AP Chief Minister Bulldozing Kolleru WLS

 

       

 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 .