On June 5, the World Environment Day, the Andhra Pradesh chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu, declared on Twitter a grand plan to plant 50 crore trees in the state, or roughly ten saplings for each of the 5 crore citizens of Andhra. Not just that, every new sapling will be geo-tagged to monitor its well-being.
Away from the adulation on social media, some officials of the state's own forest department allege Naidu's party men, in brazen violation of environmental laws, are paving the way for the destruction of the Kolleru lake, one of India's largest fresh water lakes in the Krishna-Godavari delta region. Kolleru plays host to nearly 20 million migratory and resident birds including the Siberian crane and spot-billed pelican. It is covered by the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
In a preliminary offence report (POR) filed under the Wildlife Protection Act, the forest department officials say that TDP MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar (known in the state for his rough and ready approach) and his associates are clandestinely building a road in the protected area, to abet commercial aquaculture in the wetland--an activity that is banned.
But, the revenue department and police officials have taken no note of it and refuse to cooperate in stopping the construction.
Lack of cooperation from other departments is a cause of worry. It is very difficult to protect the Kolleru Sanctuary without cooperation from Revenue and police departments
The worry is that the road gradually will lead to encroachments with the help of political leaders, who have been lobbying for the reduction of the lake's size. Hundreds of politicians, small and big, are eagerly awaiting for an opportunity to grab the portions of the lake to start paddy cultivation and aquaculture, which was banned by a historic Supreme Court judgement of 2006.
In an internal note, the forest department lamented that “… there is violation of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, and guidelines of Subcommittee on National Board for Wildlife for Roads in Protected Areas. Lack of cooperation from other departments is a cause of worry. It is very difficult to protect the Kolleru Sanctuary without cooperation from Revenue and police departments.”
Now, former union power secretary and noted lake and wetlands conservation activist Dr EAS Sarma has written to the central government seeking its help in the matter.
Read more: Exclusive: AP uses drones to see the wood for the trees
In a letter to Sharad Singh Negi, director general (forest conservation) in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Sarma wrote, "Apparently, a legislator belonging to the ruling political party has not only abetted the laying of the road but has also intimidated the local forest officers who were doing their duty by pointing out to the local authorities the legal implications of disturbing the lake with reference to the provisions of the Wild Life Protection Act.”
“It is the State administration that has blatantly violated the provisions of the Wild Life Protection Act, ignoring its own obligation to protect the forests and wildlife, under Article 48A, thereby becoming a party to a Constitutional breakdown of the administrative machinery in the State,” Sarma added, urging the MoEFCC to intervene and take firm action against the violators.
