Paradip: Poultry feed allegedly being prepared by mixing prawn heads and pesticides near Sandhakuda slum in this port town have kicked up a row with the stench emanating from it. People are finding it extremely difficult to live a normal life due to the foul stench, a report said.
The poultry feed is manufactured at an islet in between Kansaripatia river and the sea close to this town. This has sparked concern in the port town for two reasons. First, the stench is unbearable.
Secondly, it has been alleged that these pesticides also may lead to life-threatening diseases for people. These pesticides are consumed by chicken. So when one eats meat the same enters the human body. It is apprehended that people consuming poultry meat may get affected by incurable diseases in future, district food inspector Anita Rout informed.
Several cases have been filed before the civic body and police stations in the area. Action has also been taken against the manufacturers in past. However, the unscrupulous traders are quick to run their business with impunity.
Reports said Paradip accounts for annual production of 200 to 300MT of marine and gheri prawns. The prawns caught here are exported to other countries after the peeling of their heads and shells. The leftover prawn heads is called as ‘Matha’ by local fishermen and fish traders. Later, these leftover prawn heads and shells are sold to poultry feed traders and used in manufacturing of preparing food.
The preparation of poultry feeds involves various stages and is a money-minting business. The leftover prawn heads and shells are first left to rot and then dried under sun. Later, these are crushed to make a powder in which pesticide is mixed in proportions to prepare poultry feed. The manufactured feed is then supplied to various poultry farms which uses it feed their poultry stock.
A labourer engaged in the business said that earlier pesticides were not used to in manufacturing of poultry feed on conditions of anonymity. However pesticide is now being used to give longer shelf life to the poultry feeds as it gets infested by insects after remaining for a longer period.
Rout said it is the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development department which has to curb such illegalities.
When contacted, Manas Ranjan Sahu, assistant director, state Fisheries department said a proper verification has to be made to unravel the wrongdoing.
PNN