Farmers celebrate as Centre allows fish ponds in Kolleru

Akiveedu: The Kolleru Zirayiti farmers are now expressing their happiness over the Centre’s decision to allow the Zirayiti land to convert into fish ponds in Kolleru lake area in plus five contours.

It may be recalled that over a decade ago, the Congress Government had dismantled the fish ponds in plus five contours of Kolleru and declared it as a bird sanctuary. During the Operation Kolleru, the Zirayiti farmers also lost their fish ponds and so far not allowed to either cultivate or to dig fish ponds under plus five contours of Kolleru.

The zirayiti farmers have represented the State and Central Governments to allow them to take up fish ponds in the Zirayiti lands as they lost their livelihood. They noted that during Operation Kolleru, about 75,000 acres of society and Zirayiti fish ponds were dismantled by the officials.

The Central Government announced on Tuesday that the Zirayiti farmers may dig up the fish ponds and cultivate in those lands. Following this, about 21,000 acres of land is again turning into fish ponds.

The Kolleru Farmers Association leaders, Bhupatiraju Timmaraju, BJP leaders Alluri Satyanarayana Raju, State FCI advisory committee member Nerella Pedababu, Naraharisetty Nanaji, Yarra Raghavulu expressed their happiness over the decision of the Centre and thanked for allowing the Zirayiti farmers to dig up the fishponds.