Prawn Gheris / Eviction Drive Against Illegal Prawn Gheris Continues in Chilika, Operation Enters Day 2

Puri, Aug 6: The eviction drive against illegal prawn gheris in Odisha's Chilika Lake entered its second day on Thursday following directions from the Orissa High Court and strict instructions from the Puri district administration.

Authorities said the operation would continue for an indefinite period until the lake is cleared of all illegal prawn gheris.

500 Acres Cleared On First Day
The eviction is being carried out in the Chikalakhandi area of Krushnaprasad block using dredging excavators.

Officials said illegal prawn gheris spread across nearly 500 acres were demolished on the first day of the drive.

The administration said the objective is to keep Chilika's waters free from pollution and protect its ecosystem, amid long-standing allegations of illegal prawn farming in the lake.

Nets, bamboo poles, and other materials used for the enclosures were destroyed after removal.

Heavy Deployment For Law And Order
The eviction drive is being supervised by Additional Tehsildar Bikash Sethi, with around 30 workers and dredging excavators engaged in the operation.

A platoon of police has been deployed to maintain law and order. Officials, including Krushnaprasad police station's IIC Bichitrananda Pradhan, Sub-Inspector Prafulla Kumar Nayak, revenue officials and Chilika Development Authority (CDA) personnel, are monitoring the operation.

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Authorities said the eviction drive would continue until Chilika Lake is completely freed from illegal prawn gheris.

It can be mentioned here that illegal prawn gheris (impounded aquaculture ponds) are highly detrimental to ecology because they destroy critical coastal habitats, pollute surrounding water bodies, alter local soil chemistry, and trigger steep declines in native biodiversity. While lucrative, the rapid expansion of intensive and unregulated gheris permanently destabilises fragile wetland and coastal ecosystems.