Tension grew near Paidichintapadu village on Thursday when farmers and residents staged a sit-in protest. They stopped Forest Department officials from entering the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary. The protest is part of a long dispute over sanctuary boundaries and local livelihoods. Villagers blocked all three village entry points with temporary tents. They refused to let forest officials pass on the roads leading to illegal fish tanks. Forest Department sources said nearly 300 acres of illegal fish tanks were found in the village. About 250 acres were demolished earlier. However, 50 acres of illegal tanks remain a problem. Demolition was paused because of a boundary dispute with a 100-acre adjacent tank. Recently, forest officers tried to stop locals from pumping water into these tanks, which caused fresh protests. Forest officials asked villagers to let them enforce Supreme Court orders. Villagers, led by former ZPTC member Saidu Satyanarayana, said their livelihoods are at risk. "Mass migration of the youth is evidence of the economic strangulation caused by sanctuary regulations. We will not let the official go to the lake at any cost," said Satyanarayana. The villagers vowed to continue protesting and threatened to fill trenches dug by the department. Locals are also reportedly digging shallow "zero-point" tanks to continue fish farming, trying to bypass laws. The department warned these too are illegal and will face strict action. Officials stressed that Kolleru Lake is a protected wetland. Illegal aquaculture threatens its environment. They plan to resume demolition of remaining tanks and restore the lake following court and environmental orders.