Andhra Pradesh: Government to Desilt Pulicat Lake for Fishermen, Tourists

Tirupati: Tirupati district administration will desilt the mouth of Pulicat Lake to rejuvenate fishing and enhance tourism. At a meeting, district collector Dr. S. Venkateswar directed local authorities, including joint collector Shubham Bansal, to fast-track the desilting project and address the associated infrastructure challenges in villages surrounding the lake.

"Desilting the lake mouth will create a clear passage for seawater to enter Pulicat Lake. This will significantly improve fishing opportunities for local communities," Dr. Venkateswar underlined. Further, continuous presence of water will enhance the ecosystem of the Pulicat Lake and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, attracting a diverse range of bird species.

Tourism will increase as a result, the collector pointed out.

Pulicat Lake is spread across 481 square kilometres in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. However, it has been shrinking over the years due to build-up of sand at the inlet of its northern sea mouth at Pudi Rayadoruvu. As a result, water levels in the lake have decreased, increasing the acidity levels in the water and reducing availability of fish.

This has severely affected the livelihood of fishing communities that depend on the Pulicat Lake. Livelihood opportunities in the surrounding villages have also decreased.

Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways ministry had initially proposed to develop the Pulicat Lake under the “Sagarmala project.” It allocated Rs 128.80 crore, with funding being equally shared by the central and state governments. However, the project faced a delay due to the previous AP government not releasing its 50 per cent share of the funds.

Authorities are now planning to expedite the work. Currently, water availability in the Andhra Pradesh portion of the lake is limited to between June and February, though the Tamil Nadu side has water throughout the year. This discrepancy is causing economic hardships for AP fishermen, particularly from March to June.

Tirupati district administration is optimistic that desilting of Pulicat Lake’s sea mouth at Pudi Rayadoruvu will ensure presence of water throughout the year and provide sustainable livelihoods for the fishing community.