Nellore flamingo festival begins in Andhra Pradesh to promote bird-watching tourism

A visual treat for avid birdwatchers, the Flamingo Festival, kicked-off at Pulicat Lake and Nellapattu in Sullurpet mandal, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday, January 7 with pomp and gaiety. The three-day-long event was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana.
On the inaugural day, school students participated in a large rally from SHAR bus stand centre to Sullurpet Government Junior College. The four venues of this festival are Sullurpet Junior College, BV Palem, Atakanitippa and Nelapattu. Flamingo Festival is a 12-year-long tradition of the region. The highlight of this fest is the sight of colourful migratory birds from Siberia that visit the region for nesting and breeding.
According to news reports, Chandramohan Reddy revealed his plans to start developmental projects for opening the two vents of Pulicat Lake which may cost the government INR 48 crores. SHAR has put aside a budget of INR 50 lakhs for the work involved in preventing saline water from mixing with Kalangi River.

As per media reports, the forest department officials have been quoted as saying that around 9,000 to 12,000 migratory birds, belonging to 80 different species, have reached Pulicat for the purpose of breeding in winter. Reportedly, these avifaunal creatures hunt in depthless waters of the lake and breed in Pulicat. After the breeding season is over, the migratory birds leave for their native region along with their fledglings. The authorities at Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary have tried to safeguard the favourable surroundings for the benefit of migratory residents.

The Flamingo Festival is organised annually to encourage tourism in Pulicat and Nellapattu. Reportedly, the authorities said that though proper arrangements for the visitors have been made, student visitors, who participated in the festival, had to face shortage of drinking water at the festival.