Kakinada: The famous water body in Kakinada City, Boat Club, is being eyed by Smart City administration to be made available for reclamation where construction work would be taken up. Walkers using the site as well as city residents express concern over the plan blaming some Telugu Desam leaders for the initiative.
Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) is allegedly not interested in properly mapping or initiating protective strategy for water bodies in the city. According to sources, Boat Club which is one of the few water bodies, faces threat from both the KMC officials and Kakinada Smart City officials.
The Boat Club is a special surface water resource that used to be the boating arena that helped as a source of recreation as well as to maintain ground water levels. Many social and cultural activities take place there.
The main purpose of any water body in urban habitat is to help replenish and increase ground water level. It is also the outlet for flood water management and a rescue location in case of any earthquake while acting as a sources of water for firefighting in expanding urban areas.
During the previous government, the then Kakinada Rural MLA Kurasala Kannababu wanted to develop it as a tourism spot and laid stone for the purpose. But, later, the proposal has kept aside. Under the present government, the Kakinada Rural MLA Pilli Anantha Lakshmi has not shown any interest in it while some TD activists and corporators tried to fill part of the pond with soil under the 'Neeru-Chettu' programme to start some construction.
Smart City officials proposed the launch of food courts and other business outlets across the bund. But, the walkers opposed the move saying this would damage the water body and further pollute it. The proposal was put off for some time.
With plans to establish business units there after the completion of Smart City work, some political leaders dump rubbish into the water body, said International Walkers Club Governor Adabala Ratna Prasada Rao. He said that a Kakinada corporator was forcibly trying to reclaim part of the boat club. He does not want to protect the environment and other ecological balance. He said that the officials should take all environmental protections and they should not give chances to politicians to dig or level the ponds. He requested the officials to develop the boat club by maintaining environment and protecting the pond.
