Shrimp farms demolished in Kendrapada

Kendrapada: The district administration on Thursday started demolition of illegal shrimp farms in Bhitaragada, Dibakarpur, Kandira and other villages near the Bhitarkanika National Park. "Farms of 30 acres of government land were demolished. We will take four days to dismantle all the gheries," said tehsildar of Rajnagar Khirod Kumar Behera. "Farmers have often complained that effluents from these farms have affected the fertility of agricultural land in the area," he added.
Almost all shrimp farms are illegal as these violate the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms and the rulings of the Supreme Court and high court. Farmers violating CRZ can be imprisoned for three years and fined upto Rs 1 lakh, added Behera. Last year, the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) declared 192 villages around the park as eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) to prevent ecological damage caused by development activities around Bhitarkanika. It prohibits shrimp farming within 2 km of Bhitarkanika.
ESZ also bans felling of trees and setting up of factories and saw mills in the area. Commercial use of natural water resources, including groundwater harvesting and setting up of hotels and resorts, are also regulated in these areas, added the official.