CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has expressed dissatisfaction over the efficacy of the demolition of illegal prawn gherries that was being carried out in Chilika Lake and Bhitarkanika.The court was hearing the PIL it had registered suo motu on the threat to ecology of the two wetlands. A status report was filed on an affidavit on Thursday on the illegal prawn gherries on 76 plots spread over 319.67 acre that was identified for demolition notified as Bhitarkanika area.
In the affidavit, the Deputy Collector, Kendrapara stated that demolition had been carried out on 56 plots spread over 282.14 acre and the rest would be demolished after the monsoon season is over.However, Amicus Curiae Mohit Agarwal presented photographs of one particular illegal prawn gherry in Taradeipur, Rajkanika tehsil where only one side of the wall over 10 feet length had been removed whereas the three sides of the pond were still left intact.
Expressing displeasure over it the division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice RK Pattanaik observed, “As correctly pointed out by the AC, this kind of demolition will not serve the purpose at all as it will be easy for those carrying out the illegal operation to reconstruct the 10 feet length of the wall that has been removed to make the pond functional again in Taradeipur,” said Rajkanika tehsil.
“The Collector, Kendrapara is directed to immediately arrange for his teams to revisit the sites of the 53 illegal prawn gherries that were demolished and ensure that the demolition task is complete by draining out the water and levelling the ground so that the ponds for the illegal prawn gherries do not re-emerge,” the bench ordered.
“A compliance affidavit shall be filed immediately in this court and the photographs in proof thereof be presented on the next date of hearing (August 17),” the Bench specified in the August 11 order.The bench also directed Samarth Verma, Collector, Puri to immediately institute an inquiry into how the illegal prawn gherries have come up despite patrolling of the area and fix the role, if any, of the local administration including the revenue inspector and the tehsildar. The court also asked him to present on the next date the videos of the removal of the illegal prawn gherries.