Environmentalist and water conservationist Rajendra Singh on Friday called for urgent measures to protect Anakapalli district’s fragile ecosystems and cultural heritage from the impact of industrial expansion, mining and encroachments.Marking World Environment Day, Mr. Singh, accompanied by Jal Biradari national convenor Bolisetty Satyanarayana and other environmental activists, visited several locations across the district to assess environmental concerns.At Kondakarla Ava, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the State, he stressed the need to conserve the wetland ecosystem and the surrounding forest areas. During a visit to Panchadharla hill, the team inspected ongoing mining activity and expressed concern over the loss of green cover and its possible effect on the local ecology and rainfall.The delegation also visited the ancient Uma Dharma Lingeshwara Swamy temple, where concerns were raised about damage to heritage structures and pollution affecting the temple’s water sources. Similar issues were flagged at Bojjanna Konda, where mining activity is under way, and at Aava Khandam, a key groundwater recharge zone facing encroachment.During interactions with the visitors, farmers spoke about the lack of remunerative prices for their produce and the financial difficulties they face. Mr. Singh said development should not come at the expense of the environment and urged authorities to take steps to safeguard the region’s ecological and cultural heritage. Published - June 06, 2026 08:08 pm IST