A working group comprising ornithologists and wetland experts will begin a study on Kolleru Lake from mid-November. They will examine the impact of downsizing the lake on birds and the ecosystem.
The working group was appointed by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
The NBWL prefers the study to be conducted during winter season, during which migratory birds arrive at India’s largest fresh water lake for breeding.
Thousands of Pelicans and Painted Stork visit the lake in the winter and return to their homeland, Siberia, in the summer.
In July 2015, Union Minister of Environment and Forests (MoEF) Prakash Javadekar had announced that a decision would be taken on the possibilities to allow the State government to downsize the lake based on the report of the study by the working group.
The local communities have appealed to Mr. Javadekar to speed up the process of downsizing of the lake in response to the State government’s resolution passed in the Assembly in December 2014; A request to the NBWL and the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee for reduction of the boundary of Kolleru Lake.
Degradation
In 2011, an expert committee led by Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (Tamil Nadu) Director Dr. P.A. Azeez had submitted a report on the proposal for downsizing the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary (+5 t0 +3 feet contour).
“We conclude that reduction of the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary area will worsen the situation in Kolleru Lake. In due course of time most of the lake bed is likely to be converted into fish tanks. Floods will remain incessant. The ecological setup of the Kolleru area will degrade and wildlife will certainly suffer and many species will become locally extinct,” concluded the committee led by Dr. Azeez.
