When it comes to development, the ‘first and last’ victim in a city or district are the water bodies. The Kalyanipulova reservoir in Visakhapatnam district is a prime example, said ‘Waterman of India’ Rajendra Singh on a recent visit the reservoir.
The Kalyanipulova reservoir and dam, built in Cheemalapadu village in Ravikamatham mandal in Visakhapatnam district, was the first medium irrigation project in the district and has been serving the farming community since 1978. The project provides irrigation water to more than 10,000 acres and drinking water to hundreds of villages in and around the reservoir area.
But today, the farming lands have gone dry, as the water no longer flows into their fields due to rampant illegal quarrying in the catchment area and hills abutting the banks.
Though the Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued an order to authorities concerned in Visakhapatnam district to stop illegal activities in Survey 68/2 in Cheemalapadu village, the farmers continue to be in dire straits.
They had to take up a sustained agitation to get the High Court to intervene. In the case of Kalyanipulova, a large part of it is disturbed due to illegal mining or quarrying, said Mr. Rajendra Singh.
Vanishing water bodies
As per records, there were at least five to six big ponds in Old Town area alone and at least three to four rain-fed streams such as Hanumanthawaka and Seethammadhara. While all the ponds have gone, the streams have now been reduced to a bare trickle, said D.N. Sinha, a senior citizen.
According to former Union Energy Secretary E.A.S. Sarma, at one point of time there were about 150 recorded water bodies in the city limits. That number has dropped to around 5 or 7.
"The Nerela Koneru in Alipuram is encroached and the once famous Peerala Koneru is just 10% of what it was. Even the YSR ACA-VDCA Stadium stands on an encroached water body," said Mr. Sarma.
Exponential growth
While Visakhapatnam has grown exponentially in the last three decades, its development has come at a great cost. Water bodies in and around the city have been the biggest casualties of this unchecked growth.
From a city with a population of about 3 lakh in the 1970s, it has grown to accommodate over 20 lakh, and from 120 sq. km in 2006, the city has seen its area double by 2018.