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PETITIONER: S. JAGANNATH

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       11/12/1996

BENCH: KULDIP SINGH, S. SAGHIR AHMAD.

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                       J U D G M E N T Kuldip Singh, J.      Shrimp (Prawn  Culture  Industry  is  taking  roots  in India.  Since   long  the  fishermen  in  Indian  have  been following the traditional rice/shrimp rotating acqua culture system. Rice is grown during part of the year and shrimp and other fish species are cultured during the rest of the year. However, during  the  last  decade  the  traditional  system which, apart  from producing  rice,  produced  140  kgs.  of shrimp per  hectare of  land  began  to  give  way  to  more intensive methods  of shrimp  culture  which  could  produce thousands of  kilograms  per  hectare.  A  large  number  of private  companies   and  multi-national  corporations  have started investing  in shrimp  farms. In  the last  few years more  than  eighty  thousand  hectares  of  land  have  been converted to  shrimp farming.  India’s Marine export weighed in a  70,000 tonnes  in 1993 and these exports are projected to reach  200 thousand  tonnes by  the year 2000. The shrimp farming advocates regard acquaculture as potential savior of developing countries  because it  is a  short-duration  crop that provides  a  high  investment  return  and  enjoys  and expanding market.  The said  expectation  is  sought  to  be achieved by replacing the environmentally benign traditional mode of  culture by  semi-intensive and  intensive  methods. More and  more areas  are being brought under semi-intensive and intensive  modes of  shrimp farming.  The  environmental impact of  shrimp culture essentially depends on the mode of culture adopted in the shrimp farming. Indeed, the new trend of more  intensified shrimp  farming in certain parts of the country -  without much  control of  feeds, seeds  and other inputs and  water management  practices - has brought to the fore a  serious threat  to the environment and ecology which has been highlighted before us.      This petition  under Article  32 of the Constitution of India  -   in  public  interest  -  has  been  filed  by  S. Jagannathan, Chairman,  Gram Swaraj  Movement,  a  voluntary organisation  working  for  the  upliftment  of  the  weaker section  of   society.  The   petitioner  has   sought   the enforcement of  Coastal Zone  Regulation Notification  dated February  19,  1991  issued  by  the  Government  of  India,

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stoppage of  intensive  and  semi-intensive  type  of  prawn farming  in   the  ecologically   fragile   coastal   areas, prohibition from  using the  waste ands/wet  lands for Prawn farming  and   the  constitution   of  a   National  Coastal Management  Authority  to  safeguard  the  marine  life  and coastal areas.  Various other  prayers have been made in the writ petition.  This Court  issued notice by the order dated October 3, 1994. On December 12, 1994, this Court passed the following order:-      "Ministry   of    Environment   and      Forests, Govt.  of India  issued  a      Notification  dated   February  19,      1991, under  Clause (d) of Sub-rule      (3) of  Rule 5  of the  Environment      (Protection) Rules, 1986 wherein it      was  declared   that  the   coastal      stretches of seas, bays, estuaries,      creeks, rivers  and backwater which      are influenced  by the tidal action      (in the  landward  side)  upto  500      metres  from  the  High  Tide  Line      (HTL) and  the land between the Low      Tide Line  (LTL) and  the  HTL  are      Coastal   Regulation    Zone.   The      Central Govt.  has imposed  various      restrictions    in     the     said      Notification.  Mr.  Mehta,  learned      advocate    appearing    for    the      petitioners states that despite the      issue    of     the    Notification      unauthorised industries  and  other      construction is  being permitted by      various  States   within  the  area      which has  been declared as Coastal      Regulation                     Zone      ................Meanwhile we direct      all the  respondent States  not  to      permit  the   setting  up   of  any      Industry or the construction of any      type on  the area at least upto 500      metres from  the sea  water at  the      maximum High  Tide. The  above said      area i.e.  from the High Tide Level      upto 500  metres shall be kept free      from all construction of any type".      The Union  of India  and  States/Union  Territories  of Gujarat,  Maharashtra,  Orrisa,  Kerala,  Tamil  Nadu,  West Bengal, Goa,  Pondicherry, Daman/Deu,  Andaman/Nichobar  and Lakshdeep have  filed replies  to the  writ petitions.  This Court on March 27, 1995 passed the following order:-      "This Public  Interest petition  is      directed against  the setting up of      Prawn farms on the coastal areas of      Andhra  Pradesh,   Tamil  Nadu  and      other coastal States. It is alleged      that   the   coastal   States   are      allowing  big  business  houses  to      develop  prawn  farms  on  a  large      scale in  the Ecologically  fragile      coastal   areas   of   the   States      concerned    in     violation    of      Environment  Protection  Act,  1986      and the rules framed thereunder and      various other provisions of law. It      is also  alleged that establishment

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    of prawn farms on rural cultiviable      lands    is     creating    serious      environmental, social  and economic      problems  for   the  rural   people      living along  with the  coastal bed      specially     in      the      east      coast..................  Meanwhile,      we direct NEERI, Nagpur through its      Director     to      appoint     in      investigating  team  to  visit  the      coastal  areas  of  the  States  of      Andhra Pradesh  and Tamil  Nadu and      give  its   report  to  this  court      regarding the  various farms  which      are being set up in the said area.      In  case   the  investigating  team      finds that the ecologically fragile      area   is   being   environmentally      degraded then  it shall suggest the      remedial measures  in that respect.      The NEERI  team shall  keep in view      the Notification dated February 19,      1991 of the Ministry of Environment      and Forests, Govt. of India, issued      under  the  Environment  Protection      Act, 1986  and also  the provisions      of  the   Tamil  Nadu   Agriculture      (Regulation) Act,  1995. The  NEERI      shall  submit   its  report  before      April 30, 1995".      Pursuant  to  the  above  quoted  order,  the  National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur (NEERI) submitted its report dated April 25, 1995 before this Court. This Court  further directed NEERI to send an expert team to the coastal areas in other States and file its report within two months.  the report  was filed  in this Court within the specified time.  This  Court  on  May  9,  1995  passed  the following order:-      "This matter  be listed  for  final      hearing  on   4th   August,   1995.      Meanwhile we direct that no part of      agricultural lands  and salt  farms      be   converted   into   conmmercial      aquaculture farms  hereinafter.  We      further direct that no ground water      withdrawal,    be    allowed    for      aquaculture purposes  to any of the      industries whether already existing      or in  the process of being set up.      No  further  shrimp  farms  or  any      acquaculture farms  be permitted to      be s  et up in the areas in dispute      hereinafter.      We  direct   the  respective  State      Governments     (the      Collector      concerned  or   any  other  Officer      appointed  by  the  Government)  to      provide   free    access    through      acquaculture units to the sea coast      to  the   fishermen/tourists  after      hearing the parties concerned.      Mr. Mehta has contended that due to      these farms  occupying the  most of      the coastal  areas  it  has  become      difficult  for   the  villagers  to

