Protect Kolleru from sharks, Narayana urges PM

The Communist Party of India on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct the authorities concerned to take up restoration of Kolleru lake.

In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister in Parliament, Cpi state secretary K Narayana sought effective steps to stop encroachment of the lake. Expressing concern over the occupation of 80,000 acres of the lake bed, he said the corrupt Revenue and Forest Department officials were behind the encroachment.

Narayana said the Cpi is fighting for effective implementation of the provisions of GO Ms 120 issued by the State Government for protection of the Kolleru lake from being degraded and deteriorated.

Kolleru had been declared a bird sanctuary under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, enacted by Parliament as part of the obligation to an international convention to protect ‘wetland ecosystems' from disintegration.

The Cpi leader also urged the Prime Minister to retain the size of the Kolleru bird sanctuary to Contour + 5 to protect diverse flora and fauna.

According to sources, the State Assembly, in a resolution, reduced the size of the Kolleru Bird Sanctuary from Contour + 5 to Contour + 3. The Centre had appointed a committee to look into the issue.Cpi leader D Raja and Aziz Pasha were also present.