Illegal prawn gheris demolished at Chilika

Bhubaneswar: The Chilika Development Authority (CDA) on Saturday demolished illegal gheris spread over 1,000 hectares as part of its ongoing drive against encroachment in the 1,100 sq km brackish water lagoon.
Three excavators, 15 boats and 100 men were engaged in the drive with one platoon of police force on guard.
The drive will continue for another two days and evict all prawn gheris in the area, which is an important spawning ground for fish and wintering ground for birds. The prawn mafias are using mess nets that is both illegal and detrimental, CDA sources said.
Local fishermen are reportedly supporting the move.
According to the sources, gheris over 7,000 hectares have been demolished in the last 16 days with the help of police and revenue department officials. Other than the Chilika block, areas around the 15 sq km Nalabana Bird Sanctuary are also being cleared.
“The entire encroachment is being uprooted and destroyed. Reconstructing these would be difficult,” said CDA Chief Executive Sushanta Nanda.
The entire activity is being carried out under the direct supervision of Additional Chief Executive Sasmita Lenka, who is authorised under OMFRA Act.
The drive to rid the Chilika Lake of gheris and plastic is a step towards developing it into a World Heritage Site, the sources added.