KENDRAPARA: As police remain tied down with lockdown duty, illegal shrimp farm or gheris have mushroomed in seaside villages right under the nose of the administration.Apart from causing severe damage to the ecology, these gheris have destroyed hundreds of acre of fertile agriculture land.
The shrimp mafia in connivance with corrupt officials have managed to convert vast tracts of Government and forest land into prawn farms during the lockdown period in Baulakani, Kansapala, Kharinashi, Hariabanka, Badatubi, Sanatubi, Batighar and other villages under Mahakalapada block, alleged Niranjan Khilar of Kansapalabasi.
The illegal shrimp farms have resulted in loss of farmland leaving hundreds of farmers in these seaside villages in the lurch. Recently, villagers had met the Kendrapara Collector demanding stern action against the shrimp mafia.
Rajani Mandal of Batighar village said, “I used to raise paddy crops on my land. However, the land became barren last year after a prawn farm owner started releasing the effluent from his nearby gheri. I was compelled to switch over from paddy to shrimp farming recently.”
President of district unit of Krushak Sabha Umesh Chandra Singh said since rice is the staple food in this region, paddy farming is the main source of livelihood for farmers. “The mushrooming of shrimp farms is wiping out paddy crops and without any option, many people are forced to convert their agriculture land into prawn farms,” he added.
Besides, prawn mafia with help of politicians and their henchmen have illegally converted large tracts of mangrove forest land into shrimp farms. Both the forest cover and cultivated areas are shrinking fast in the coastal pockets of the district. This apart, groundwater sources are also getting contaminated as prawn farm owners dump the effluent from their gheris in nearby rivers and ponds.
Collector Samarth Verma said he has received complaints about proliferation of illegal prawn farms in coastal areas during the lockdown period. “I have directed Mahakalapada tehsildar to submit a report in this regard. On getting the report, the administration will take strong legal action against persons illegally converting forest and revenue land into shrimp farms,” he added.
Farmers demand demolition of gheris
Paradip: Rampant encroachments by prawn gheri owners in Kujang block have resulted in water logging on farm lands. Concerned over the issue, farmers of Mangrajpur panchayat have demanded the demolition of illegal gheris in the area. The farmers said heavy rains before cyclone ‘Amphan’ led to waterlogging on the fields. The prawn gheris have been preventing flow of excess water to Zuaria river. The rain water also drained into Haldaipani river. Sources said three major water bodies have been choked by the gheris and if no action is taken soon, it is likely to affect kharif paddy cultivation. Similar is the plight of Kothi, Bagadia, Fethpur, Bhutmundai and Gopiakudap panchayats in the block. Kujang tehsildar Smruti Prajna Priyadarshini said she has directed the local revenue inspector to conduct a probe into the matter and initiate action against the gheri owners accordingly.