Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has directed the state government to demolish all illegal prawn enclosures by May 13.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice KS Jhaveri and Justice KR Mohapatra pronounced the order while hearing a case on illegal prawn enclosures (gheris) in state. The bench also asked the state government to file a report on demolition of gheris.
HC-appointed amicus curiae Mohit Agrawal has informed the court that illegal prawn enclosures are on the rise in state.
According to Agrawal, prawn mafia had set up enclosures illegally on around 23,000 acre in Chilika lake in 2017.
Expressing concern over the issue, the HC had directed the state government to remove illegal enclosures from Chilika and other places.
However, the Environment and Forest department informed the court that more than 25, 000 acre land in Chilika was under illegal prawn farming in 2018.