Capt. J.

Rama Rao VSM, FIE,

Indian Navy (Retd)

Mobile: 9393366000
Email Id: captjrrao@gmail.com
1511, Valley View; Road No.12,
Banjara Hills; Hyderabad- 500 034
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JRR/2015
August 15, 2015
To
Sri Prakash Javadekar
Minister of State for E F &CC , GOI
Indira Paryavaran Bhavan
Jor Bag Road, Aliganj, New Delhi- 110 003
Namaskar,
Sub: Kolleru WLS Area Reduction from +5 to+3 Contours
Further to my letter dated 12-07-2014 addressed to Chief Minister of
AP and Minister of State for EF&CC on the subject of proposed reduction of
the Area of KWLS from +5 to+3 Contour, this is to bring to the kind notice of
the Minister, that AP State Wild Life Board is reported to have adopted the
Resolution to resize KWLS from contour level +5 feet to +3 feet.
The subject matter was discussed in 4 th State Wild Life Board Meeting
held on 10-05-2011,of which the undersigned was a Member, and the
proposal for reduction of KWLS Area was not accepted. The copy of my letter
dated 11-05-2011 addressed to then Chief Minister, AP State is attached for
information.
The State WL Board Resolution for reducing the area of KWLS, is
reported to be coming up for consideration of Standing Committee of National
Board for Wildlife, at its meeting scheduled to be held on 18 th August 2015.
If this proposal is ratified by MOEF&CC GOI, KWLS Area will be drastically
shrunk by bringing about 25,000 acres, under Aqua Culture & other Activities,
which are not congenial to sustenance of Wild Life Sanctuary.
Dr.Azeez Committee Report
MOEF constituted Expert Committee in April 2010, under Chairmanship of
Dr.Azeez to study the proposal of A.P.Govt. for reduction of Kolleru Wildlife
Sanctuary from + 5 to + 3 Contour. Dr. Aziz Committee Report clearly stated
that the reduction of the area of KWLS is not a viable solution for various
socio-economic & ecological issues confronting the Lake Kolleru and It will
lead to destruction of a very valuable and ecologically important & sensitive
area for short sighted benefits.

-222 nd Standing Committee Meeting NBWL

The Standing Committee of National Board for Wild Life, chaired by then
Minister for Environment and Forests, in its 22 nd. Meeting held on 25-042011, accepted the recommendations of Dr. Azeez Committee Report in Toto.
The Minister stated, as Chairperson of the Standing Committee, would take
forward the Report as appropriate, to the State Government of AP for its
implementation.
The Minister also stated that formulation of appropriate R&R policy would
need to be taken up by the State Govt. immediately. The R&R Policy, should
include the amount, required for compensation to the affected people on this
count and budgeted & provided by the State Government.
Lack of Follow up Action by MOEF&CC & AP Govt.
Even after Dr.Azeez Committee emphasized the urgent need for conducting
re-survey of boundaries as of now, using advance GPS Technology handled
by well trained staff and to be completed within a period of 18 months,
nothing much seems to have happened so far in that direction, even though
more than 4 years have lapsed after accepting the recommendations of the
Committee.
Lack of Foresight & Wisdom
The floods resulted by Cyclone Nilam of November 2012, in various drains
Budameru, Tammileru etc.- that empty into Kolleru, have caused the waters
to rise up and cross the +8 Contour. This has resulted in flooding of several
colonies along the banks of Budameru in Vijayawada City, for several days.
It is unfortunate that same N. Chandrababu Naidu, the architect of KWLS in
1999, is behind the Resolution passed by present AP State Legislative
Assembly on 22-12-2014, seeking recommendation of the National Board for
Wildlife for reduction of boundary of KWLS from +5 to +3 Contour.
It is ironical that AP State Govt. advocating development of newly formed
State & State Capital on the models of Japan and Singapore, is working
overtime for destruction of Kolleru, one of Asias most ancient & largest fresh
water lakes and invaluable Wetland Ecosystem of international importance.

-3Playing With Nature can be Disastrous

The Chief Minister of AP is reported to have stated that man-made lake,
twice the size of Hyderabad water body Hussain Sagar is proposed in the
new capital of Andhra Pradesh. It cannot be a consolation for vanishing
Kolleru Wild Life Sanctuary spread over about 77,000 acres, with invaluable
Wetland Ecosystem of international importance. Can Create A Pond & Not
Wetland Ecosystem ?
Appeal
In the light of the position explained above, Minister for EF&CC GOI, is
requested to consider the recommendations of Dr. Aziz Committee accepted
in Toto by Standing Committee for National Board for Wild Life in its 22 nd
Meeting and consult Sri.P.V.Jayakrishnan, Chairman, Central Empowered
Committee of Supreme Court, before any final decision is taken regarding
reduction of the area of KWLS.
Looking forward for an early response.
Thanking you
Yours Cordially
J.Rama Rao
Copy to:
1) Sri.P.V. Jayakrishnan
Chairman, Central Empowered Committee of Supreme Court
Chanakya Bhavan; Chanakya Puri; New Delhi Tel: 24101923
( Has reference to my letter dated 29-12-2014 on the subject )
2) Secretary , MOEF, GOI
3) Chief Secretary, Govt. Of AP
(Has reference to Ltr. No. F.No.2-21/CEC/SC/2014-Pt.VII dated 30-01-2015 )