Post News Network
Chandbali, March 8: Though late, the administration has finally initiated the process of dismantling illegal prawn gherries spread over 300 acre of land along the coast in Narendrapur mouza in Bhadrak district. Some local influential people have been into prawn and crab farming by illegally occupying the land for the last three years.
The wildlife division had recently directed the revenue department to remove encroachments on land abutting the mangrove forests, which come under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ-1).
Source said the land will soon be free of unauthorised occupation and handed over to the forest department. A team of officials led by tehsildar Chitta Ranjan Sahu visited the area March 4 and videographed the area, apart from checking the land records.
The tehsildar said an anti-encroachment drive has begun with land measurement. Several other tehsil officials also visited the spot and prevented a prawn farmer from constructing a house on the land. Sources said 198.25 acre of land under khata no-202 and 1.74 acre of land under khata no-710 belonging to gramya jungle kissam have been under illegal occupation. Besides, over 179 acres of sand-cast land in different khatas have been illegally occupied.
However, there has been a dispute over the ownership of the land between the wildlife division and the revenue department.
The range officer of the wildlife division had a field visit of the area and stated in its report that the land has been illegally occupied for prawn gheries by the mafia. Such activities are causing water pollution.
The initiative to remove encroachments has come following a report published in Oriya daily Dharitri February 19. Taking note of the report, revenue minister Bijay Shree Routray had directed the collector February 21 to probe the matter and take action.
It was alleged that the administration was evading action against prawn mafia in the last three years on the ground that there was dispute on the land ownership.