RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The Forest Department is set to launch the Clean Papikondalu National Park mission, introducing Environment Maintenance Charges (EMC) to curb pollution and fund conservation efforts. Checkposts will be set up at strategic locations within Papikondalu National Park to collect these charges, in line with Supreme Court guidelines and National Green Tribunal (NGT) directives.
Conservator of Forests for the Rajamahendravaram circle, BNN Murthy, confirmed that EMC collection will begin on December 1. Speaking to TNIE, he emphasised the necessity of the initiative, citing environmental degradation caused by unchecked waste disposal.
He said boat entry charges will be based on seating capacity in the Eluru, Rampachodavaram, and Chintur forest divisions. A fee of `2,500 will be charged per boat trip for seats counts below 50, `4,000 for boats carrying fewer than 100 passengers, and `6,000 for boats ferrying 100 passengers or more.
Additionally, digital and professional cameras will incur a charge of `500. Of the 40 boats operating in the area, including two tourist vessels, each will pay EMC based on its capacity.
Road traffic will also be subject to fees, with light vehicles charged `50 and heavy vehicles `100. Checkposts for fee collection are being set up at Maredumilli, Tulasipakala, and Darapalli on land, and at Gandipochamma temple and Pochavaram boating points along the river.
To tackle waste accumulation, the department plans to recruit 50 ‘Swachh Sevakas’ and fire watchers. Their duties will include removing plastic waste, liquor bottles, and other garbage from the Godavari riverbanks and areas surrounding Perantallapalli within the park.
Murthy highlighted the urgency of the mission, saying, “As the manager of this protected area, I have to safeguard Papikondalu. Waste, particularly plastic and liquor bottles, has become a menace, harming wildlife and its habitat.”
Murthy stressed the importance of keeping the park litter-free to protect its ecosystem. Drawing from their success in implementing EMC at the Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam project area, he expressed confidence that public awareness and cooperation from boat operators will make the initiative successful.