On 20 January, 10,000 fisherpeople in 1000 boats entered Chilika under the banner of the Chilika Matsyajibi Mahasangh and demolished 15,000 acres of prawn gherries belonging to the powerful prawn mafias. The prawn mafia’s nexus with local leaders of all ruling parties, financers, corrupt bureaucrats and police enjoys protection and patronage of the Naveen Patnaik Government. This is why, though prawn culture is strictly prohibited in Chilika, as it comes under costal regulatory zone (CRZ) and in spite of Orissa High Court and Supreme Court verdicts banning prawn culture in Chilika, as well as directives of Orissa Bidhan Sabha House Committee, it continues to flourish. Violating all the laws, directives and verdicts, the prawn mafia has spread its prawn culture gherries across the entire Chilika, looting the best of the prawn and becoming crorepatis. On the other hand, 2,70,000 poor traditional fisherpeople of 141 villages in and around Chilika, who are fully dependent on Chilika for their livelihood, are now starving, fenced out of their livelihood by the zero-net prawn gherries (fencings).

The fisherpeople have repeatedly approached the Naveen Patnaik Government, demanding demolition of the prawn gherries as per law; implementation of the ban on prawn culture in Chilika. When the government failed to heed their demands, they decided to defend their livelihood and demolish the prawn gherries themselves – a measure that is in keeping with the CRZ regulations, court verdicts and laws of the land.

Following the first day of demolition, the administration and police asked the fisherpeople to give them four days within which they themselves undertook to clean the Chilika of all the prawn gheries. In response, the Mahasangh has suspended its demolition plans for four days. If within this period the administration and police do not carry out their promises, then the Mastyajibi Mahasangh will continue with its plans to demolish all gherries in the Chilika. In the battle between loot and livelihood, the fisherpeople are determined to win.

Khitish Biswal

Box

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