From:Tejdeep Kaur Menon, Director General

 Press Release 
From:Tejdeep Kaur Menon, Director General, Telangana Special Protection Force.

Date: 20/09/2015 7:38 PM

Greetings on the auspicious festival of Ganesh Chaturthi !

Ameenpur villagers are showing the way in celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi while respecting the need to protect Nature and the environment. At a meeting held at the gram panchayat office in Ameenpur steps and measures were taken for the conservation of flora and fauna in the Ameenpur Lake System.

The meeting attended by over 100 representatives of the village and residential apartments in its vicinity decided that:

The 15 idols installed in the old Ameenpur village only will be immersed in the Peddacheruvu and for the last time this year. Only mud idols will be installed from next year. The immersion will be done only in a small part of the lake, near the village, and the portion of the lake will be sealed with sandbags to contain pollution.

All idols being brought for immersion from places outside the old Ameenpur village will be diverted to Devenuni Kunta Lake for immersion.

Ameenpur villagers are to offer voluntary help in clearing the lake after the Nimmajanam is completed on September 25.

There will be no  firing of crackers and beating of drums and other musical instruments in and around Peddacheruvu.

The decisions followed the presentation and explanation of the need to protect the lake ecosystem by the Director General Telangana State Police Protection Force Mrs. Tejdeep Kaur Menon and the Hyderabad Birding Pals President Harikrishna Adepu. During the 90 minute meeting participants were shown a presentation on the rich biodiversity of the Ameenpur Lake System.

The Ameenpur lakes are one of the few water bodies left in the State of Telangana  and it is known as the Birding Paradise of Telanganawherein more than 171 species of both resident and migrant birds like the Desert Wheatear, Greater Flamingos, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Small Pratincole, Oriental Pratincole, River Tern, Eurasian Spoonbill, Bronze Winged Jacana, Pheasant Tailed Jacana, Indian Eagle Owl, Spotted Owl, Common Hawk Cuckoo, Shikra, Brahminy Kite, Black Kite, Black Winged Stilt, Greater Cormorant, Little Cormorant, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Coot, Northern Pintail, Mallad, Common Kingfisher, White Throated Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Red Munia, Indian Silverbill, Scaly Breasted Munia, Indian Robin, Common Kestrel, Pied Bushchat, Zitting Cisticola, Raptors, Common Hoopoe, Cattle Egret, Little Egret and Intermediate Egret etc., frequent the lake.  It is the most sought after haunt of bird watchers as a variety of avian species including migratory and native species visit the lake.  This lake supports fishery

It has a wide variety of fishes, amphibians and reptiles such as Checkered Keelbacks, Russell Viper some species of fishes and snakes in the water sheet and the trees and shrubs in its environs spread over 100 acres.  Apart from birds, there are around 8 varieties of snakes that include Cobras, Rat Snake. The bio-diversity of the lake also includes a wide variety of insects, butterflies and other reptiles such as Oriental Garden Lizard, Rock Agama, Fan-Throated Lizard etc., and flora that include a few herbal species to name a few. 

Tremendous Biodiversity is available at Ameenpur lake with a variety of herbs, shrubs, creepers, medicinal flora, trees, animals, reptiles, birds, insects, microbes etc.

Around 171 species of birds (migratory and residents), 250 plant species (including rare and medicinal), 9 fish species, 26 aquatic beetles, 41 butterfly species, 33 species of invertebrates, 12 amphibian species, 33 reptiles species, 9 species of wild animals and millet diversity is available in the area.

Encroachment, dumping of garbage, municipal waste, drainage water, rock and sand mining, industrial pollutants, illegal commercial ground water tapping through bore wells, killing of migratory birds etc. is a threat to the lake.

Every year about one and half lakh idols are being immersed in the lakes situated in and around Hyderabad.

After 10 days of immersion of Ganesh idols the oxygen levels are being decrease to 50%, endangering the life of the flora and fauna in and around the lake.

The Plaster of Paris is used for making of Ganesh Idols does not dilute in the water after immersion, pollutes the lakes and destroys the native fishes and other species in the water body.

By immersing Idols made with Plaster of Paris and painted with chemicals paints, we are stifling life in and around the lakes and also filling our lakes with plastic bags and other litter which is not biodegradable.

DIRECTOR GENERAL,

TELANGANA SPECIAL PROTECTION FORCE,

SECUNDERABAD.