Fishermen to file contempt case against Collector

Bhubaneswar, Jul 29 (UNI) A Primary Fishermen Cooperative Society of Balugaon has decided to file a contempt of court case against the Puri District Collector for not allowing them to fish in Chilika lake despite the court order.

Ambika Primary Fishermen Cooperative Society president Dharmananda Kei told newsmen here that they had been fishing in Kandakhai Jana area of Chilika lake from 1953 to 1991.

In 1991 the government formulated the first Chilika policy and introduced prawn culture in the lake by providing 70 per cent of the total area to fishermen and 30 per cent to non fishermen.

But various fishermen societies challenged the policy and moved the High Court.

On the direction of the High Court, a second policy was formulated in 1994 which allotted 20,000 acre of the total survey area for prawn culture and the rest 27,000 acre for capture.

Out of the 20,000 allotted for prawn culture Ambika PFCS got 434 acre.

Mr Kei said after the Supreme Court banned prawn culture in 1997 the area was given to non-fishermen.

Despite the Supreme Court order the government gave permission to various persons for prawn culture in the lake violating the court order.

Ambika PFCS moved High Court for their right to fish in the area.

Orissa High Court in its order in February last ordered to allot the area to the Ambika primary society.

But despite the court the Puri Collector had not yet given the permission to the society for fishing, Mr Kei said.

He said the Samiti would file a contempt of court case against the Collector.

UNI