The Indian shrimp industry has grown in strength with the windfall gains of last few seasons when a viral disease (early mortality syndrome) decimated shrimp production in the largest exporting countries of South East Asia. In its wake, there is an unbridled proliferation of shrimp farms from Velankanni to Vedaranyam and Thalainayar to Thiruthuraipoondi.
As of 2010, administration placed the number of unlicensed farms as 903. Today, there are 809 licensed farms in the district, but no record of unlicensed farms, says an aquaculture official source. There are no inspections or verification of the farms since it requires the support of local VAOs to verify land records. “The VAOs are unavailable to conduct joint inspections,” says the source.
However, the legality of the ‘licensed’ farms is equally up for scrutiny. Last July, a People’s Hearing held by a jury headed by Justice Hosbet Suresh of Bombay High Court, flagged the Supreme Court’s 1996 judgment had ordered closing down of all shrimp farms and had allowed only continuance of traditional shrimp farms.
Given the proliferation of farms, the functioning of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority that was constituted as a regulatory body, is questioned by activists. “The District level committee of the CAA is required to meet at regular intervals. But, the DLC has not met regularly,’ says a member of the DLC, supporting the claim. “Yes, the SC allowed only for ‘improved traditional shrimp production”,” concedes an aquaculture official.
The Joint Director of Agriculture, also a member of the DLC is required to inspect if shrimp farms have come up on farm lands. The mushrooming of shrimp farms from Velankanni to Tiruthuraipoondi, testifies to no such inspections, says Kaveri Danapalan of Cauvery Delta Farmers Association. With the State Government pushing for riparian rights on river Cauvery with Karnataka, the steady fall in cultivable lands thanks to stealthy growth of shrimp farms will only weaken the claim of Tamil Nadu, he says.
