Dried up Kolleru Lake makes villagers, bird lovers anxious

Many birds are migrating to the nearby tanks, fields in search of food

Shrinking habitat: A stilt searching for food in what remains of the Kolleru Lake in Krishna district.

With the onset of summer, a major portion of the Kolleru Lake has dried up, raising anxiety among residents of lake-bed villages.

Many villages of fisherfolk and more than 50 other villages in the West Godavari and Krishna districts are likely to suffer as the lake has dried up at the beginning of the summer season. All that one can see now are parched fields, small pools and cattle and birds searching for food in the largest freshwater lake in the country.

Bird lovers are worried about the drought-like situation as many species are flying off to the nearby water bodies in search of food. The lake is home for thousands of birds during the wintering season, especially spot-billed pelicans and painted storks, which arrive from different places.

The pelicans also roost at Nelapattu in Pulikat Lake of Nellore district, Uppalapadu in Guntur district and Cilemeelapuram village in Srikakulam district. But more than 5,000 pelicans were counted at the Atapaka Bird Sanctuary, located in Kolleru Lake last year, and the sanctuary has been identified as one of the biggest grey pelican habitats in the world.

No fishing activity

“Kolleru is the safest place for the pelicans and other migratory birds. Painted storks, grey herons, black-tailed godwits, stilts and others are scattered in the lake and in nearby villages now. The government should take measures to maintain the water level and protect them,” said G. Anjaneyulu, a local resident.

Buffaloes and sheep are seen grazing in the dried up lake bed at some places. However, some farmers have shifted their cattle to nearby villages in the delta area in West Godavari and Krishna districts due to shortage of water, said villagers of Peddayadlagadi.

“As Kolleru has dried up completely, there is no fishing activity. Boating is not possible and we depend on manual labour. Every summer is a nightmare for us,” said V. Ramu of the Vadlakadi Tippa village.

Bird Paradise

“The Atapaka Bird Sanctuary is a rich reserve and bird watchers from different places visit the lake every year. When the water level in the sanctuary is good, birds have enough feed, but without that, the migratory birds fly off to other places. We request the government to protect the tourist spot,” said a visitor G. Sandhya, an undergraduate student.

Speaking to The Hindu , Atapaka Deputy Range Officer (DRO) G. Eshwar Rao said water was being pumped into the sanctuary from the Polaraju drain. Four engines were used to maintain the water level, he said.

“At present, the level at the Atapaka Bird Sanctuary is above four-feet. However, the level will go down due to evaporation but we are trying to maintain some water for the winged visitors. We are expecting one or two spells of rainfall which will improve the situation,” the DRO said.