RAJAHMUNDRY: Sagara Sangamam, where the Krishna river meets the Bay of Bengal, is being developed as an eco-tourism hub. State chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forests K.S. Reddy visited the area recently and instructed forest officials to initiate measures to develop it as a major eco-tourism hub. An environmental education centre is to be set up to give more information about diverse flora and fauna located in Krishna wildlife sanctuary at Sagara Sangamam. The sanctuary has fishing cats, otters and several other species of fauna.
A large number of Olive Ridley turtles lay eggs on the shore and officials release hundreds of their hatchlings into the sea. Dolp-hins also get sighted at the point where the Krishna river empties into the sea. Forest authorities are getting ready to display pictures and information about these species to educate visitors They say that if the visitors are well informed about the life cycle, habitations and other details about these species of animals, they develop interest towards them and help conserve and protect the species.
Similarly, photographs and information pertaining to various species of plants will also be displayed at the Centre. The forest authorities have identified dry patches in the sanctuary and are taking up plantation of mangroves in about 100 hectares area to fill them up this year itself. Thick cover of mangrove forests in the sanctuary will help protection of wildlife and control high temperature in the atmosphere. The authorities are roping in the Eco-Development Committee of Palaka-yatippa which is a fishermen village for developing the Sagara Sangamam as an eco-tourism hub.
The authorities are also developing Kolleru Wild-life Sanctuary to promote eco-tourism. As part of it, fish seed will be released into the water bodies to help the birds feed on them and earthen mounds will be set up for the birds to perch. Silt from the 81 notified drains in the sanctuary will be used by water resources authorities to develop earthen mounds. Existing artificial perches will be repaired in case they are damaged and new ones will be set up to make the sanctuary an ideal place for migratory and resident birds to roost and nest.
Eluru, assistant conservator of forests N. Ramachandra Rao said, “We are developing Sagara Sangamam as an ecotourism hub by providing requisite amenities for the benefit of tourists, given its proximiy to the state capital Amaravati. We plan to de-velop Atapaka of Kolleru on the same lines."
