Chhatrapur: The Ganjam district administration has warned the people of action if they attempt to take selfies with the endangered Olive Ridley marine turtles as that can interfere with the turtles’ mass nesting and the hatching of their eggs.
The matter was discussed at an emergency meeting held at the Collectorate here Saturday.
Presiding over the meeting, Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange stressed safety measures to protect the turtles. He asked district and forest officials to take the public and fishermen into confidence and to sensitise them regarding this.
The mating, nesting and laying of eggs of the turtles take place from November to May. The mating takes place in December and the mass nesting in January. The eggs start hatching by February.
The mass nesting usually takes place over a stretch of five km on the coast from Purunabandh on the Rushikulya River mouth to Podampeta and from there to Bateshwar on the coast.
Berhampur DFO Ashis Behera said many people visit the coast during this time to touch the sea turtles and to pose for selfies with the marine creatures, which is a clear breach of the Wildlife Protection Act.
This year anyone found touching the turtles or taking selfies with them will be strongly dealt with. Action will be taken against them as per the Wildlife Protection Act, he said. The Collector ordered to enforce the Act strictly to protect the turtles.
The meeting also discussed the use of ring nets for fishing near the mass nesting site of turtles despite restrictions imposed by the government.
Some fishermen are violating the order posing a great danger to the turtles. The Collector directed the officials to first sensitise them and to take action if they do not obey the orders.
Officials said the lights of trucks parked near Puintala Square, the glaring lights of nearby hotels and Grasim Industries and the sounds and lights of incoming ships intimidate the turtles and affect their nesting. The Collector assured that steps will be taken regarding this.
Eleya, a representative of traditional fishermen, appealed to the Collector to provide a financial assistance of Rs 7,500 to fishermen.
Earlier, the government was providing 25-kg rice to all fishermen during the ban on fishing in the area.
The scheme now has been stopped and only a few fishermen are being provided with the Rs 7,500 assistance by the government. The Collector assured that a meeting will be held and action will be taken in this direction.
Ganjam SP Brijesh Kumar said the security of the endangered sea turtles could be assured if there is proper coordination between the police and forest officials, the authorities of Gopalpur port, the Indian Rare Earths Ltd unit at Gopalpur, the local administration, volunteers and villagers.
The process requires close monitoring. The turtles travel thousands of miles in the sea to come to Gahirmatha in Kendrapara district, the coast of Puri and the Rushikulya River mouth in Ganjam to lay eggs.
This year special arrangements have been made for the mass nesting and egg-laying of the turtles. Artificial hatcheries have been made and round-the-clock patrolling will be undertaken with speed boats and trawlers.
The activities will be monitored from a control room equipped with CCTV cameras. Police, marine police and marine fishery personnel comprising 70 forest staffers and 60 local volunteers will keep a close watch on the security of the turtles, it was learnt.
PNN