BHUBANESWAR/BERHAMPUR:The Ganjam district administration on Friday suspended demolition of illegal prawn gheris around Palur canal connecting Chilika lagoon to the Bay of Bengal even before commencing the drive.
A joint team of Khallikote tehsil and Rambha Police had reached the place but pulled out of the exercise. The explanation provided was unfavourable weather which was baffling. Or was it?
Illegal prawn enclosures in Ganjam and Puri districts are known to thrive under full support of political party leaders as well as major aquaculture firms who not only fund but also have buy-back arrangement with the farmers. While illegal gheris in Palur canal were cleared last year, such shrimp culture around the lagoon on revenue land continues to operate.
According to Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005, no coastal aquaculture can be carried within 200 metres from high tide lines and in creeks, rivers and backwaters within the Coastal Regulation Zone.
Most illegal prawn gheris around the mouth of Chilika in Ganjam and Puri are located in no-go areas as defined under Coastal Regulation Zone and Coastal Aquaculture Act.
The restrictions, however, do not apply to farms in existence on the appointed day and to non-commercial and experimental farms operated by research institute of the Government or funded by the Government.
Interestingly, on June 19, Panchayati Raj, Agriculture and Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister’s office issued a letter seeking to hold a meeting to discuss representation of brackish water shrimp farmers association of Ganjam and Puri districts.
The letter issued to Forest Department, Fisheries and ARD, Collecrors of Puri and Ganjam desired that the farmers are facing problem in shrimp culture in and around Chilika lake and Palur canal. Scheduled to be held on Saturday, the meeting wants to discuss grievances of shrimp farmers as neither fresh licence is issued nor old ones are renewed. At present, the Orissa High Court is monitoring action of four districts including Puri, Ganjam and Kendrapara in identification of illegal prawn gheris as well as persons involved following a direction from the Supreme Court.
A bench of the HC comprising Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice BR Sarangi had accepted suggestions made by amicus curiae Mohit Agarwal for identification of areas where illegal prawn culture was underway so that demolition could be initiated as next step. The Collectors are required to submit affidavits before the HC in this regard. In his affidavit, Puri Collector Aravind Agarwal had submitted that Krushna Prasad tehsil had 29 illegal prawn capturing sources in which 53 persons were involved. In Brahmagiri tehsil, no illegal net gheris in the lagoon was found but there were nine earthen gheris operating illegally.