NELLORE: The three-day annual Flamingo Festival at Pulicat lake and Nellapattu in Sullurpet mandal commenced on Sunday amid much fanfare. Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana, both hailing from the district, inaugurated the event. Students took out a huge rally from SHAR bus stand centre to Sullurpet Government Junior College to mark the event. The festival is being organised at four places - Sullurpet Junior College, BV Palem, Atakanitippa and Nelapattu.
Speaking on the occasion, Chandramohan Reddy informed that they would take up development works for the opening of two mouths of Pulicat lake at an estimated cost of Rs 48 crore. SHAR would allocate Rs 50 lakh for the works to prevent saline water from entering Kalangi river. Flamingo Festival is being organised for the past 12 years. Migratory birds from Siberia have been visiting this place for breeding and the colourful birds are a treat to the eye of bird watchers.
According to the forest department officials, anywhere between 9,000 to 12,000 migratory birds have arrived at Pulicat region for breeding this season. Usually around 80 different avian species migrate to Pulicat for breeding. They hunt in shallow waters of the lake and breed in Pulicat. Once the breeding season concludes, they fly away to their native land with their offspring in tow. The conducive atmosphere for this seasonal avian guests is being conserved at Nelapattu bird sanctuary.
Flamingo Festival is held every year to promote tourism in Pulicat and Nellapattu. Though officials have claimed that they have made elaborate arrangements, the visitors, particularly students who participated in the festival, were left wanting for drinking water.