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    search for  fresh water.  The State      Govt. may  examine this  aspect and      provide water  by  way  of  tankers      wherever it is necessary.      So far  as the farmers in the State      of Tamil  Nadu are  concerned  they      are  all   represented  through  of      Kapil Sibal and his team. We direct      the State of A.P. to send a copy or      the order  of this Court to all the      aquaculture farms  in the  State of      A.P. informing them that the matter      shall be taken up by this Court for      final hearing  on 4th August, 1995.      This may  be done  by the  State of      A.P. by the end of June, 1995.      We    direct     the    Pondicherry      Administration to  send a  copy  of      the order  of this Court to all the      aquaculture  farms  in  Pondicherry      informing  them   that  the  matter      shall be taken up by this Court for      final hearing  on 4th August, 1995.      This may be done by the Pondicherry      Admn. by the end of June 1995.      We     further      direct      the      Superintendent of  Police  and  the      collector of the areas concerned to      see that  the order  of this  Court      specially the  directions given are      meticulously complied  with by  all      the farms."      Before finally  hearing this  matter, this Court passed the following order on August 24, 1995:-      "We are  of the  view that it would      be in  the interest  of justice  to      have full  representation before us      so  far  individual  aqua-farms  in      various  States/Union   Territories      are   concerned.   We,   therefore,      adjourn the  hearing to October 17,      1995.  Meanwhile,   we  direct  the      coastal   States/Union    Territory      Governments, through  their learned      counsel  who  are  present  in  the      Court, to  issue individual notices      to all  the  aqua-farms  which  are      located   in    their    respective      territories. It  may be  stated  in      the notices that the same are being      issued under  the direction of this      Court.   it    should    also    be      specifically mentioned that if they      want to  be heard  in these matters      by  this  Court,  they  be  present      through                       their      counsel/representatives   in    the      Court, on the next date of hearing,      which is  October 17, 1995. We also      direct the  Marine Products Exports      Development   Authority    (MPEDA),      through its  counsel Mr.  Harish N.      Salve, to  do the  same exercise at      its level also. Apart from that, we      further  direct   all   the   State

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    Governments/Union  Territories   to      issue  public   notices   in   this      respect in  daily newspapers  which      have  circulation  in  the  coastal      areas,  informing   the  aqua-farms      regarding  the   hearing  of  these      matters in  this Court,  on October      17, 1995.  This may  be done on two      consecutive days.      Notices    and    publication    be      completed  within   3  weeks   from      today. Meanwhile, we direct all the      State Governments/Union Territories      not       to       give       fresh      licences/permission   for   setting      up/establishment of  any  aqua-farm      in  their   respective  Territories      till further orders."      Coastal Pollution, universally, is an emerging problem. So far as India is concerned it has already become a serious environmental  problem.  Besides  direct  dumping  of  waste materials in  the seas  discharge through  marine  outfalls, large volumes  of untreated  of semi-treated waste generated in various land-based sources/activities ultimately find way to the  seas. The coastal waters directly receive the inland waters, by  way of surface run-off and land-drainage, ladden with myriad  of refuse  materials - the rejects or wastes of the  civilisation.   Apart  from   inputs  from  rivers  and effluent-outfalls,  the   coastal  areas   are  subject   to intensive  fishing,  navigational  activities,  recreations, ports, industrial discharge and harbours which are causative factors of  water quality  degradation to  varying  degrees. Contrary to  the open  sea, the  changes in  the quality  of coastal waters,  are much  greater due  to river  discharges under tidal conditions.      With noticeable  increase in  marine pollution  and the consequential decline  in marine  resources, serious concern was expressed  in the  United Nations’  Conference on  Human Environments in Stockholm (1972) attracting global attention towards  the  urgent  need  of  identifying  the  critically polluted areas  of the  marine  environments,  specially  in coastal waters,  for urgent remedial actions. The Conference unanimously resolved  that the  littoral States  should take early action  at their  National level  for  assessment  and control of  marine pollution  from all sources and carry out systematic monitoring  to  ascertain  the  efficacy  of  the pollution  regulatory   actions  taken   by  them.   In  the background of  the Stockholm  Conference and in view of 1982 Convention on  the "Law of the Sea" defining jurisdiction of territorial waters,  a model  comprehensive Action  Plan has been evolved under the United Nations’ Environment Programme (UNEP). Keeping  with the  international commitments  and in greater National  interest, the  Government of India and the Governments  of   the  coastal  States  are  under  a  legal obligation to  control  marine  pollution  and  protect  the coastal-environments.      According to  the facts placed on record by the Central Pollution Control  Board the  Board the coastline of India’s mainland is about 6000 km long. But or the total landmass of about 3.28  million sq.  kms nearly  0.15 million sq. kms of coastal land-belt  (considering  25  km  landward  distance) girdles three sides of the Country’s sea front which in turn underlays  about  3.13  million  sq.  km  sea-bed  upto  the territorial limit. The Country being riverine, has 14 major, 44 medium and 55 minor rivers which discharge annually about

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1566 thousand  million cubic  meters of  water through  land drainage  into   the  seas  transporting  a  wide  range  of pollutants generated  by land-based  activities. Nine out of fourteen major  rivers  meet  the  sea  in  the  east  coast (Brahmaputra through  Bangladesh) and  the remaining five in the west coast (Indus through Pakistan).      Besides land drainage, there are large number or marine coastal  out   falls  discharging   directly  or  indirectly industrial and  municipal effluents  into seas. Uncontrolled disposal of  land-based waste  into the seas, through rivers and effluent  outfalls, is  a major  cause of  pollution  of coastal waters.  There are nine coastal States and one Union Territory (UT)  in India  namely, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala,  Tamil  Nadu,  Pondicherry  (UT),  Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal, More than one-fourth of the total population  of the  country is  settled in the coastal areas.  The   Board  in   its  report  regarding  "Pollution Potential of  Industries in  Coastal Areas  of India"  dated November,  1995   gives   the   following   date   regarding aquaculture farms:      "The   effluent   generation   from      aquaculture farms in the east coast      only, in  absence of  data on  west      coast farms, is to the tune of 2.37      million cubic  meters per  day, out      of which  Andhra  Pradesh  has  the      lion share  of about  2.12  million      cubic meters  per day.... It may be      noted that  in all  the States,  in      most cases,  the effluent discharge      is  indirect   (through  estuaries,      creeks, canals,  harbours). It  may      also   be   noteworthy   that   the      effluents  from  aquaculture  farms      are discharged  directly/indirectly      into the coastal waters practically      without any treatment. For disposal      of solid  waste, on the other hand,      open dumping  and land filling is a      common practice."      In marine  pollution control utmost importance has t b given to the beaches. The beaches and other areas of special interest  are   to  be   maintained  aesthetically   and  at permissible  levels   of  enteric  bacteria.  Protection  of ecologically sensitive areas and land-sea interface resource areas is  equally  important.  The  Central  Board  for  the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution (Central Board) in its report  "coastal pollution control series COPOCS/1/1982" recommended as under:-      "-   the    mangrove   forest    at      Pichavaram, the  bird sanctuary and      forest areas  at Point Calimere and      Coral   reef    at   Mandapam   are      ecologically    sensitive     areas      warranting   special    watch   and      preservation.      -    recreational coastal  portions      of some sector of the stretch under      investigation such  as  Marine  and      Elliot    beaches     at    Madras,      Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry beach at      Pondicherry and  Poompuhar  at  the      confluence  of  the  river  Cauvery      with the  sea are  to be maintained      at appropriate quality level.

