The Supreme Court has ordered the AP state government to take strict action to suppress encroachments in Kolleru lake and prevent them from recurring in the future, besides finalize its boundaries within three months. At the same time, it has suggested creating awareness that there will be no obstacles to the livelihood of fishermen.
The Supreme Court has also directed the state government to take strict action to prevent garbage and sewage from entering Kolleru and to take strict action to suppress encroachments that have become dangerous to the survival of wildlife by blocking the natural flow of water in Kolleru Lake.
The Apex Court also directed that municipal solid waste, sewage from surrounding industries, towns and villages should be prevented from being released into Kolleru. The bench directed the state government to take steps to ensure that the fishermen’s livelihood is not hampered by these orders and to ensure that the implementation of the court orders is not hindered.
Mrityunjaya Rao of Kakinada had filed a petition on September 1 last year seeking contempt of court action against government officials who were violating the orders issued by the Supreme Court on April 10, 2006, for the protection of the Kolleru. A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai, Augustine George Masih and K. Vinod Chandran, which heard the petition filed by the then CS Neerab Kumar Prasad as a respondent, issued the orders to this effect.
The Centrally Authorized Agency – CEC, in its report dated March 20, 2006, had directed that the small and big fish ponds in the Kolleru Lake Wildlife Sanctuary should be destroyed within a specific time frame, and that ponds over 100 acres should be removed within 15 days, and the remaining ponds by May 31, 2006.
The Supreme Court, in its order dated April 10, 2006, had made it clear that the state government and officials should implement the points in that report without fail, that the transportation of fertilizers used in fish farming should be stopped, and that the program of destroying fish ponds should begin from April 20, 2006.
