Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

ECO-TOURISM


KOLLERU
THE LARGEST FRESH WATER LAKE WITH A PRECIOUS BIRD SANCTUARY- ECO TOURISM

Kolleru Lake & its Bird Sanctuary

Kolleru Lake is the largest freshwater lake in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It is located between the deltas of the Krishna and Godavari rivers, in Krishna and West Godavari districts. The lake serves as a natural flood-balancing reservoir for the two rivers. The lake is fed directly by the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru rivers, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari systems by over 68 inflowing drains and channels. The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million resident and migratory birds, including the Grey or Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis). The lake was notified as a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under India's Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the international Ramsar Convention. The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of 308 km².
However , the lake suffered from the unsatiated greed of the moneyed people and selfish interests of mankind exploited the lake’s integrity and thousands of fish tanks were dug up thus effectively converting the lake into a drain. This had impact in terms of pollution leading to even difficulty in getting drinking water for the local people, impact on livelihoods of poor people,increased incidence of diseases in this region.
This is beside the loss of ecological diversity and intrusion of sea water into the land mass and its fallout in terms of adverse influence of rainfall pattern in this region of the country.
Also adversely effected was the lakhs of acres of crop loss in the upper reaches of sanctuary in view of stoppages of water flow into the sea because of obstruction by bunds of these illegal fish tanks.
Satellite images taken on February 9, 2001 by the Indian remote sensing satellite IRS-1D and analysed by Dr. K Nageswara Rao from Andhra University found that approximately 42 per cent of the 245 km² lake was occupied by aquaculture, while agriculture had encroached on another 8.5 percent. The area under aquaculture consisted of 1050 fishponds within the lake and 38 dried-up fish ponds, which together covered an area of 103 km². The agricultural encroachments were mostly rice paddies. No clear water could be found in the satellite image. The rest of the lake was being diminished by water diversions or was infested with weeds like elephant grass and water hyacinth.
By 2006, it was estimated that over 72% of the Sanctuary was encroached upon for unsustainable aquaculture. Despite a Judgment of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in 2001, upholding the notification of the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary, the orders of the High Court were not implemented.
Rich in flora and fauna,it attracts migratory birds from northern Asia and Eastern Europe between the months of October and March. During this season, the lake is visited by an estimated 20,00,000 birds. The resident birds include include grey pelicans, Asian Open-billed Storks (Anastomus oscitans), Painted Storks (Mycteria leucocephala), Glossy Ibises, White Ibises, Teals, Pintails, Shovellers. The migratory birds include Red-Crested Pochards, Blackwinged Stilts, Avocets, Common Redshanks, Wigeons, Gadwalls and Cormorants, Garganys, Herons, Flamingos & among others.
kolleru lake contains numerous fertile islets called lanka's,many of the small ones are submerged during floods.The origine of unusual depression which forms the bed of the lake is unknown,but it was possibly the results of an earthquake.there fore many ancient villages are precepted in the bed of the lake as a result of floods and earthquake,
History:Two copper plates of the early Pallava dynasty have been found in the lake, traces its history to Langulya Gajapathi Raju an Orissa king, (Oddi raju) . According to legend, the Gajapathi fort was located at Kolleti Kota on one of the eastern islands of the lake. The enemy general "muhammadan" encamped at "Chiguru kota" located on the shores. In some ways, the lake protected the Odissi forces. The enemy finally try to excavated a channel, the modern-day Upputeru, so that the water of the lake would empty into the sea and the level would fall so that they could attack the Gajapathi fort. The odissi army general sacrificed his own daughter to propitiate Gods and ensure his success against muhammadan and her name was "Perantala Kanama". Therefore the channel was called Perantala Kanama.Sri Peddinti Ammavari Temple is one of the oldest and famous temples found in kolleru, Gajapatis were a medieval Hindu dynasty that ruled over Orissa, parts of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. During the glorious reign of Kapilendra deva, the first Suryavamsi Gajapati king
Famous persons : SAIDU GANGA RAJU (former Communist leader eluru and also precedent of kolleti kota who expired on 18th May 2006).
The sanctuary has the following watch towers for sighting the birds.
Atapaka: 1.5 km from Kaikaluru to see varieties of waterfowl. Murthyraju tank 8 km from Nidamarru East Chodavaram: 53 km from Eluru where Open Bill Storks nest in colonies from July – December.
The sanctuary is approachable from all four sides of the lake by road, directly to the following places.
Atapaka – 2.5 km from Kaikaluru town Murthiraju Tanks – 8 km from Nidamarru Gudivakalanka – 3 km from Gudivakalanka or 15 km from Eluru Nearest city is Vijayawada, which is 65 km by road or rail. Nearest town is Eluru
Best season to visit: November to March.
Accommodation: Hotels in Eluru,Kaikaluru and Vijayawada.
Coordinates: 16°39′N, 81°13′E

