The Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary, located between the Krishna and Godavari delta regions in India, is facing a proposed reduction of 20,000 acres due to pressures from aquaculture farmers. Principal Secretary Kantilal Dande has requested the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to approve this boundary change, despite earlier directives from the CEC in 2018 prohibiting such actions. The sanctuary, which spans 901 square kilometers and is recognized as a wetland of international importance, has been increasingly encroached upon, with 15,000 acres reportedly converted to illegal aquaculture ponds by 2021. The Supreme Court has mandated the state government to provide a status report on these encroachments, emphasizing the need to protect the sanctuary's biodiversity, which includes over 220 bird species. Environmentalists argue that while the state government is seeking to rationalize the sanctuary's boundaries, the removal of encroachments remains a politically sensitive issue, as it impacts the livelihoods of local fishermen. The sanctuary was designated a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 and recognized under the Ramsar Convention in November 2002.