Eluru MP urges Union Minister to ensure justice for residents of Kolleru lake area

Eluru MP Putta Mahesh Kumar has urged the Central Government to take immediate action regarding the recent Supreme Court orders and ensure justice for the people of the Kolleru region.
On Friday, MP Mahesh Kumar met Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, at Indira Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi and submitted a representation.
He brought to the Minister’s notice the concerns of the residents of the Kolleru Lake area, who have been living there for generations and are now facing distress due to the Supreme Court’s order issued on 16th January 2025.
He explained that the court’s directives to the Andhra Pradesh Government are severely impacting the livelihoods of farmers and residents across 122 villages, putting the survival of over three lakh people at risk.
MP Mahesh Kumar pointed out that the strict enforcement of the Supreme Court’s orders by officials, without considering ground realities, is causing immense hardship to the people. He urged the Minister to implement the flexibility approved by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), which had recommended restoring 14,861 acres of private land and 7,102 acres of assigned land within the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary.
In his representation, the MP also stressed the need to implement the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to properly define the region’s boundaries. He requested the Minister to direct the concerned authorities to file a revised affidavit before the Supreme Court, considering the actual status of the lands and the legitimate claims of the affected people.
Additionally, he urged the Central Government to seek a stay on the eviction process until the end of February to prevent the forced migration of over three lakh people dependent on these lands.
He also requested the Union Minister to support the effective implementation of the State Government’s policy decisions to safeguard the interests of the people of the Kolleru region. MP Mahesh Kumar stated that the Union Minister responded positively to his appeal.