Kolleru Lake
Bird Sanctuary


THE MIGRATORY BIRDS AT KOLLERU
The largest fresh water lake in Asia, Kolleru lake is a virtual paradise for nature lovers. Rich in flora and fauna, it attracts migratory birds from Australia, Siberia, Egypt and Philippines between the months of October and March. During this season, the lake is visited by an estimated 2,00,000 birds, which include Open Bill Storks, Painted Storks, Glossy Ibises, White Ibises, Teals, Pintails, Shovellers, Red-Crested Pochards, Blackwinged Stilts, Avocets, Common Redshanks, Wigeons, Gadwalls and Cormorants, among Others. It is known the world over for the famous Kolleru Bird Sanctuary. This 673 sq.Kms wet land marsh habitat supports a large variety of Water birds which include Garganys,ducks,Open bill storks,
Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary

The largest fresh water lake in Asia, Kolleru lake is a virtual paradise for nature lovers. Rich in flora and fauna, it attracts migratory birds from Australia, Siberia, Egypt and Philippines between the months of October and March. During this season, the lake is visited by an estimated 2,00,000 birds, which include Open Bill Storks, Painted Storks, Glossy Ibises, White Ibises, Teals, Pintails, Shovellers, Red-Crested Pochards, Blackwinged Stilts, Avocets, Common Redshanks, Wigeons, Gadwalls and Cormorants, among Others. It is known the world over for the famous Kolleru Bird Sanctuary. This 673 sq.Kms wet land marsh habitat supports a large variety of Water birds which include Garganys,ducks,Open bill storks, Herons, Flamingos & grey pelicans. Tourist facilities The sanctuary has the following watch towers for sighting the birds. Atapaka: 1.5 km from Kaikaluru to see varieties of waterfowl. Murthyraju tank 8 km from Nidamarru East Chodavaram: 53 km from Eluru where Open Bill Storks nest in colonies from July – December. The sanctuary is approachable from all four sides of the lake by road, directly to the following places.
Herons, Flamingos & grey pelicans. Tourist facilities The sanctuary has the following watch towers for sighting the birds.
It is known the world over for the famous Kolleru Bird Sanctuary. This 673 sq.Kms wet land marsh habitat supports a large veriety of Water birds which include Garganys,ducks,Open bill storks, Herons, Flamingos & grey pelicans. The largest fresh water lake in Asia, Kolleru lake is a virtual paradise for nature lovers. Rich in flora and fauna, it attracts migratory birds from Australia, Siberia, Egypt and Philippines between the months of October and March. During this season, the lake is visited by an estimated 2,00,000 birds, which include Open Bill Storks, Painted Storks, Glossy Ibises, White Ibises, Teals, Pintails, Shovellers, Red-Crested Pochards, Blackwinged Stilts, Avocets, Common Redshanks, Wigeons, Gadwalls and Cormorants, among Others.
Best season to visit Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary
November to March.
How to Reach Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary
60 km from Vijayawada, 15-km from Eluru. One can take buses from Vijayawada. 60 km from Vijayawada

