Post News Network
Basudevpur, Dec 20: Activities of prawn mafia have been playing havoc to agriculture in Basudevpur of Bhadrak district, as they have encroached upon a large stretch of the East Coast Canal from Charibatia ghat till Maa Budhi Mandaruni Chhak.
Besides, the mafia have been extracting soil from the canal embankment by means of earthmovers. Scores of people have illegally dug out ponds on both sides of the canal and cut the canal embankment to channelise the water for prawn farming.
However, this has posed problems for paddy farmers, who fail to receive adequate amount of water for irrigation, farmers alleged.
“Prawn mafia excavate soil from the embankment and dump it around their ponds. Often, the soil dug out from the embankment is used in road laying work. Tractor and JCB machines have been deployed while soil is transported from the place rampantly. But the administration has adopted an ostrich policy and does not act against the mafia,” farmers said.
The farmers demanded immediate steps to stop this illegal activity and action against the encroachers.
Acting on complaints from locals, tehsildar Gopinath Kuanr Thursday rushed to the spot and detained an earthmover digging on the canal embankment. The administration has started a probe into the illegal activity while Balimeda revenue inspector Debi Barik also visited the spot and started an inquiry.
Steps will be taken to stop soil excavation from the canal embankment and ensure its safety, he added.