The Eluru-based Wildlife Management (WM) authorities have intensified mass burial of dead fish in Kolleru Lake at the Bird Sanctuary near Atapaka village in Krishna District.
Nearly four tonnes of fish is reported dead in the last two weeks as the 300-acre pond within in the sanctuary had dried up completely due to lack of inflow of water into it. The local people surrounding the sanctuary, a winter home for migratory birds like Pelican and Painted Stork, were competing with wild life authorities to collect the fish alive from the pond.
However, huge gathering of local communities at the pond has left the Wildlife Management authorities helpless in preventing them from collection of both live and dead fish. At least 40 workers have been deployed to collect the fish that was floating dead to avoid pollution of the pond. The dead fish was being buried on the banks of the pond within the limits of the Kolleru Lake.
Apex Court guidelines
The Wildlife Management, a conservation authority of the Kolleru Lake, on Monday permitted members of the local Self Help Groups and village-level Environment Development Councils to catch the live fish from the pond. “Members from the 96 SHGs in and around the sanctuary will be allowed to catch the fish as per the existing guidelines of the apex court to conserve the Kolleru Lake”, Eluru WLM Ranger L. Dhana Raju told The Hindu.
“Nearly four tonnes of fish is dead in recent days. We have no alternative option to prevent the death of fish, expect for catching them alive”, said Mr. Dhana Raju. Half of the total fund to be raised from the sale of the fish would be released to the eligible local panchayats and the rest spared for the listed SHGs.
Migratory birds
Since the migratory birds are likely to return to their homeland by mid May, existing conditions at the sanctuary are forcing them to search for prey outside the lake.