© WWF-India');" tabIndex=0 onmouseout=toolTip(); height=126 alt="Kolleru Lake " src="http://assets.wwfindia.org/img/image026_2_3360.jpg" width=156>
© WWF-India');" tabIndex=0 onmouseout=toolTip(); height=96 alt="Kolleru Lake " src="http://assets.wwfindia.org/img/image027_3380.jpg" width=156>
Kolleru Lake
Overview Kolleru lake is ensconced between the two major river basins of the rivers Godavari and Krishna and functions as a natural flood balancing reservoir between the two deltas. It serves as a habitat for various resident and migratory birds besides sustaining fishing, agriculture and related occupations of the people dependent on it for livelihood. It is fed directly by two seasonal rivers, the Budameru and the Tammileru besides 30 inflowing drains and channels. It has a variety of wetland habitats ranging from coastal freshwater lagoons to seasonal freshwater marsh es/pools. Kolleru lake has been designated as a Ramsar Site in November 2002. Justification for Designation as Ramsar Site The lake functions as a flood-balancing reservoir between the deltas of the two rivers, the Godavari and the Krishna. The lake supports the vulnerable species like grey pelican Pelecanus philippensis. The lake supports more than 50,000 waterfowl which includes a variety of resident and migratory birds. It provides habitat for 61 species of fishes and 12 species of prawns.
© WWF-India');" tabIndex=0 onmouseout=toolTip(); height=147 alt="Kolleru Lake " src="http://assets.wwfindia.org/img/image025_3340.gif" width=166>Biodiversity Values Flora The entire area of the lake comprises vast plains interspersed with pools of water with a few tree species such as Borassus flabellifer, Acacia nilotica and Azadirachta indica, etc. The shrubs and herbs are of typical coastal vegetation. The entire vegetation of this area can be classified into aquatic and terrestrial vegetation. The lake is covered by littoral vegetation, predominantly of hydrophytes. It shows variation in different spots with emergent, submerged and free floating aquatic macrophytes. Fauna The lake harbours a variety of resident and migratory birds. Open billed storks are sighted from March to May every year near Bhujabalapatnam. The migratory birds include gargeney teals, pintails, mallards, flamingoes, adjutant storks etc., and they visit the lake from October to March every year. Major fishes found in the lake includes murrels, catfishes, carps and Indian climbing pearch. Social & Cultural Values The combination of culture and capture fisheries are practiced in the area. Kolletikota situated in the middle of the lake has got a temple of the local deity. Every year thousands of people visit the temple on a particular day during the annual 'Jatara'. The place can be accessed only by boat and has religious importance. Threats The lake has been converting into a wetland, and in large parts, into land-mass over the years. This natural process has been hastened by human economic activity exploiting and depending on the fresh water of this vast area. Partly due to the legal status extended to culture fi shing and agricultural activity within and around the lake spread in the last fifty years and partly due to demand for freshwater fish besides paddy from the Kolleru, the ecological conservation of the area has become more a human than an aesthetic need. A lack of regulation of the seaward flow of the Kolleru waters during monsoon is progressively increasing the high - flood line, causing major food problems in the surrounding cities of Eluru and Gudivada, besides submerging second - crop paddy lands and fishtanks. Conservation Measures Part of the lake has been declared as a wildlife sanctuary recently with a view to protect the flora, fauna and the ecosystem. It is necessary to conserve the Kolleru lake area and introduce management systems that would sustain biodiversity of the lake and conservation of the lake ecosystem without inhibiting the genuine developmental needs of the area.



KOLLERU LAKEThis enchanting expanse of serene waters which caters to the drinking water requirements of the region has long since been an irresistable invitation to the rare pelican birds and the human’s alike.These fascinating birds have made this place an ideal ground for them to nest and procreate. This exotic flock of birds in a picturesque environ is obviously greeted by flocks and flocks of tourists. Mention to this fascinating lake can be found in the writings of the famous Bernier who visited the court of the Mughal emperor Shahjahan and also toured the entire country including the Golconda Kingdom.
A JOLLY WATER ROW IN KOLLERU
THE SMALL BOATS AT REST
TRAVELLING THROUGH THE LAKE KOLLERU
IT CAN BE TREATED AS ECO-TOURISM (BY SMALL BOYS)



