Natural barriers against cyclones make way for fish ponds
CPM leader P. Madhu and his party colleagues collect donations for cyclone-hit Visakhapatnam, in Vijayawada on Friday (Photo:Deccan Chronicle)
Vijayawada: Increasing encroachment of land in the coastal region in violation of coastal regulatory zone rules and rapid depletion of mangroves may deal a death blow to Machilipatnam and Diviseema in the event of a super cyclone striking the region. In the absence of mangroves, which act as a natural barrier and protect villages from cyclones, the risk factor in the coastal Krishna district has shot up.
Several thousands of acres in the coastal areas have been encroached by the “aqua mafia”, businessmen who have taken up fish and prawn culture by digging mammoth tanks, many of which violate the CRZ rules.It is alleged that revenue officials are colluding with the ‘aqua mafia’ and turning a blind eye to the encroachment of reserve forest land by passing it off as government or revenue land.
A recent survey of land for the Bandar port revealed that thousands of acres of state-owned land has been encroached and dug up for fish ponds. Though the forest officials deny depletion of mangroves, people living in the coastal region say that some influential persons are behind the digging up of fish tanks by destroying mangroves.
The encroachment is more widespread in Sorlagondi, Nachugunta, Zincapalem, Eelachetladibba and other areas. Divisional forest officer (wildlife) Rammohan Rao claims that there was no threat to mangroves in coastal Krishna. R. Ramasubrahmanian, of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, who is working for the protection of mangrove in Krishna and Guntur, said that the mangroves cover over 15,000 hectares in the two districts. He said it is important to increase this cover, especially in the coastal areas, as this is a natural shield from cyclones.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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