CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday set a 21-day deadline for the State government to take a decision on imposing a ban on movement of motorised boats in the Mangalajodi part of Chilika lake which attracts lakhs of migratory birds round the year.
The court was hearing the PIL filed by Debakar Behera seeking intervention into unchecked movement of motorised fishing boats in Mangalajodi area. The State government filed an affidavit seeking three months time to take the decision.
However, the division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar fixed April 27 as the next date for hearing on the matter, while allowing the State government time till then to take the decision.In the affidavit, Deputy Director Fisheries Basanta Kumar Dash stated that before taking a decision on banning fishing and restricting the movement of motorised boats in the sub-channels of Mangalajodi it was necessary to protect the differentsections of households engaged in fishing in the locality.
Dash said the Collector of Khurda has been through a letter on April 2 requested to discuss the matter with the respective stakeholders including the fishermen community and furnish necessary recommendations for taking appropriate decision on enforcing the ban on motorised fishing vessels in the sub-channels of Mangalajodi.
“Since the matter involves the livelihood of many poor and vulnerable fishermen, the Court may allow three months’ time to have discussions with all stakeholders”, Dash had pleaded in the affidavit.