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    -  Continuous   monitoring  of  the      coastal  waters   especially  heavy      metals and  pesticides in the biota      should be  carried  out  to  detect      possible biomagnification  of  some      toxic  chemicals   and  to  provide      early warning."      The Central  Board in  its  report  "Coastal  Pollution Control Series  COPOCS/S/1986-87" sought  protection of  the ecologically fragile areas in the following terms:-      "The  mangrove   forest   and   the      wildlife   sanctuary   in   Coringa      Island, the  Pulicat lake  and  the      bird sanctuary at Nelapattu are the      ecologically    sensitive     areas      warranting  special  attention  and      protection. No  industrial activity      which may  pose  a  danger  to  the      ecosystem in  these areas should be      permitted.      At     Pulicat      Lake      Area,      Machilipatnam,     Naupada      and      Ichapuram, salt  pan irrigation  is      practised.   No   water   polluting      industry should be allowed nearby.      The   domestic   sewage   and   the      industrial effluents  entering  the      Kolleru Lake through various drains      be  properly  treated  so  that  no      pollutants enter  the coastal water      through Upputeru drain".      Shrimps are  basically marine.  Shrimp are  also called Prawns. In  commercial jargon, marine prawns are referred to as shrimps and freshwater ones as prawns. Prawns and shrimps are invertebrates  and are decided crustaceans. Sea is their home and  they grow  to adulthood  and breed in the sea. The progeny start their life by drifting into estuaries and such other brackishwater  areas for  feeding. In about 4-6 months the larvae  grow into  adolescence and go back to their real home of birth, the sea.      Aquaculture has  been practised  for many  centuries by small farmers  and fisher  folk in  Asia  to  improve  their living conditions.  However,  there  is  a  vast  difference between eh  traditional methods  and the  new commercialised system. The  traditional aquaculture,  including shrimp,  is usually small-scale,  using low inputs and relies on natural tidal action  for water-exchange. In some countries, such as India, Bangladesh  and Thailand,  there is  a  tradition  of rice/shrimp rotating,  with rice  grown part of the year and shrimp and other fish species cultured the rest of the year. Chemicals, antibiotics  and processed  feeds are not used in the traditional  method. In  this low-yield, natural method, the harvest  is small  but sustainable over long periods. It has no  adverse affect  on the  environment and ecology. The modern method,  on the  other hand,  is larger  is scale and intensive or  semi-intensive in  nature.  It  is  owned  and operated by  commercial and  often  foreign-owned  companies which mainly  export the  shrimp. In  intensive aquaculture, selected species  are bred  using a  dense stocking rate. To maintain the  very  crowded  shrimp  population  and  attain higher  production  efficiency,  artificial  feed,  chemical additives and antibiotics are used.      The Food  and Agriculture Organisation (FAU) - an organ of United Nations Organisation (UNU) - published a report in April,  1995  on  a  Regional  Study  and  workshop  on  the

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Environmental  Assessment   and  Management  or  Aquaculture Development. Copy of the report has need placed on record by Mr.  Santosh   Hedge,  learned  counsel  for  the  State  of Karnataka. India was one of the 16 countries participated in the  workshop.   Dr.  K.   Alagarswami,  Director,   Central institute of  Brackishwater Aquaculture,  Madras presented a paper titled  "the current  status of  aquaculture in India, the  present   phase  of   development  and   future  growth potential". (hereinafter  called Alagarswami report). It has been  published   as  an  Annexure  to  the  workshop-report published by the FAO. Para 5.1.2 of Alagarswami report gives various types  of technologies  adopted by  the  aquaculture industry in  India. It would be useful to reproduce the same hereunder:-      "5.1.2  Types   of   technology   -      changes in technology with time      Traditional:  Practised   in   West      Bengal, Kerala,  Karnataka and Goa,      also  adopted   in  some  areas  of      Orissa.  Coastal  low-living  areas      with tidal effects along estuaries,      creeks and  canals; impoundments of      vast areas ranging from 2-200 ha in      size.    Characteristics;     fully      tidally-fed;  salinity   variations      according to  monsoon regime;  seed      resource of  mixed species from the      adjoining  creeks   and  canals  by      auto-stocking; dependent on natural      food;  water  intake  and  draining      managed   through    sluice   gates      depending on local tidal effect; no      feeding; periodic harvesting during      full   and    new   moon   periods;      collection at sluice gates by traps      and by  bag nets;  seasonal  fields      alternating  paddy  (monsoon)  crop      with   shrimp/fish    crop   (inter      monsoon); fields  called locally as      bheries, pokkali  fields and Khazan      lands.      Improved  traditional:   System  as      above but with stock entry control;      supplementary stocking with desired      species of  shrimp seed (P. monodon      or P.  indicus); practised in ponos      of smaller area 2-5 ha.      Extensive :  New pond  systems; 1-2      ha ponds;  tidally  fed;  no  water      exchange, stocking with seed; local      feeds such  as claims,  snails  and      pond-side   prepared    feed   with      fishmeal,  sova,   oilcake,  cereal      flour etc.;  wet dough  ball  form;      stocking density around 20,000/ha.      Modified Extensive System as above;      pond  preparation   with   tilling,      liming  and   fertilisation;   some      water   exchange   with   pumpsets;      pellet    feeds    indigenous    or      imported; stocking  density  around      50,000/ha.      Semi-intensive  New   pond  system;      ponds 0.25  to  1.0  has  in  size;      elevated  ground  with  supply  and

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    drainage canals;  pond  preparation      methods carefully followed; regular      and  periodic   water  exchange  as      required;  pond   aerators  (paddle      wheel)  at   8  per  ha;  generally      imported feed  with FCR better than      1:1.5  or  high  energy  indigenous      feeds;  application  of  drugs  and      chemicals when need arises; regular      monitoring and  management stocking      density 15-25/m2.      Intensive  Ponds  0.25-0.50  ha  in      size;   management   practices   as      above; 4  aerators  in  each  pond;      salinity manipulation  as possible;      central drainage  system to  remove      accumulated sludge;  imported feed;      drugs   and   chemicals   used   as      prophylactic measures; <??> control      and  management;  stocking  density      20-35/m2      Changes in  technology: As  already      indicated. The  initial concept and      practice was  to  develop  tide-red      systems, this  slowly gave way to a      pump-fed  systems.  Presently,  the      emphasis  is   on  seawater   based      farming systems for P. monodon with      a water intake system extending far      into   the   sea   with   submerged      pipelines, pier  system and gravity      flow. From  sandy clay  soils,  the      present coastal  farms are  located      in sandy  soils also  with  seepage      control provisions."      Alagarswami report further states as under:-      "The Ministry  of  Environment  and      Forests, Government of India issued      a Notification  S.U. No.114  (E) in      1991,   under    "The   Environment      (Protection) Act,  1986"  declaring      coastal   stretches    as   Coastal      Regulation    Zones    (CRZ)    and      regulating activities  in the  CRZ.      This Notification  ha simplications      for      coastal       aquaculture,      particularly    those    activities      within 500  m from  the  High  Tide      Line.... No  regulations to control      the  use  of  chemicals  and  drugs      exist.  Pollution   Control   Board      general  regulations   on  effluent      discharges    include     hazardous      substances,  but   they   are   not      specific to  aquaculture.  In  some      regions,  there  is  indiscriminate      use of  chemicals  and  pesticides,      particularly  in  shrimp  farms....      Under  the  Notification  of  Union      Ministry   of    Environment    and      Forests,  each  maritime  State  is      expected to  have its  own  coastal      zone management  plan, which  would      consider    aquaculture    zonation      requirements, along  with shoreline

