Digging of fish ponds goes unchecked

Akiveedu: In spite of the guidelines and regulations, some farmers have been digging fish ponds adjacent to roads and irrigation channels in Undi constituency. The digging of the fish tanks is going on unabatedly following the negligence of the official machinery.

Due to gross negligence of the official machinery, the fertile lands in this constituency have been turning into fish ponds. In Kalla, Undi and Akiveedu mandals, the digging is going on adjacent to R and B Roads and irrigation channels. As per rules and regulations, no fertile land where two crops of paddy cultivation exist should be converted as fish ponds. If any permission was given to a land for digging fish pond, the fish pond owner should leave four metres of land from the boundary.

However, the fish pond owners have not been following the rules and regulations. A fish tank has been dug adjacent to the R and B road of Kalla-Kuppanapudi in Kolanapalli village in Kalla mandal. There was at least 15 feet Grama Panchayati site adjacent to the road. If the farmers of the lands at that place want to convert their lands into fish ponds, they should leave at least 12 feet from the boundary of their land.  It means it should be dug up leaving 25 feet width of land from R and B Road. 

However, no one cared about the road and the Panchayati site. There is a paddy field adjacent to the fish pond where digging is going on unchecked. No official cared about this illegal activity that goes on day and night. The fish pond owners who secured permission for fish ponds have been breeding prawn, which was banned in the district’s delta area. They are digging up salt water bore wells which were also banned in the delta. 

On the other hand, the clay excavated from the farm field is being transported to other areas. The clay load tractor drivers have been terrorising the people with their rash driving. Due to the rash driving, the clay lands up on people riding behind the tractors or on the road causing injuries to several people. Without any permission from the mining, revenue or fisheries departments, these illegal activities in Undi constituency are going on unabatedly.