SCIENTISTS EXPLORING THROUGH KOLLERU LAKE
British officials were fascinated by the way the local people adopted different methods to protect colonies of pelicans.
The villagers fed the birds and considered them to be the harbingers of good fortune. It used to be a panoramic sight when pelicans arrived in large numbers and nested in the waters of the Kolleru lake. These birds of good fortune virtually disappeared from the lake and were not to be seen for the last two decades.
Gordon Mackenzie, who was the Collector of Krishna district, compiled "The Manual of the Kistna District in the Presidency of Madras" in 1883.
The manual is still considered an authentic record of the history of modern-day Krishna and Guntur districts. Mackenzie found that colonies of pelicans were fostered in several villages in the Krishna district.
Thousands of Grey Pelicans (Pelecanus philippensis) nested in Kolleru Lake. After the advent of aquaculture, the fragile ecology of the lake was destroyed and, consequently, the habitat of the birds was also disturbed.
Unique lake
The Kolleru lake is considered one of the three major freshwater bodies in the country. It is compared with the Dal lake of Kashmir and the Loktak lake of Manipur. The flora and fauna of the Kolleru lake are unique.
A wide range of flora and fauna exists in the wetlands between contour lines 3 and 10. Contours are lines drawn on a map, joining points of equal height above the sea level. In the past, the water level in the lake was between contour 7 and 10 during the monsoon, and it fell to contour 3 during the dry season. The area within contour 3 is 135 square kilometres and the area within contour 10 is 901 square kilometres. These conditions do not prevail any more with fish tanks and roads occupying most of the lake. Mackenzie described the lake as a "curious depression between the alluvial deposits of Krishna and Godavari Rivers."
Though the pelicans left the lake for good, the people of Kolleti Kota Island (heart of the lake) turned to storks, cranes and other seasonal arboreal visitors for finding good luck. Kolleti Kota occupies a prominent place in the annals of Kolleru history.
Two copper plates of the Pallava period found in the lake traces its history to Langulya Gajapathi Raju of Orissa from 1237 to 1282. According to legend, the Gajapathi fort was located at Kolleti Kota on one of the eastern islands of the lake. The enemy camped at Chigurukota located on the shores. In some ways, the lake protected the Odissi garrison. The enemy finally excavated a channel, the modern-day Upputeru, so that the water of the lake would empty into the sea and the level would fall so that they could attack the Gajapathi fort. The enemy army general sacrificed his own daughter to propitiate Gods and ensure his success. Therefore the channel was called Perantala Kanama.
Base for birds
Officers of the Wildlife division of the Forest Department recorded 173 species of migratory and residential birds.
Several species of jacanas, storks, herons, ducks, teals, darters, cormorants, terns, pigeons, doves, swifts, kingfishers, bee-eaters, drongos, cuckoos, parakeets, shrikes, swallows, owls, bitterns and sparrows are on the list of birds that inhabit the lake.
The birds gradually stopped arriving with destruction of their habitat. The list of 173 birds has many rare and endangered spices. The Large Whistling Teal is listed in schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection Act) 1972.
Recently, Kolleru lake area has been declared a sanctuary and orders have been issued to the district collectors to stop aquaculture. Revenue officials used explosives to breach the bunds of huge aquaculture tanks that were inaccessible to bulldozers and excavators.
The aquaculture boom brought riches to the people living in Kolleru. The ban has denied them of a livelihood. Maybe it is time for the pelicans to return and bring good fortune to the people again.
Kolleru regains its splendour

Over 80,000 birds of 100 species flock to the lake during migratory season Over 80,000 birds of 100 species flock the lake during the ongoing migratory season


Conservative estimates of these organisations indicate that for the first time in years, over 80,000 birds of about 100 species have flocked the lake during the ongoing migratory season that lasts till March.
Conservationists, however, make it clear that the census was done only during January-February months and unofficial estimates of the number of birds that would have visited the lake during the entire migratory season could easily touch the magical two-lakh mark.
It may be recalled that operation Kolleru concluded on June 15 last year and within six months, the fresh water lake managed to attract so many species of birds. "In a year, the lake would become the best wetland region in the country. Conservatively, after the revival, the number of birds arriving to lake Kolleru has trebled," says Pranay Waghre from Nallamalai Foundation.
Treat to birdwatchers
Over 60 pelicans, a whopping 5,000 storks, 47,000 Ibises of three varieties, a variety of ducks and geese, about 600 unidentified varieties of ducks, 890 cormorants, 8,635 number of gulls and another 110 unidentified terns and a host of hawks, kingfishers and wagtails have been spotted by the team of conservators and bird counters.
The team has also identified 5,901 egrets of four varieties, 230 little Grebe and several other bird species that are not commonly found in wetland region. The AWC was taken up only to count the wetland birds. AWC is an international programme that focuses on monitoring the status of water birds and wetlands. Nallamalai Foundation, Birdwatchers Society of Andhra Pradesh, Raptor Conservation Foundation and Society for Imparting Wildlife Awareness were involved in the AWC. "The birds that we have recorded are only wetland birds. There are even more different varieties of birds that do not fall in this category. This year, the lake has managed to attract even those species of birds as well," says Mr. Waghre.