CUTTACK: Two aqua hatcheries coming up in the saline surroundings between Chilika Lake and the Bay of Bengal have become the subject of a court battle with residents living there claiming it will damage the only water source in the area. They also cried inaction by concerned authorities regarding the alleged illegal operation in the prohibitory zone.Sudhansu Sekhar Biswal and 32 other residents of Ramlenka under Krushnaprasad Block inside Chilika in Puri district have sought the intervention of the court on the ground that if the prawn hatcheries — expected to come up close to a minor irrigation project — are allowed to operate then people of the area will be deprived from getting safe drinking water and fresh water for agriculture purpose. The petitioners alleged that the hatcheries, which have heavy requirement of both fresh water and saline water, have been reportedly lifting ground water by constructing deep borewells and drawing water from the sea through pipelines, respectively. While chemicals are used for mixing fresh water with saline water, the mixture after use is released without a proper sewerage system. Consequently, there is a threat of contamination to the lone fresh water source — the Lundisagar Minor Irrigation project — the petitioners have alleged.“Running of the hatchery in the prohibitory area will create havoc in the locality and the public will be at the receiving end. Moreover, coming up of hatcheries to encourage prawn culture inside Chilika is contrary to Supreme Court order that prohibits prawn culture inside Chilika Lake,” the petition stated.The petition, filed by way of a PIL along with a counter affidavit filed by the Chilika Wildlife Division, was listed on Thursday but it did not reach for hearing. Taking note of it the division bench of Chief Justice K S Jhaveri and Justice K R Mohapatra have set January 21 for its hearing, petitioners’ counsel Sukant Kumar Dalai said on Friday.In the affidavit, Chilika Wildlife Division has conceded that pipelines have been laid through proposed reserve forest to draw water from the seashore to the hatcheries without obtaining necessary clearance under the Forest Conservation Act.“A case has been registered and further on the basis of a complaint filed by the villagers, the superintendent of police, Puri, has been requested to provide police force to assist the forest staff for eviction of encroachment,” assistant conservator of forests Maheswar Patnaik said in the affidavit.The petitioners have sought the court’s direction restraining the hatcheries from lifting sea water without obtaining environmental clearance and no objection from the state pollution control board. They have also sought an order restraining the hatcheries from getting electricity.

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