ELURU: Tension prevailed on the edge of the Kolleru lake in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday as villagers stood their ground against forest officials who tried to stop them from carrying out fishing activities in a prohibited part of the lake. Three MLAs descended upon the scene and took the side of the villagers, and the foresters had to call in the police to implement a High Court stay of aquaculture activities in the protected lake.
Though forest and police officials managed to stop the villagers from breaking the High Court stay, the support of three MLAs -- Chintamaneni Prabhakar (Dendulur), Badeti Kota Ramarao (Eluru), and Ganni Veeranjaneyulu (Bhimadole) -- considerably emboldened the villagers.
The village of Pattikolla Lanka falls under the fifth contour of Kolleru lake. It has been in the news for over a year, following raids conducted by forest officials against aquaculture in the lake area and counterattacks by villagers.
On Thursday, villagers went en masse went to their illegal fish tanks to harvest their fish. Forest officials arrived and stopped them, citing High Court orders. The villagers were irked that no objections had been raised at the time of sowing but were being held out just when the fish were ready for harvest. They stood their ground and the forest staff called in the police.
Around 70 armed policemen were rushed in but were obstructed from entering the village.
Soon, MLAs Chintamaneni Prabhkar, Badeti Kota Ramarao and Ganni Veeranjaneyulu too reached the village. Prabhakar took the side of the villagers. When the authorities pointed out that they were only implementing the High Court's stay order, Prabhakar replied that officials ought to obey elected reps as well.
Later, it was decided that a meeting should be convened with the district collector and status quo maintained until then. As the situation continued to remain tense, police have set up a picket in the village.
There are 12 fish tanks spread over an area of 500 acres under the fifth contour of the Kolleru lake. Former sarpanch Ghantasala Mahalakshmi Naidu took them on 'lease' from Pattikolla Lanka village about two years ago, supposedly for a sum of Rs 5.5 crore. But subsequently disputes arose between the villagers and the sarpanch and the latter was forced to leave the village.
Naidu went to High Court against illegal fishing in a 260 acre area of the lank under the Fifth Plus contour, which is a bird sanctuary. Taking serious note of environmental threat posed by the aqua cultivation in the lake, the High Court issued a stay. But the order led to fights between Mahalakshmi Naidu and his rivals in January this year, including the death of one person. Denduluru MLA Prabhakar used to be a supporter of Mahalakshmi Naidu but switched his loyalties to the villagers.