AP State Wild Life Board, presided by AP CM, is
reported to have adopted the Resolution to reduce the area of KWLS from contour
level +5 feet to +3 feet. When the
subject matter was discussed in 4 th State Wild Life Board Meeting
held, under Chairmanship of Sri Kiran Kumar Reddy then CM, on 10-05-2011, the
proposal for reduction of KWLS Area was not accepted.
The
State WL Board Resolution for reducing the area of KWLS, is reported
to be coming up for consideration of Standing Committee of National
Board for Wildlife, at its meeting scheduled to be held on 18 th
August 2015. If this proposal is ratified by MOEF&CC GOI, KWLS
Area will be drastically shrunk by bringing about 25,000 acres,
under Aqua Culture & other Activities, which are not congenial to
sustenance of Wild Life Sanctuary.
Dr.Azeez
Committee Report
Dr. Aziz Committee, constituted to study the
proposal of A.P.Govt. for reduction of Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary
from + 5 to + 3 Contour, clearly stated
that the reduction of the area of KWLS is not a viable solution for
various socioeconomic & ecological issues confronting the
Kolleru and It will lead to destruction of a very valuable and
ecologically important &
sensitive area for short
sighted benefits.
22
nd Standing Committee Meeting NBWL
The
Standing Committee of National Board for Wild Life, chaired by then
Minister for Environment and Forests, in its 22 nd. Meeting held on
25-04-2011, accepted the recommendations of Dr. Azeez Committee
Report in Toto.
The
Minister stated, as Chairperson of the Standing Committee, would take
forward the Report as appropriate, to the State Government of AP for
its implementation.
Lack
of Follow up Action by MOEF&CC & AP
Govt.
Even
after Dr.Azeez Committee emphasized the urgent need for conducting
re-survey of boundaries as of now, using advance GPS Technology and to be completed within a period of
18 months, nothing much seems to have happened so far in that
direction, even though more than 4 years have lapsed after accepting
the recommendations of the Committee.
Lack
of Foresight & Wisdom
The
floods resulted by “Cyclone Nilam” of November 2012, in various
drains –Budameru, Tammileru etc.- that empty into Kolleru, have
caused the waters to rise up and cross the +8 Contour. This has
resulted in flooding of several colonies along the banks of Budameru
in Vijayawada City, for several days.
It
is unfortunate that same N. Chandrababu Naidu, the architect of KWLS
in 1999, is behind the Resolution passed by present AP State
Legislative Assembly on 22-12-2014, seeking recommendation of the
National Board for Wildlife for reduction of boundary of KWLS from +5
to +3 Contour.
It
is ironical that AP State Govt. advocating development of newly
formed State &
State Capital on the models of Japan and Singapore, is working
overtime
for
destruction of Kolleru, one of Asia’s most ancient & largest
fresh water lakes and invaluable Wetland Ecosystem
of international importance.
Playing
With Nature can be Disastrous
The
Chief
Minister of AP is reported to have stated that
man-made lake, twice the size of Hyderabad water body “Hussain
Sagar” is
proposed in the new capital of AP. It
cannot be a consolation for vanishing Kolleru Wild Life Sanctuary
spread over about 77,000 acres, with invaluable Wetland Ecosystem of
international importance.
Can
Create A Pond & Not A Wetland Ecosystem ?
Appeal
MOEF&CC and CM, AP Govt may be requested not to go ahead with the reduction of area of KWLS, ignoring recommendations of Dr.Aziz Committee and without consulting Empowered Committee constituted by Supreme Court . The Public opinion needs to be respected before any final decision is
taken regarding reduction of the area of KWLS, instead of Bulldozing .
.jpg)