Local communities resumed renovation works of wooden bridge on Kolleru lake under the Pandiripalli panchayat limits in Krishna District.
The forest official representing Wildlife Management Circle, Eluru, had suspended the works related to replacing the wood with iron material of the bridge, citing violation of existing laws. The village elder committee members have begun the works on the site while the forest staff was engaged in talks with the State Wildlife Management authorities over the issue.
“We did not issue any approval to the locals to restart the bridge works. However, we are unable to act on them for violation of our preliminary objections as they are linking it to their religious sentiments,” Wildlife Management Divisional Forest Officer T. Srinivasa Rao told The Hindu .
The village elders, who raised more than Rs.16 lakh for the renovation work, claim that they would dismantle the iron material soon after completion of the scheduled Peddintlamma Jatara, to be celebrated between February 27 and March 20. It was expected that the renovation work would be completed within three weeks.
On the other hand, Wildlife Management, Eluru, Chief Conservator of Forests S.S. Sreedhar held discussion over the issue with the Chief Wildlife Warden A.V. Joseph in Hyderabad on Monday.
