Voice of Kolleru formed to protect rights of Kolleru-area residents

Villagers, aquaculture and agriculture farmers residing around Kolleru Lake have formed Voice of Kolleru, a welfare society aimed at providing a platform for those affected by issues concerning the lake and protecting the rights of local people.

Lakhs of people, including aquaculture and agriculture farmers and traders, reside in areas around the lake in Eluru, Kaikaluru, Undi, Gudivada, Unguturu and Denduluru mandals.

Voice of Kolleru (Kolleru Volunteers Organisation for Inclusive Conservation and Empowerment) will conduct awareness meetings, seek the support of public representatives, study the legal aspects of demarcating wetland boundaries and coordinate with the State and the Union governments, said its president N. Sivaji Raju.

Farmers and local residents contend that Kolleru was spread over about 100 square miles, or 64,000 acres, and that areas outside the lake should not be brought under wetland regulations, said the organisation’s secretary, Gangadharam, in a statement on Saturday.

The Supreme Court has recently directed the State government, in response to a writ petition, to identify and complete the demarcation of the wetland boundary within two months.

Aquaculture and agriculture farmers, as well as people living in towns, villages, gram panchayats and nagar panchayats around Kolleru, would suffer severe losses if the entire 1,61,000-acre area around the lake is brought under wetland regulations, the Voice of Kolleru members Ramalinga Raju, Bose Raju, Purushottam and Renu Sarath said. Such a move would halt development activities and adversely affect livelihoods, they said.

“It is not correct to treat the entire area of about 1,61,000 acres around Kolleru as wetlands,” the organisation’s leaders said.