The Andhra Pradesh State Wildlife Management authorities have identified that illegal aquaculture activities are going on in a stretch of more than 1,700 acres falling under the purview of Kolleru Lake.
Last week, the Wildlife Management Division of the Forest Department constituted a 52-member task force to identify and raid the illegal aquaculture ponds in the Kolleru Lake area.
The task force, during the raids, found that many groups of locals had excavated patches in the 5th contour of the lake and converted them into aquaculture ponds. Kolleru is Asia’s largest freshwater lake and a Ramsar Convention site.
“We have found illegal aquaculture ponds dug in over 1,700 acres in the 5th contour of the lake. The owners of these ponds are not living by the lake. We have identified illegal aquaculture ponds in nearly 1,500 acres in Bobbili Lanka area, 135 acres in Mallavaram area and 100 acres in Paidichintalapadu area during the two-day raid,” In-charge Division Forest Officer (Wildlife, Eluru) M. Hima Sailaja told The Hindu, adding that all these aquaculture ponds are in Eluru district.
“We have registered cases against the operators of these illegal aquaculture ponds under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. We have received directives from Eluru Collector V. Prasanna Venkatesh to intensify the raids,” added Ms. Hima Sailaja.
She said that the task force would continue the raids. The G.O. no. 120 permits fishing activities in the Kolleru Lake area only for those who are living within the limits of the lake ecosystem.
