Good days seem to be ahead, at last for Pulicat lake and the bird sanctuary, the largest brackish water lagoon along the Bay of Bengal. Nestling as it does in the Chittoor-Nellore border at Sullurpet, 65 kms from Tirupati, it is a good feeding and breeding ground for the winged visitors like, flamingos, pelicans, painted starks besides providing the livelihood for thousands of families of fishermen in the surrounding habitats.
The lake crying for attention looks set for an integrated development under the centrally sponsored scheme. Union Minister for Environment and Forest, Jairam Ramesh said that the central government which has taken up the integrated development of 25 lakes in the country would take up Pulicat lake also under the scheme and restore its past glory.
He complemented the Tirupati MP, Chintha Mohan for taking up the cause of the Pulicat lake and said that after Kolleru, Pulicat would be the second lagoon in Andhra Pradesh to get funds under the scheme.
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Mr. Ramesh also cited in this connection the tourism corridor which the GoI is already developing, integrating 17 temples spread over Chittoor and Nellore districts to serve as a useful diversion for thousands that visited Tirupati for darshan from all over.
All praise for YSR
Jairam Ramesh was addressing the members of DWCRA groups at Tirupati after disbursing bank loans to a tune of Rs.2.3 crs to the beneficiaries. He was all praise for the late Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy for his range of pro-poor schemes and said that his flagship schemes — Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) and the ‘Pavala Vaddi’ schemes have become so popular that many states in the country started replicating them. under which loans were provided
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The Union Minister said that Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh would be laying the foundation stone soon for the NTPC-BHEL Joint Venture unit at Mannavaram near Srikalahasti.
Visits NARL
The Minister who earlier visited the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), Mr. Tirupati said that the laboratory established near here among others by ISRO as a joint facility for space-related programmes is a classic example of how science and spiritualism is intertwined in the Indian way of life.
He said that with the help of the Indian Network of Comprehensive Climate Change Admosphere (INCCCA) comprising 107 centres located at different parts, India was constantly monitoring the atmosphere and collecting data to study climate change.
A. Jayaraman, Director, NARL explained the working of national facility. Chintha Mohan, MP was also present.