CUTTACK: Orissa High Court on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the progress made by the high-level committee constituted on its order to protect the two wetlands of Chilika Lake and Bhitarkanika National Park.
The Court expressed disappointment after Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment Department Mona Sharma, who heads the Committee, appeared in person before it in pursuance of its order, on Tuesday. The Court asked Sharma to appear in person after taking note of the amicus curiae’s report submitted after the committee’s last meeting on August 30.
The division bench of Chief Justice KS Jhaveri and Justice KR Mohapatra posted the matter to October 21 while directing the committee to ensure that Collectors of Khurda, Puri, Ganjam and Kendrapara expedite demolition and eviction of illegal prawn farms.
The Bench also directed the committee to implement the suggestions of the amicus curiae as directed on January 21 and consider the report and suggestions made by him subsequently.
The amicus curiae report stated that the data supplied by the State Government indicated that “there has been a massive increase in the area covered by farms under illegal prawn culture when the matter is going on in the court.”
The Supreme Court had issued a direction on April 3, 2017 to the Chief Justice of High Courts in 15 States to take up the issue of wetlands conservation which is of ecological importance. Of the 26 major wetlands in 15 states, two are in Odisha.
In pursuance of the apex court order, High Court had taken up the issue suo motu registering a PIL in September 2017 for the restoration of the ecology of the two wetlands encompassing areas in Puri, Ganjam and Khurda districts.