India, Feb. 10 -- The Andhra Pradesh government is facing an uphill task in removing encroachments in the Kolleru lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the country spread over three districts and a notified wildlife sanctuary, in the wake of the latest Supreme Court directions to protect the waterbody, people familiar with the matter said.

Acting on a public interest litigation filed by environmentalist K Mruthyunjaya Rao, the Supreme Court on January 16 directed the state government to submit a detailed status report by March 19 on the current state of encroachments in the Kolleru Lake and Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice BR Gavai, Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice K Vinod Chandran...