A Lot at Stake

The Conservator of Forests, Krishna region, Mr. Ramesh Kalghati, made a surprise check in Kolleru lake on 1.7.99 in the wake of reports of large-scale excavations for fish tanks.

The team noticed at several places conversion of lake land into fish ponds by employing high-capacity excavators. Huge fishponds were constructed right along the busy Eluru-Kaikaluru road employing machines. They saw newly built fishponds near Ingilampakalanka, Mooduthallapadu, and Takkallapadu of Mandavalli mandal of Krishna District. The forest team talked to the crew marching the excavators and warned them not to undertake any excavation activity in the lake area, which is prohibited.

The Kolleru fish farmers lobby planned the conversions and timed their operations with the elections so that they could get the support of local politicians.

According to an estimate, over 2,000 acres of land was converted into fish tanks in the prohibited zone of the lake, mainly in Pandiripalligudem, Gummallapadu, Sringavarappadu, Ratnapuram, Korukollu, MM puram, Ingilampadulanka, and Takkallapadu area in Krishna and West Godavari district.

Certainty persists over the final notification declaring 30,040 hectares and a wildlife sanctuary because the Revenue Dept. in both the districts failed to meet the deadline set by the court for the determination of rights of the people living within the proposed sanctuary area.

The conflicting priorities have made the job of the revenue officials difficult. According to an estimate fish tanks existed on 20,000 acres within the proposed sanctuary area and another 15,000 acres was under paddy cultivation. Of the total land under use, 18,000 acres was considered illegal occupation while 16,000 acres was patta land. Above all the Govt. assigned 2,880 acres to the fishermen societies 20 years ago for pisciculture. The society members had been demanding continuation of their activity inspite of the sanctuary. In the mean time the department failed to check fresh conversion of land for fishponds.

A large number of farmers obtained permission from the court to build agriculture bunds, but under the guise of it ponds were formed. The revenue and forest officials were aware of the situation, but they remained helpless.

The Conservator said, a database was being developed with details about the contours, nature of land use, ownership and legal position of the land. He said that there had been a demand for determination of contours in the lake on the ground that there has been considerable change in the topography.

Source: Press report from The Hindu dt. 2.7.99

The APPCB is monitoring the quality of water in the Kolleru Lake regularly. The analysis reports revealed the following:

*	BOD levels are exceeding the permissible limits
*	pH is between 7.0 to 7.5.

* Maximum DO is 6.0 mg/l and minimum is 0.6 mg/l.

* Nutrients are exceeding the permissible limits and hence there is excess weed growth in the lake.