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    development. The  zone  up  to  500      metres from the waterline along the      sea  is   restricted  against   any      construction activity."      Alagarswami report  high lights  various  environmental and social problems created by the Coastal Acquaculture. The relevant part of the report is as under:-      "Physical factors      Shrimp farming  along  the  coastal      area  of   the  whole   country  is      developing at  a rapid  rate.  Huge      cylone   protection    dykes    and      peripheral dykes are constructed by      the shrimp  farmers. In  many cases      as  in   Kandleru   creek   (Andhra      Pradesh), the  farm areas  are  the      natural drainage  areas for floods.      Due to  physical obstruction caused      by the  dykes, the natural drain is      blocked and  flood water acumulates      in   the    hinterland    villages.      Protests are  being made  by people      in some  of  the  villages  against      such   dykes.    The   ponds    are      constructed right  on the  bank  of      the creeks without leaving any area      for draining of flood water.      Right   of   passage   of   coastal      fishermen      The shrimp  farms  do  not  provide      access to the beach for traditional      fishermen who have to reach the sea      from their  villages. As  farms are      located and  entry  is  restricted,      the fishermen have to take a longer      route  to   the   sea   for   their      operations. This  is being objected      to by traditional fishermen.      Drinking water problems      The Corporate  sector has purchased      vast areas  adjoining the  villages      which,  in   some  cases,   include      drinking water  public wells of the      villages. The  villagers cannot use      these wells  anymore  as  they  are      located in  private land  owned  by      the farmers. This is causing social      problems.      Salinisation      It is reported that salinisation of      land is spreading further landwards      and the  wells  yield  only  saline      water. In  Tamil  Nadu  and  Andhra      Pradesh protests  have been  voiced      against salinisation.  Some of  the      socially  conscious   shrimp   farm      operators  are  providing  drinking      water to  the affected  villages by      laying a  pipeline from  their  own      freshwater     source      wherever      available. Apart  from  wells.  The      agricultural  farms  adjoining  the      shrimp farms  are  reported  to  be      affected.   However,    there    is      increasing  conversion   of   paddv

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    fields as in the Bhimavaram area of      Andhra  Pradesh  and  even  on  the      fringes of  Chilka Lake into shrimp      farms.      Mangrove areas      The status  report on  mangroves of      India published  by the Ministry of      Environment and Forests (GO1, 198/)      is shown in Table 5. In the earlier      years, vast  areas of mangrove were      destroyed     for      agriculture,      aquaculture and  other uses. In the      more recent  years,  the  mangroves      have   been   protected   by   law.      However,  the   satellite   imagery      pictures   show    destruction   of      mangroves  in  Krishna  and  Guntur      Districts  of  Andhra  Pradesh  for      construction   of   shrimp   farms.      Gujarat  State  is  planning  major      shrimp culture  programmes  in  the      Narmada region  adjoining  Gulf  at      Cambay.  Protection   of  mangroves      should receive attention.      Alagaraswami report  further indicates  that the demand for shrimp  seed is  growing with  the expansion  of  shrimp culture and  hatchery  production  is  unable  to  meet  it. Exploitation of  natural seed resources is growing unabated, particularly in  West Bengal,  Orissa  and  Andhra  Pradesh. Large quantity  of fry  by-catch are  discarded by  the  fry collectors because  their value is insignificant. The report states "elimination  of fry  in the fry by-catch is not only detrimental to  the predators  thriving on them, but it also creates an ecological imbalance".      Agitations by  the environmentally  conscious people of the    coastal-areas    against    polluting    acquaculture technologies  has  been  noticed  by  Alagaswamy  report  as under:-      People’s awareness      People in general have become aware      of the environmental issues related      to aquaculture.  A current  case in      point is  the agitation  against  a      large commercial  farm coming up in      Chilka Lake  (Orissa). People  have      demanded an  EIA  of  the  project.      People  in   Nellore  District   in      Andhra    Pradesh    have    raised      environmental issues and called for      adoption    or     environmentally-      friendly technologies and rejection      of  "imported"   technologies  from      regions   which    have    suffered      environmental damage. Protests have      been voiced  by the local people in      Tuticorin area  in Tamil Nadu. Both      print  and  visual  media  take  up      environmental issues  with a  great      deal of zeal. This appears to augur      well for  regulating coastal shrimp      farming with eco-friendliness".      The  intensive-farming  technique  and  the  pollutants generated by such farming have been noticed by Alagaswamy in the following words:-      "In  intensive   farming,  stocking

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    densities are  on the  increase. In      one  instance,   P.   Indicus   was      stocked  at   70  post   larvae/m2,      almost  reaching   the  levels   of      Taiwan before  the disease outbreak      in 1988.  This  necessitates  heavy      inputs of  high energy  feeds,  the      use of drugs and chemicals and good      water exchange.  The  organic  load      and accumulation  of metabolites in      the  water  drained  into  the  sea      should be  very high  as  could  be      seen from the dark-brown colour and      consistency of the drain water."      The Alagaswamy  report further states that paddy fields are being  converted to  shrimp farms,  as in  some parts of Andhra Pradesh (e.g. Bhimavarami, Some paddv lands along the fringe of Chilka Lake have been last to shrimp farming.      The report  suggests  future  management  strategies  - quoted hereunder - for farms and Government in resolving any conflicts or environmental problems:-      "As  shrimpfarming   is  developing      fast, the following strategies have      been   developed    for    avoiding      problems which have arisen in other      countries   (or    reducing   their      impact):      1.   India    needs     to    boost      production   of    shrimp   through      aquaculture  with  environment  and      development as a unified motto.      2.   Since the  area  available  is      vast,  this   can  be  achieved  by      application  of  environmentally  -      friendly technologies  for  optimal      production  rates  against  maximum      production rates.      3.   Sustainable   development   or      shrimp aquaculture should be guided      by the principles of social equity,      nutritional security, environmental      protection and economic development      with a holistic approach to achieve      long-term benefits.      4.   New definitions and parameters      of  extensive,  semi-intensive  and      intensive culture systems as suited      to Indian conditions and Government      policies rather than copying models      of  other  countries  (particularly      those   which   have   rushed   and      suffered) and  the  development  or      guidelines thereof.      5.   Diversification   of   species      among shrimps and to integrate fish      wherever  possible   to  suit   the      different agro-climatic and aquatic      zones of the country.      6.   Careful development of Coastal      Zone Management  Plans under CRZ to      meet the  requirements  of  coastal      aquaculture development  plans with      some flexibility  (as required) for      specific areas.      7.   Indentification of aquaculture

