Illegal prawn farm owners evicted from forest land within Bhitarkanika National Park

KENDRAPARA: Around 200 illegal prawn farm owners and farmers were evicted from 170 acre of forest land in the seaside village of Kandarapatia under Mahakalapada range within Bhitarkanika National Park on Sunday.

The Forest department with the help of police carried out the eviction drive. Range officer of Mahakalapada S Biswal said the department has launched a massive eviction drive against the prawn mafia and encroachers who forcefully acquired forest land and converted it into prawn farms and agricultural land. “Earlier, we had issued eviction notices to all the encroachers. We will soon plant mangrove saplings in the land,” he added.

Additional tehsildar of Mahakalapada Gagan Bihari Das said the encroachers occupying forest land will not be spared. “Despite protest by some encroachers, we evicted them as they failed to prove their ownership rights of the land. The district administration deployed police to prevent any law and order situation.”

Das further said prawn farm owners dump their effluent into nearby rivers and ponds. They also pollute the groundwater sources in area. Besides, illegal prawn farms pose a direct threat to the nearby mangrove forests. Recently, many villagers blamed mushrooming of illegal prawn farms and its effluent for destruction of their fertile agricultural lands.