AMALAPURAM: Rampant and unauthorised aqua farming in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district has triggered an ecological crisis, with chemical and effluent discharge from 434 illegal aqua ponds devastating agricultural lands across three coastal mandals—Sakhinetipalli, Mamidikuduru and Malikipuram.
The discharge has rendered the soil infertile, destroying thousands of coconut and palm trees and wiping out maize, groundnut and vegetable crops. Following complaints from farmers, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the immediate demolition of the illegal ponds to halt further environmental damage. However, lagging enforcement is drawing public criticism and raising questions about administrative accountability.
Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema District Collector Mahesh Kumar Ravirala had set a March 15 deadline to remove all 434 unauthorised ponds.
As of now, only 88 have been demolished, Assistant Director of Fisheries LB Sidharda Vardan told TNIE. The remaining demolitions are the responsibility of the Revenue Department, but inaction from tahsildars has worsened the ecological impact and deepened the crisis for local farmers, who are already suffering severe losses.
Human Rights Forum and environmental activist Mutyala Srinivas brought the matter before the NGT. Following an investigation, the tribunal confirmed that unregulated aquaculture was contaminating the soil and threatening agricultural livelihoods.
Despite the 2022 NGT directive to remove illegal aqua ponds across coastal areas of the erstwhile East Godavari district, the State government has yet to fully implement it. The Human Rights Forum has condemned the delay, calling it a violation of environmental norms and basic human rights.
According to the State’s aqua zoning survey, 44,000 acres are officially allotted for fish ponds and 20,000 acres for saltwater shrimp cultivation.
However, unauthorised operations have spread over 3,200 acres for shrimp and 7,300 acres for fish. In many cases, multiple ponds are operated under a single registered license to bypass regulations, as per the report submitted by the district officials to the NGT.
The Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act of 2005 prohibits shrimp ponds within 200 metres of the high tide line and requires approvals for operations between 200 and 2,000 metres. Ponds must also be located 300 to 500 metres from residential areas. Yet, violations persist, with untreated pond discharge polluting irrigation canals and freshwater streams.
“The water from these ponds is poison to our land,” a local farmer, Uma Maheswara Rao told TNIE, standing near rows of withered coconut trees.
Speaking to TNIE, Sakhinetipalli Tahsildar M Venkateswara Rao confirmed that only 18 of 206 illegal ponds in his jurisdiction have been demolished so far, but more action is expected. He added that resistance from some aqua farmers—who claim their lands were lost to the sea—has complicated enforcement.
The issue has been escalated to the district collector.