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    zones or  careful consideration and      provision of  buffer zones  against      possible impact on other land uses:      also  intermediate   buffer   zones      within aquaculture zones.      8.   Consideration of  the  living,      social  and   vocational  needs  of      local people  in villages/towns  in      aquaculture plans in order to avoid      conflicts.      9.   Development   of    sets    or      regulations on use/ban of drugs and      chemicals,  including  antibiotics,      in   hatcheries   and   farms;   on      abstraction  of   groundwater   and      salinisation problems.      10.  Development of  standards  for      effluent discharge as applicable to      local conditions.      11.    Development     of    viable      technologies     for      secondary      aquaculture  to  gainfully  utilise      nutrient  enriched  farm  effluents      and encourage farmers to adopt such      technologies  with   the  necessary      support.      12.  In  view   of  the  fact  that      coastal farms are located generally      in  remote   areas  and  cannot  be      monitored by external agencies on a      reasonably     effective     basis,      farmers/group  of   farmers  should      equip themselves with facilities to      monitor     possible      important      parameters  at  periodic  intervals      and maintain such records for their      own benefits  and for production to      inspecting agencies.      13.   Brackishwater   Fish   Farmer      Development    Agencies    to    be      strengthened   in   all   respects,      including environmental  management      and disease  diagnosis,  prevention      and  control,  through  appropriate      training and  setting  up  district      level  laboratories  for  essential      analytical and diagnostic work.      14.   Manpower    development    at      managerial and technical level.      15.  Research-extension-farmer      group    meet    for    appropriate      technologies and feedback.      16.   Effective    monitoring   and      enforcement of  regulations, use of      nets and  fishing in  any specified      water for  a period  not  exceeding      two years.  Thus, legal  provisions      were made  on fisheries  matters in      India nearly a century ago"      Alagarswami’s report  identifies salinisation  or  land salinisation of drinking water wells, obstruction of natural drainage of  flood  water,  passage  of  access  to  sea  by fishermen and  public, self-pollution or ponds, pollution of source water,  destruction or  mangroves land subsidence and pressure on  wild seen resources and consequences thereof as

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environmental issues  in shrimp  culture. Para  6.2  of  the report lists the following preventive measures:-      "6.2 PREVENTION      (i)   Aquaculture   units   causing      harmful changes to the environment;      and      (ii)    Non-aquaculturists     from      modifying the  environment  to  the      detriment of aquaculture production      units.      1.   Enforcement      of      legal      provisions under  the relevant Acts      of the Government.      2.   CRZ  regulations  to  consider      specific needs of aquaculture as an      expanding production  activity  and      the Coastal  Zone Management  Plans      of the  States/Union Territories to      carefully    plan    taking    into      consideration present situation and      future needs.      3.   Early      development      of      regulations on  permissible  levels      of most  significant parameters  of      water quality  keeping in  view the      limited intervention of aquaculture      for promoting  growth of  stock  in      the medium.      4.   Environment Impact  Assessment      (EIA) and  Environmental Monitoring      Plan (EMP)  to be insisted upon for      larger     units      and      self      assessment/monitoring  for  smaller      units, subject  to  verfication  at      inspection.      5.   Zonations   and    appropriate      siting of farms; not to proliferate      indiscriminately but  to develop in      a  planned  manner  for  sustaining      production (Alagarswami, 1991).      6.   More    hatcheries    to    be      encouraged and  supported  to  meet      seed demands  to reduce pressure on      wild seed resources.      7.   Feed mills to maintain quality      of  feeds   and  to   ensure  water      stability       as        required;      self/external inspection  mechanism      to  be   introduced   to   maintain      specific standards.      8.   Mangrove  forests  not  to  be      touched for aquaculture purposes."      The FAO report - based on Alagaswami report states the  impact of  aquaculture on  the  environment,  in India, as under:-      "The impact  of aquaculture  on the      environment are as follows;      By   shrimp    culture:   Loss   of      agricultural  land  and  mangroves,      obstruction  of   natural   drains,      salinisation,    destruction     of      natural  seed   resources,  use  of      drugs and chemicals, and extraction      of  groundwater.  Social  conflicts      have arisen."

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    Alagarswami report  - quoted  by us extensively - is an authentic document  relating to  the functioning  of  shrimp culture industry  in India. It has rightly been suggested in the  report  that  sustainable  development  should  be  the guiding principle  for the  shrimp aquaculture. The industry must develop  under the  unified motto  of  Environment  and Development. Environmentally-friendly technologies are to be adopted with  a view  to  achieve  optimal  production.  The report calls  for a  ban on  the use of drugs, chemicals and antibiotics in  the shrimp culture farms. The report clearly indicates  that   except  the   traditional   and   improved traditional, the  other methods  or strimp  aquaculture  are polluting and  as such  may have  an adverse  impact on  the environment.      Mr. M.C. Mehta, learned counsel for the peititoner, has taken us  through the  NEERI reports  and  other  voluminous material on the record. He has vehemently contended that the modern -  other than  traditional  -  techniques  of  shrimp farming are  highly polluting  and are  detrimental  to  the coastal environment  and marine  ecology. According  to  him only the  traditional and  improved traditional  systems  of shrimp farming  which are environmentally friendly should be permitted. Mr.  Mehta has  take us  through the Notification dated February  19, 1991  issued by  the Government of India under Section  3 of  the Environment  (Protection) Act, 1986 (the Act)  (URZ Notification)  and has  vehemently contended that setting  up of shrimp farms on the coastal stretches of seas. Days,  estuaries, creeks,  rivers and  backwaters upto 500 meters  from the  High Tide  Line  (HTL)  and  the  line between the  Low Tide  Line (LTL)  and the  HTL  is  totally prohibited under  Para  2  of  the  said  notification.  The relevant part of the notification is as under:      "2. Prohibited Activities:      The   following    activities   are      declared as  prohibited within  the      Coastal Regulations Zone, namely:      (i) Setting  up of  new  Industries      and    expansion     of    existing      industries, except  those  directly      related to  water front or directly      needing fore-shore facilities.      (ii)  Manufacture  or  handling  or      storage or  disposal  of  hazardous      substances  as   specified  in  the      Notifications of  the Government of      India   in    the    Ministry    of      Environment Y  Forests No.s. 0.59.1      (E) dated  28th  July,  1989,  S.O.      966(E) dated  27th  November,  1989      and GSR 103/(E) dated 5th December,      1989:      (iii) Setting  up and  expansion or      fish  processing   units  including      warehousing (excluding hatchery and      natural fish  drying  in  permitted      areas):      (v) Discharge  of untreated  wastes      and   effluent   from   industries,      cities settlements.  Schemes  shall      be  implemented  by  the  concerned      authorities   phasing    out    the      existing practices, if and within a      reasonable    time    period    not      exceeding three years from the date      of this notification.

