The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Nagapattinam News : Residents' plea to stop creation of prawn farms

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 20, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Nagapattinam

Residents' plea to stop creation of prawn farms

Staff Reporter

A number of private parties, after the tsunami tragedy, have started setting up prawn farms within 100 metres from the shore.

NAGAPATTINAM: The residents of Chinnamedu, a coastal village near Akkur in Nagapattinam district, have opposed the creation of prawn farms blocking the drainage channels and the pathway leading to the cremation ground in the locality.

A group of villagers have represented to the Revenue officials to stop the prawn farms as it would ruin the agricultural lands and also cause floods during rainy season.

The villagers alleged that nearly 25 acres of land that were being used by the locals have been purchased by some private prawn farm owners who have started establishing prawn ponds blocking the pathway to the cremation ground.

Narayanaswamy, one of the villagers told The Hindu on Wednesday that prawn farms have started coming up in several coastal areas in the district violating Government norms.

He said that the Supreme Court had also issued directions that prawn farms should be set up 200 metres away from the seashore. But a number of private parties, after the tsunami tragedy, have started setting up prawn farms within 100 metres from the shore.

The villagers urged the Collector to take stern action against persons who had set up unauthorised prawn farms on poromboke lands violating the norms of the Government.

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