Cuttack: Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Friday, the Orissa High Court here directed Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and divisional forest officer (DFO) including Khurda Fisheries department to restrict movement of noisy boats in Mangalajodi bird sanctuary.
The court also insisted that the authorities concerned have to submit their affidavits, on action taken to make the bio-diversity zone free from sound pollution, by the next date of hearing fixed for February 18.
According to a source, the PIL was previously filed by a local resident named Dibakar Behera alleging that rampant movement of motorised boats continue in the bird sanctuary in Chilika, which cause sound pollution and thereby distract the migratory winged guests.
During the hearing on virtual mode, the court expressed its deep concern and directed the CDA authorities to hold discussions with the fishing community in Mangalajodi area within coming three days.
The stakeholders should be made convinced about the harmful effects of noise created by the motorised boats on migratory avian species.
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CDA chief executive officer Sushant Nanda, Chilika DFO Sarat Mishra and district fisheries officer Sashank Sahu appeared before the HC during the virtual hearing. The officials admitted that motorised boats have been permitted to move in the Mangalajodi sanctuary region.
Local fishermen were accorded license with the condition that they would not use motors while passing through the bird sanctuary. Campaigns are regularly organised to make local fishermen aware, appearing in hearing the officials informed the honourable court.
The division bench comprised Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Radha Krishna Pattanaik, who conducted hearing in virtual mode.
Notably, two local fishermen namely Pradip Kumar Behera and Subas Behera, who were parties to the PIL, appealed the court to order for imposition of the restriction disallowing movement of motorised boats in Nalabana bird sanctuary, apart from Mangalajodi sensitive zone.
The High Court accepted the suggestions and accordingly ordered the CDA authorities to ponder over it and take an appropriate decision.
Mangalajodi is an eco-sensitive zone. Local fishermen move across this zone, spreading over eight kilometres, to catch fish in the sea. However, Chilika is well known as a haven for migratory birds as lakhs of winged guests of different species throng the lagoon every year.
PNN