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    (viii) land reclamation, punding or      disturbing natural  course  or  sea      water  with  similar  obstructions,      except those  required for  control      of coastal  erosion and maintenance      clearing of  waterways, channels an      for prevention  of sandbars and all      except for  tidal regulators. Storm      water  drains  and  structures  for      prevention of salinity ingrease and      for sweet water recharge.      (x) harvesting  or drawal of ground      water    and     construction    of      mechanisms therefore  with 200 m of      HTL; in  the 200 m to 500 m Zone it      shall be  permitted  only  when  do      manually through ordinary wells for      draining, horticulture, agriculture      and fishering."      According to  Mr. Mehta  the shrimp culture industry is neither "directly  related  to  water  iron"  nor  "directly needing fore-shore  facility" and  as such  is a  prohibited activity under  Para 2(1) of the CRZ Notification. Mr. Kapil Sibal on  the other hand has argued that a shrimp farm is an industry which is directly related to water front and cannot exist without  fore-shore facilities.  Relying  upon  Oxford English Dictionary  Mr. Sibal  contended that  "water front" means land  abetting on  the sea,  that part of a town which fronts on  a body  of water. According to him "Foreshore" in terms of  the said  dictionary means  the part  of the shore that lies  between the High Tide and the Low Tide. According to Webster  Comprehensive Dictionary.  International Edition the expression  ‘foreshore’ means  "that  part  of  a  shore uncovered at low tide".      It is,  thus, clear  that the  part of  the shore which remains covered  with  water  at  the  High  Tide  and  gets uncovered and  become visible  at the  Low  Tide  is  called "foreshore". It  is not  possible to set no a shrimp culture farm in  the said area because it would completely sub-merge in water  at the  High Tide.  It is, therefore, obvious that foreshore facilities  are neither  directly  nor  indirectly needed in  the setting up of a shrimp farm. So far as "water front" is  concerned it is no doubt correct that shrimp farm may have  some relation to the water front in the sense that the farm  is dependent  on brackish water which can be drawn from the  sea. But  on a  close scrutiny, we are of the view that shrimp  culture farming  has no  relation or connection with the  ‘water front’  though it has relation with brakish water which is available from various water-bodies including sea. What  is required  is the  "brakish water"  and not the ‘water front’.  The material on record shows that the shrimp ponds constructed  by the  farms draw  water from the sea by pipes, <??> etc. It is not the ‘water front’ which is needed by the  industry, what is required is the brakishwater which can be  drawn from  any source  including sea and carried to any distance  by pipes  etc. The purpose of CRZ notification is to  protect the  ecological fragile  coastal areas and to safe guard  the aesthetic  qualities and  uses  of  the  sea coast. The  setting up  of modern  shrimp aquaculture  farms right on  the sea  coast and  construction of ponds an other infrastructure thereon  is per  se hazardous and is bound to degrade the  marine ecology,  coastal  environment  and  the aesthetic uses  of the  sea coast.  We have,  therefore,  no hesitation in  holding that  the shrimp  culture industry is neither "directly  related to  water  front"  nor  "directly

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needing foreshore  facilities". The  setting  up  of  shrimp culture farms  within the  prohibited areas  under  the  CRZ notification cannot be permitted.      Para 2(viii)  of the  CRZ  Notification  quoted  above, prohibits the  bunding or  disturbing the  natural course of sea water with similar obstructions. A band is an embankment or dyke. Alagarswami report in para 4.3.2 (quoted above) has specifically mentioned  that huge  cyclone protection  dykes and peripheral  dykes are constructed by the shrimp farmers. The report  further states  that due to physical obstruction caused by  the dykes  the natural drain is blocked and Flood Water accumulated  in the  hinterland villages.  The  report notices that  the shrimp  ponds are constructed right on the bank of  the creeks  without leaving any area to draining of flood waters.  A shrimp  farm on the coastal area; by itself operates as  a dyke  or a  band as  it leaves  no  area  for draining of the flood waters. The construction of the shrimp farms, therefore, violate clause (viii) of para 2 of the CRZ Notification, in  view of  the findings  by the  Alagarswami report it  may be useful to hold an inquiry/investigation to find out the extent of loss occurred, if any to the villages during the  recent cyclone  in the  State of  Andhra Pradesh because of the dykes constructed by the shrimp farmers.      Annexure-1 to the CRZ Notification contains regulations regarding Coastal  Area Classification  and Development. The coastal stretches  within 500  m of HTL of the landward side are classified  into four categories, namely, CRZ-I, CRZ-II, CRZ-III and  CRZ-IV. Para  6(2) of the CRZ Notification lays down the  norms  for  the  development  ht  or  construction activities in  different categories of CRZ areas. In CRZ-III Zone agriculture,  horticulture, gardens,  pastures,  parks, playfields, forestry,  and salt  manufacture from  sea level may be  permitted upto  200 m  from the  high vide line. The aquaculture or  shrimp farming  has not  been included  as a permissible use and as such is prohibited even in this zone. A relevant  point arises  at this  stage. Salt manufacturing process like  the shrimp  culture industry  depends  on  sea water. Salt  manufacturers can  also raise the argument that since they  are wholly  dependent on  sea-water theirs is an industry "directly  related to  water  front"  or  "directly needing  fore-shore   facilities".   The   argument   stands negatived by inclusion of the salt manufacturing industry in CRZ-III  Zone  under  para  b(2)  or  the  CRZ  notification otherwise it  was not  necessary  in  include  the  industry therein because  it could  be set-up any were in the coastal regulation  zone   in  terms   of  para   2(1)  of  the  CRZ Notification. It  is thus obvious that an industry dependent on sea  water cannot  by itself  is  an  industry  "directly related to  water front"  or  "directly  needing  fore-shore facilities". The  shrimp culture industry, therefore, cannot be  permitted  to  be  set  up  any  where  in  the  coastal regulation Zone under the CRZ notification.      We may  examine the issue from another angle. Sea coast and beaches  are a  gift of  the nature  to the mankind. The aesthetic qualities  and recreational  utility of  the  said area has to be maintained. Any activity which has the affect or degrading the environment cannot be permitted. Apart from that the  right of  the fisherman  and farmers living in the coastal areas  to eke  their living  by way  of fishing  and farming cannot  be denied to them. Alagarswami report states that "the  shrimp farms  do not  provide excess to the beach for traditional  fishermen who  have to  reach the  sea from their villages. As farms are located and entry is restricted the fishermen  have to  take a  longer route  to the sea for their operation.  This  is  being  objected  by  traditional

