KAKINADA: The Kakinada seashore is stinking with the decomposed olive ridley turtles with morning walkers and fishermen put to inconvenience.
District Forest Officer D Ravindranath Reddy told TNIE that the olive ridley turtles usually come from December to January for breeding. At the deep sea, those caught in fishermen nets will be abandoned at the shore.
Wildlife Forest Range Officer SSR Vara Prasad said these turtles come from over 300 km to Kakinada Hope Island for breeding. Stuck in fishermen nets, and abandoned, the dead ones pile up at Odalarevu beach point. Having learnt about the death of olive ridley turtles, Deputy Chief Minister (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Environment, Forest, Science and Technology) Pawan Kalyan had recently directed the forest officials to probe the matter.
Many olive ridley turtles reportedly died due to water pollution near Haritha Resorts. From Nemam village to the fishing harbour, several turtles fell dead. Now, a foul smell is emanating from there to nearby Suryaraopeta, Vakalapudi and Valasapakala villages.
The area is home to several major industries, which are likely sources of wastewater into canals. Though the Pollution Control Board suggested that the industries set up an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) to protect the water bodies in the vicinity, no steps have been taken to curb water pollution.