Cuttack: Taking up a petition seeking removal of two illegal shrimp production centres from the Krushnaprasad block of Puri, the Orissa High Court Wednesday sought replies from the state, Centre and 18 other parties.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi also directed the Puri SP to deploy adequate police in case the court orders removal of the two units.
The HC directive came in response to a petition filed by Sudhanshu Kumar Biswal and 23 others from Ramlanka village in Krushnaprasad block seeking removal of the shrimp production centres at Ramlanka and Maluda areas in the Krushnaprasad block which have been operating without clearance from the Orissa State Pollution Control Board.
The wildlife Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) had also informed the court that they were not being provided with adequate police force for removal of the two units.
The petitioners had informed the HC that areas adjoining Chilika have been reserved for wildlife under Section 4(1) of the Odisha Forest Act, 1972. The Act mandates that forest area cannot be used for other purposes. The interference of the public in these areas has also been restricted.
The two shrimp production centres have been operating in the area in blatant violation of Coastal Regulation Zone norms. Surprisingly, the two units have been drawing water from the sea after laying pipelines through the forest. Apart from the sea they are also drawing soft water through deep bore wells. There are no effective mechanisms for disposing of contaminated water, which in turn pollutes farmlands and cashew groves, the petition said.
Pointing out that the two illegal units would pose a threat to the residents of Krushnaprasad, the petitioners urged the HC to shut them down.
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