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fishermen".      The  Alagarswami  report  further  highlights  drinking water problem,  salinisation and  destruction of mangrove by the shrimp  culture industry.  The relevant  paragraphs have already  been   quoted  above.   The  increase  of  stocking densities, heavy  inputs of  high energy feeds, use or drugs and chemicals  result in  the discharge  or highly  pulluted effluent into  the sea,  creeks etc. and on the sea coast by the shrimp  farms. It  is, therefore,  not possible to agree with Mr. Sibal that commercial shrimp farming has no adverse affect on environment and coastal ecology.      We may  at this  stage refer  to the  two investigation reports dated  April 23,  1995 and  July 10,  1995 by  NEERI regarding the Ecological Fragile coastal areas of India.      The report dated April 23, 1995 states that a 13 member team of  scientists, lead by Dr. A.S. Ball and Dr. S.K. Kaul inspected  the  shrimp  farms  situated  on  the  ecological fragile coastal  areas in  the States  of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu  between April  10 and  April  19,  1995.  It  is further stated that the coastal areas in the Union Territory of Pondicherry  were also  inspected by  the team. Regarding the CRZ Notification, the report states as under:-      The   MEF’s    notification   dated      February 19,  1995 stipulates  that      the  aquaculture   farms   on   the      coastal   areas   should   not   be      constructed within  500 m  from the      high tide  line (HTL)  of the seas.      The  hatcheries   however,  may  be      constructed between  250 and  500 m      from HTL of the sea.      The inspection team observed during      field investigations that the MEF’s      norms for  location of  aquaculture      and hatcheries  have been  violated      in the  States of  Andhra  Pradesh,      Tamil Nadu, and the union territory      of Pondicherry........  There is an      urgent need  to  ensure  scrupulous      implementation  of  the  provisions      made  in   the  MEF’s  notification      dated  February  19,  1991  in  the      States    and    Union    Territory      inspected by the team. In addition,      the damage  caused to  the land and      water   ecosystems    by    coastal      aquaculture activity,  as  detailed      in the  report, must be restored to      its original  ecological State. The      cost  for  eco-restoration  of  the      coastal fragile  area must be borne      by individual  entrepreneurs of the      coastal   aquaculture    farms   in      keeping  with   the   Polluter-Pays      principle........    Further,    no      activity  of   commercial   coastal      aquaculture  should  be  undertaken      even beyond  500  m  HTL  unless  a      comprehensive    and     scientific      Environmental   Impact   Assessment      (EIA) Study  has been  conducted by      the    entrepreneur,     and    the      Environmental    Management    Plan      approved by  the  respective  State      Department     of      Environment,

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    Pollution  Control   Board,   Shore      Development Authority,  and also by      the  Ministry  of  Environment  and      Forests.   Appropriate   terms   of      reference   for   EIA   have   been      incorporated in the report."      Regarding the socio-economic assessment of acquaculture in the area, the report gives the in following finding:-      "A  socio-economic   assessment  of      aquaculture  in   the  ecologically      fragile coastal areas in the States      of AP  and TN has been conducted by      the NEERI  team.  This  assessment,      detailed in  the report,  indicates      that the  cost  of  ecological  and      social  damage   far  exceeds   the      benefits that accrue out of coastal      aquaculture activities."      The adverse  impacts of  acquaculture  farming  on  the environment and  the ecologically  fragile in  the States of Andhra  Pradesh,   Tamil  Nadu   and  union   territory   of Pondicherry have been stated in the report as under:-      "3.0 Observations on the Impacts of      Aquaculture Farming on Ecologically      Fragile Areas  in States of AP, TN,      and Union Territory of Pondicherry      Coastal   aquaculture   units   are      situated within  500 m of high Tide      Line of  the sea.  This is  not  in      consonance    with     the    MEF’s      notification  dated   February  19,      1991.      It is  a common practice to convert      agricultural land,  and land  under      salt   production,   into   coastal      aquaculture units  which  infringes      the fundamental  rights to life and      livelihood.      Conversion  of  agricultural  farms      and   salt    making   lands   into      commercial  aquaculture   farms  is      rampant  in   the  fragile  coastal      areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu      and Union Territory of Pondicherry.      Brackish  aquaculture   units  have      been installed  in deltaic  regions      which  is  a  ecologically  unsound      practice.      Natural saline  canals which travel      from sea  to the mainland are being      used   for   brackish   aquaculture      farming. The  flow of  the  natural      saline canals  is being  obstructed      due to prawn farming activity which      has  resulted   in  the  spread  of      brackish  water  over  agricultural      farms   resulting    in   loss   or      agricultural  lands,   and  potable      water.      Villages  situated  along  the  sea      coast, deltaic regions, and natural      saline canals  are under threat due      to diversion of land to aquaculture      farms.      Traditional  fishermen   have  lost

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    their  landing   grounds  for  fish      catch.      Coastal aquaculture has resulted in      loss of  mangrove eco-systems which      provide protection against cyclones      and  other   natural  hazards,  and      which provide  natural habitats for      spawning     or     marine     <??>      Indiscriminate    destruction    of      mangrove areas  in and  around  the      creeks,  estuaries,   and  sea  has      resulted   in   loss   of   natural      breeding grounds for shrimps.      Natural Casuarine  plantations have      also  been   destroyed.  This   may      result in  increasing  damage  from      cyclons, and  intrusion  of  saline      water into mainland.      Coastal aquaculture  farms have not      been  scientifically  designed  and      located,  resulting   in  excessive      ecological damages.      No proper  peripheral drainage  has      been    provided     around     the      aquaculture farms.      The   saline   water   intake   and      effluent  discharge   points   from      aquaculture farms  are  located  in      close   vicinity,    resulting   in      contamination of  feed water to the      aquaculture units threatening their      productivity.      Three types  of saline water supply      systems  are   in  vogue   for  the      aquaculture farming, viz.      -    direct pumping  from the  sea,      creek, and estuary      -    direct pumping  from deep  sea      with jetties      -    using high  tides of  sea  for      carrying   saline   water   through      excavated canals.      These  activities  for  feed  water      supply  to  the  aquaculture  ponds      have resulted in:      -    loss of  fish catch (except in      the  case   of  feed  water  supply      through sea water canal system)      -    loss due  to damage of fishing      nets.      -    degradation of fragile coastal      land.      Large commercial  aquaculture farms      have  installed   fencing  in   and      around  the   farms  resulting   in      blockage of  free  access  for  the      fisherman to the sea shore.      The wastewater  discharge from  the      aquaculture farms released into the      creeks is  not properly flushed out      of  the   creek  during  low  tides      thereby leads  in the  accumulation      of   pollutants   in   the   creek,      affecting  the  quality  of  intake      water  to   aquaculture  farm  with

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    concommittant loss in productivity,      and damage to creek ecosystem.      Disappearance of  the  native  fish      species due to increase in salinity      of  the   creek  water   has   been      observed by  the team, and reported      by  the   fishermen.  Increase   in      salinity  has   also  reduced   the      ingress of  shrimp seedlings in the      creek.      Indiscriminate  catch   of  natural      shrimp seedlings  from the  coastal      waters, creeks,  and estuaries  has      resulted  in   reduction  of  their      availability,  which  in  turn  has      forced the  commercial  aquaculture      farmers to import the seeds.      Unscientific  management  practices      adopted    by     the    commercial      aquaculture farmers,  and  improper      design   of    aquaculture    farms      including    inadequate    drainage      systems have resulted in skin, eye,      and water  borne  diseases  in  the      contiguous population.      Commercial aquaculture  farm owners      have not  contributed to any social      infrastructure facilities  for  the      villagers.      Employment    avenues     of    the      contiguous     population      have      considerably  reduced  due  to  the      commercial aquaculture farming. The      unemployed  villagers  are  seeking      employment  in   nearby  towns  and      cities.      Owners    of     the     commercial      aquaculture farms are using various      means   to    encroach   upon   the      Government lands  and also  forcing      the agricultural  land  owners/salt      making  villagers   to  sell  their      lands. In  addition, the  fishermen      are also being forced to migrate to      other coastal areas."      Regarding the socio-economic status of the ecologically fragile coastal  areas in  the States  of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the report states as under:-      "During  the   inspection  of   the      aquaculture units  located  on  the      Ecologically Fragile  Coastal Areas      of AP  and TN,  the inspection team      collected data and information, and      discussed  the  issues  related  to      socio-economic   status    of   the      affected people  with the  farmers,      fishermen,  GNASH,  and  Government      officials.      The basic socio-economic issues are      presented in  Table 4.1  which also      lists the  parametric values in the      assessment of  the damage caused by      the aquaculture  units  located  in      the  Ecologically  Fragile  Coastal      Areas. Tables  4.2 and  4.3 present

