CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to personally oversee the progress of removal of prawn gheris in Chilika lake spread across Khurda, Puri and Ganjam districts besides, Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara district.
A division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice BP Routray expressed concern over the poor progress made in removal of illegal prawn gheris which is essential to revive the drinking water sources. The bench directed the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting whether in physical or virtual mode of the Collectors of Puri, Ganjam, Khurda and Kendrapara along with the Chief Executive of the Chilika Development Authority and the Advocate General within the next one week.
“The purpose of the meeting is to come up with a detailed plan of action to ensure that the work on removal of the illegal prawn gheris in the four districts is taken up on an urgent basis, the efforts redoubled, revised deadlines be fixed and strictly adhered to”, the bench said in its April 13 order. Amicus Curiae Mohit Agarwal said the Court has fixed April 28 as next date for hearing on the matter.
The Court was taking stock of the progress on Tuesday. The Registrar (Judicial) had registered a suo motu PIL in September 2017 for restoration of the ecology of the two wetlands. On perusal of the affidavits, the Court felt that no work had been undertaken to meet the deadline for eviction of illegal prawn gheris during the past month and the issue is not receiving the kind of attention that it requires.
The Court had directed for clearing of prawn gheris covering an area of 1,2356.78 hectare in the four districts but gheris over only 35.377 hectare in Khurda and Ganjam districts were demolished during the past month.