Kakinada: The Eluru district police are undertaking a special drive against dumping of chicken and other non-vegetarian waste in aqua ponds connected to the Kolleru lake.
Encroachment has been a major environmental problem facing the Kolleru lake. For the past few years, dumping of chicken and non-vegetarian food waste has added to this problem.
Environmentalists expressed concern over the problem and urged the authorities to curb this menace.
According to sources, nearly 200 tonnes of chicken and other non-vegetarian waste from Hyderabad are being transported to other cities and states to feed aqua ponds. Out of this, more than 100 tonnes of waste is being carried to Andhra Pradesh, where aqua culture is massive.
Besides, the banned cat fish is being cultured in aqua farms in Kolleru area. Some aqua farmers are growing and sending the catch to upcountry markets.
Cat fish has been banned as it eats the fish in the lakes and aqua ponds. It is sold as an ornamental dish in pubs. The chicken waste is used for culturing the cat fish.
Retired forest official P Jocob Benerjee told the Deccan Chronicle, “Cat fish is cultivated in the Kolleru lake illegally. The growers are feeding it with chicken waste. This is exported to West Bengal, New Delhi and other metropolitan cities where pub culture is pronounced.”
He said the fisheries department should do inspections and curb this practice.
The people of the villages near the lake are unable to bear the stench from this food waste and have complained repeatedly to the officials. Environmentalist T Patanjali Sastry told Deccan Chronicle, “The chicken food waste is polluting the lake and its surrounding areas. The resultant ecological damage is heavy.”
He said the lake has already been encroached upon by some influential persons who are engaged in aquaculture. The dumping of food waste to the aqua ponds to feed the shrimp has added to the problem and it should be curbed.
Another environmentalist working on bird survival and mangroves, K Mruthyunjaya Rao, said the food waste would cause huge ecological damage and this would also lead to problems for survival of human beings. This is also leading to damage to the habitation of the local and migratory birds.
Governments should protect the lake and the environment, he said and praised the the Eluru SP Pratap Shiva Kishore for his efforts to curb the damage to the environment.
The SP said enforcement is being increased and all station house officers are instructed to conduct raids on the aqua ponds and its foul feed. “This is an organised crime and nobody would be spared. Cases are being booked against the accused. SHOs are asked to seize the vehicles.”
Pedapadu SHO, Katta Sarada Satish, said he conducted raids and booked 12 cases in this connection. A strict vigil is kept and seizures are done. Cases have been booked against the vehicle driver, buyer, seller, mediator and other responsible persons on the carrying and dumping of the food waste to aqua ponds or for any other purpose, he said.
The seized material is dumped in a pit as it is biodegradable waste and it will be absorbed in the soil in a fortnight or a month, he added.
