Cut power supply to illegal aqua ponds: Collector

Officials told to undertake fresh survey to detect violation of norms by aqua farmers

East Godavari District Collector D. Muralidhar Reddy on Saturday directed the officials concerned to stop power supply for the 750 illegal aqua ponds during the meeting of the District Committee on Aquaculture in Kakinada.

Authorities of the Fisheries Department have been told to carry out a fresh survey across the district to identify more illegal ponds for further action. “The aquaculture department will cut the power supply to the identified 750 aqua ponds, which have not been regularised, by alerting the power distribution authorities,” said Mr. Muralidhar Reddy.

On the regularisation of the brackishwater aquaculture ponds, the District Committee would forward the 80 applications, including 29 new ones, to the Chennai-based Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA).

At least 540 farmers, whose ponds were regularized earlier, have been told to submit necessary documents within a week to run the respective ponds. The approval would be cancelled for those who would fail to submit the documents.

A.P. Pollution Control Board Executive Engineer M. Ramarao Naidu, Joint Collector G. Raja Kumari, District Revenue Officer Ch. Sattibabu, Joint Director (Fisheries) Mr. Jaya Rao and other officials were present.