The Prof. Raman Sukumar Committee, which has been asked by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to give a report on the Andhra Pradesh Government’s request to resize the Kolleru Wild Life Sanctuary from Contour +5 feet to Contour +3 feet, made a “secret” visit to the lake earlier this week, according to sources.
Prof. Sukumar, the Chairman, and senior Forest Department officials — Vasist and Johnson — visited several places in the lake, including Atapaka, which has been developed into a haven for Spotbilled Pelicans. While senior Forest Department officials were aware of the team’s visit, members of the committee went around independently without any Forest Department personnel in tow.
The committee members visited the Pelican Paradise at Atapaka on the outskirts of Kaikaluru in Krishna district. They reportedly enquired why there was no water at Atapaka while all the fish tanks in the surrounding areas had water. The members also visited aqueducts built for drains crossing the Polavaram Right Main Canal on their way to Kolleru Lake. They took note of the fact that the aqueducts could be used for diverting water from the drains into the Right Main Canal. The team visited Velagaleru Regulator, where water from the Budameru was diverted directly into the Krishna through the Budameru diversion channel. The committee members also gathered information about diversion of water from drains that empty into Kolleru Lake.
The Prof. Sukumar Committee is the second expert committee to be entrusted with the job of looking into the demand for reduction in the size of the lake.
But the committee seems to have stumbled upon a systematic effort to dry up the lake by diverting inflows in a phased manner. According to the report of the P.A. Azeez Committee, the Budameru discharges 2.39 tmcft into the lake per annum. The Tammileru also discharges 2.01 tmcft into the lake a year. There are 67 drains that flow in West Godavari district that discharge 4.51 tmcft a year into Kolleru. The 67 drains and the Tammileru of West Godavari district, along with Polraj Major Drain, Chandraiah Major Drain, Bomicodu Drain, Moturu Channel, and the Budameru of Krishna district annually discharge 9.59 tmcft into the lake to keep it alive and kicking.
Size keeps changing
The size of the lake keeps changing as per the discharge of these water sources.
The lake, a registered Ramsar Wetland, covers about 901 square km within +10 feet contour, 673 sq km within +7 feet contour, and 135 sq km within +3 feet contour.
During monsoon, the lake spreads generally over +5 feet contour with a water holding of 300 Mm3. Every alternate year, the lake spreads over +7 feet contour, and the storage of water at this level would be 508.4 Mm3.
On an average, once in eight years, the lake fills to above +9 feet contour, holding up to 1,222 Mm3 water, in contrast to the storage of about 150 Mm3 at about +3 feet contour.
The big attraction to the birds is not only fish but also other living things, including plankton, insects, clams and snails that flourish on the edge of the lake, which keeps changing with the season.
Ground reality
Panel takes note of fall in water level at Atapaka,
while fish tanks in vicinity have water
Sees how aqueducts could be used for diverting water from drains into Polavaram Right Main Canal
Gathers information on diversion of water from drains that empty into Kolleru Lake
