Baliapal: Prawn mafia has grabbed hundreds of acres of government land, pastureland and forest land in various parts of Baliapal tehsil in Balasore district under the nose of the administration, causing discontent among local people.
According to a report, the mafia in collusion with influential persons has grabbed land in panchayats including Jambirai, Panchupalli and Bolang.
The mafia has dug out ponds for prawn farming all over the area and is raking in the moolah in connivance with some unscrupulous administrative officials. Vast tracts of land have been encroached while natural water passageways, nullahs and creeks have been blocked by setting up of netting enclosures, the report said.
This has created a lot of problem for the local people. They alleged that whenever they raise their dissent, the mafia tries to suppress the dissenting voice with threats.
“In the rainy season, farmland gets water-logged for days together, when overflowing water does not drain out into the sea through creeks. Even floodwaters do not find easy outlet from farmland due to blockage of water passageways. The river mouth of Hanskara has been blocked due to prawn enclosures,” said some locals.
Besides, the environment of the area gets polluted due to dumping of waste and rotten prawns and poisonous chemicals.
The prawn ponds have come up in violation of the Coastal Zone Regulation Act, which mandates that no illegal excavation should be allowed within a circumference of two km from the coast, it was learnt.
The mafia with the help of the local fishermen is catching prawn seedlings from the outfall area of Hanskara. Such kind of illegal capturing of seedlings has taken a toll on fish production in the area. Livelihood of fishermen was severely affected at Chaulati, Jambirai, Hanskara, Ichhapur, Bolang and Saudi villages.
When contacted, the tehsildar said action will be taken against the prawn mafia on receipt of complaint. PNN
