activity, the official pointed out. Now, the same role
is being played by the present MP, and several MLAs are openly supporting local people against wildlife protection officials, they argue.
Even IAS officials siding with political bosses and turning their back to IFS officials stalling a proposal to acquire private lands in the
lake area due to political interference were other two areas of concerns pointed out by the forest officials.

The right to way to private persons into the lake area has made a window kept open for those intend to meddle with the lake. Finally,
citing the bifurcation process, a special Wildlife Management Division at Eluru has been wound up and merged with Conservator’s office
at Rajahmundry. As wildlife division headed by an IFS official within an hour of travel distance to the lake area has turned into a hurdle
for the local leaders and those engaged in aquaculture, pisci culture or shrimp culture, the district forest official pointed out.