Orissa High Court raises concern over attack on patrolling boat at Gahirmatha

The direction was issued after Amicus Curiae Mohit Agarwal submitted a report over attack on a patrolling boat at about 10.30 pm on March 15.
Orissa High Court (Photo | EPS)
Orissa High Court (Photo | EPS)

CUTTACK:  The Orissa High Court on Friday directed the Regional Chief Conservator of Forest (RCCF), Bhubaneswar Circle, to oversee the steps being taken to check illegal operation of fishing trawlers off Gahirmatha coast for protection of Olive Ridley sea turtles.

The direction was issued after Amicus Curiae Mohit Agarwal submitted a report over attack on a patrolling boat at about 10.30 pm on March 15.

The report said the patrolling team of Gahirmatha wildlife range and APR police detected a fishing trawler in the sanctuary area.

When the trawler was attempted to be intercepted, the crew members of the trawler attacked the patrolling staff with sharp weapons. Five patrolling staff had sustained injuries. 

Later, they called 10 more trawlers and all of them ganged up to drown the patrolling boat along with the staff. In the circumstances, the patrolling boat was badly damaged and the staff suffered injuries.

“Till March 18 evening, none of the accused persons or their associates have been arrested, nor has the offending trawler been traced. This has severely affected the morale of the patrolling staff and does not send a good signal to other offenders in the present nesting season”, the Amicus Curiae’s report said.

Taking note of it, the division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice BP Routray expressed its concern “about the impunity with which the illegally operating trawlers are able to violate the law” and sought an updated status report on the next date (April 12) on the incident.

“There is an urgent need to ensure that the patrolling is stepped up and made effective by providing the enforcement teams with adequate equipment and vehicles to have an effective check over the illegal trawling activities”, the bench observed.
 

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