KENDRAPARA: Resentment is brewing among seaside villagers of Hariabanka under Mahakalapada block over the mushrooming of illegal prawn farms in the area. On Thursday, many villagers including women gathered near prawn gheris in protest. They alleged that the unchecked growth of prawn farms has rendered fertile agriculture land useless in Hariabanka, Batighar, Baulakani, Badatubi, Sanatubi, Kharinashi and several other villages due to release of untreated effluent.
Prawn farm owners dump the effluent from the gheris in nearby rivers and ponds. They also pollute the groundwater in the villages.
“We have urged the district administration to dismantle the illegal farms several times in the past but to no avail. Many influential persons have managed to illegally convert vast tracts of Government and forest land into prawn farms,” alleged Sabita Mandal of Hariabanka.
Sagar Das, another villager, said the seaside villages used to be popular as the rice bowl of the district a few years back. But now, the entire area looks like a small island in the middle of vast prawn farms covering an area of around 400 acre.
“We are now fighting against prawn farm owners to save our agriculture lands and water bodies,” he said.
Besides, the illegal prawn farms also pose a direct threat to the nearby rich mangrove forests.Contacted, district fisheries officer Mamata Mohapatra said farmers cultivating shrimp without registering with the Coastal Aquaculture Authority are liable to be imprisoned for three years and levied a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
It is mandatory for all shrimp farms situated on either side of rivers, creeks and canals up to a distance of five km from high tide level to be registered under the provisions of the CAA Act and Rules, 2005.
Prawn farms not registered are liable for demolition, Mohapatra added.