Hyderabad: The avian park — read bird sanctuary — that will come up at the Kapra Lake, which has been listed as a wetland by the Centre, will come up on 20 acres of land that is said to belong to the government. Courtesy of the rampant encroachment over the years, the lake used to spread across 112 acres had come down to 70 acres by 2002.
The Kapra lake and Pakhal lake in Warangal have been taken up for wetland conservation by the Centre. The Kapra lake comes under the jurisdiction of the GHMC and the irrigation departments. The meeting was dubbed the Wetland Mitra meeting that aimed at introducing the stakeholders to the government body.
Medchal-Malkajgiri district forest officer Ashok Kumar told the attendees that the lake would be developed under the aegis of the Environment Protection Act.
He deconstructed the roles that various departments of the government would play in this project. Initially, the state wetland authority is formed with the principal secretary, forests, as the chairman and other departments like the irrigation department and the GHMC would be the members.
As participants recall, the state authority was nominated three months ago. This would be followed by the set up of a district authority.
Mr V.V. Srinivas of the irrigation department told the gathering that the bund formation and railing work was being undertaken and should be completed in four months.
“Of the 2.5 km circumferance of the lake, fencing has been done on some area of it while some parts of the lake is under dispute. Of the 70 acres of the Kapra lake area that is now available, 20 acres is state land that is not under dispute,” said Ms Deepa Shailender, a resident of Sainikpuri.
Officials observed that in the first order of business, the undisputed boundaries are being identified and the wetland work will commence in the state-owned land that is available. The basic plan for the lake as it stands is that there will be a security room for round the clock protection. Half an acre will be developed for a butterfly park.
“There will be a watchtower too, probably two storeys high. This watchtower will have binoculars and a stationary telescope, where people can view the birds and other animals on or around the lake,” Mr A Shankaran, retired forest officer, told Deccan Chronicle. Restoration and filling up of the lake will be coordinated by the GHMC and the irrigation department.