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    the  socio-economic  assessment  or      aquaculture  in   the  Ecologically      Fragile Coastal  Area of the States      of AP and TN.      Tables 4.2 and 4.3 bring forth that      the damage  caused to  ecology  and      economics   by    the   aquaculture      farming is higher than the earnings      from   the    sale    of    coastal      aquaculture produce."      The NEERI  has, thus, given a positive finding that the damage caused  to ecology  and economics by the acquaculture farming is higher than the earnings from the sale of coastal acquaculture produce. The finding is based on the assessment keeping in  view fourteen  parameters listed in Tables 4.2 & 4.3 regarding  the States  of Andhra  Pradesh and Tamil Nadu respectively. The  parameters taken  into consideration  are <??>  equivalent   wages  for  the  farmers  to  be  earned, equivalent amount  of agricultural  produce <??> loss due to cutting to  Casuarina in  terms of  fuel, loss  in terms  of grazing grounds, loss involving <??> loss caused by cyclones due  to   cutting  of   <??>  in  a  forests,  loss  due  to desertification of  land, loss  in terms  of potable  water, total loss <??> destruction, loss in rising income, loss due to damage  of fishing  nets and  man-days loss  due to  <??> approachability to  sea-coast. These  losses are computed in money are are then compared with the total earnings from the sale of  coastal acquaculture  produce. In  the basis of the assessment of  socio-economic status  of acquaculture  in  a systematic manner  the NEERI has reached the conclusion that the  damage   caused  to   ecology  and   economics  by  the acquaculture farming  is higher  than the  earnings from the sale of coastal aquaculture produce.      Paras 6.1,  6.2 and  6.3 of the report clearly show the environmental  degradation  caused  by  the  shrimp  culture farming  by   its   adverse   impact   on   surface   water, contamination of  soil and  ground water  and destruction of mangrove vegetation.  The  said  paragraphs  are  reproduced hereunder:      "6.1 Impact on Surface Waters           Mangrove     vegetation     is      important in  protecting marine and      terrestrial     ecosystem.     This      vegetation is  also important as it      removes the  pollutants like carbon      nitrogen,   phosphate   and   other      nutrients, as  also  certain  toxic      compounds.   The    importance   of      mangrove     plants      especially      Vettivera zaizonoids  is  known  is      reduction the  impact of  pollution      due  to  discharge  of  aquaculture      pond  effluents,   and  the  Cavery      Delta Farmers  are now  propogating      the cultivation  or this species in      estuaries. Mangrove vegetation also      acts as  a barrier  of  floods,  an      provides   spawning   grounds   and      nesting places  for fishes; it also      supports avian  fauna (birds)  thus      maintaining the nature ecosystem.           The observations  on the water      quality in  the  aquaculture  ponds      show that  the pond water harbors a      dense algal  bloom compared  to the

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    water in  estuaries, creeks  or sea      indicating eutrophic nature of pond      effluent.  When   water  in   large      volumes,   from    the   ponds   is      discharged during flusing of ponds,      in  a   creek   or   estuary,   the      pollutants remain  stagnated in the      estuary or  near-sea coast  due  to      the  typical   tidal  activity   in      creeks. As  a result, the raw water      source   to    the    ponds    gets      contaminated in course of time. The      wastewater discharge from the ponds      warrant  proper   treatment  before      discharge.  Uncontrolled  discharge      of wastewater  triggers a series of      deleterious impacts, e.g.      -    With    the     increase    in      eutrophication levels,  there is  a      shifiting    in     dominance    of      phytoplankton   Flora    in    pond      effluent from diatoms to blue-green      algae. Decomposition  of dead blue-      green  algae   may  lead   to   the      generation of toxic substances, eg.      ammonia,  hydrogen   sulphide  etc.      Further, some  of  the  blue-greens      also  excrete  biotoxins  in  large      quantities  which   are  toxic   to      aquatic  animals,  <??>  prawns  in      ponds or  fishes  in  estuaries  or      coastal  waters.  Large  amount  of      blue-green algae  was  recorded  by      the inspection team in Sirkali area      (eg. S&S  Industries &  Enterprises      Ltd;  High   Tide  Sea  farms)  and      Killai area (Aqua Gold Shrimp Farm;      MRVAqua Farm;  Mohi Aqua Farm). The      presence      of      Oscillatoria,      Microcystis    and    some    other      filamentous  blue-green   algae  is      undesirable in the pond effluent as      they chock the gills of fishes.      -    The suspended  solids released      from  the   ponds  are  laden  with      unconsumed food  and other  organic      contaminants. Accumulation of these      organics  in   the   intake   water      creates  problems   in  the  intake      water quality  when the  intake and      discharge  points   are  in   close      proximity.      6.2  Contamination  of   soil   and      ground water           The    shrimp     farms    are      constructed well  above the  ground      levels. Seepage of pond effluent to      the surrounding fields was noted by      the inspection  team in a number on      farms.  Seepage  of  pond  effluent      <??>  the   soil  quality   in  the      adjoining aquacultural  fields.  It      has also contaminated potable water      in surrounding villages.           Deterioration of  ground water

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    quality in  villages that  over one      km away from the pond sites was not      noticed. This  observation is based      on analysis  of bore  well water at      three sites by the inspection team.      This  observation   justified   the      locational      constraints      on      aquaculture farms in coastal areas.      6.3   Destruction    of    Mangrove      vegetation           The  inspection  team  noticed      destruction of  mangrove vegetation      at most  of the prawn farming sites      for  the   development  of   shrimp      farms.           Significant   destruction   of      mangrove forest  was observed  hear      the  Aqua   Gold  shrimp   farm  at      village Vellar  in Killai  taluk of      South Arcot  district similarly  on      Pichavarum estuary  in village <??>      in  Killai  taluk  of  South  Arcot      district of  TN, the  shrimp  farms      are   constructed    by    clearing      mangrove    vegetation.    Mangrove      vegetation in Kuchipalam village is      also  facing   threat  due  to  the      expansion    of    prawn    farming      activity.      The final conclusions and recommendations are in para 5 of the NERI report which is as under:-      "8.0        Conclusions         and      Recommendations on  the attenuation      of  the   Impact   of   Aquaculture      Farming  on   Ecologically  Fragile      Ares in States of AP, TN, and Union      Territory of Pondicherry.           Socio-economic  assessment  of      aquaculture  in   the  ecologically      fragile areas  in the  States or AP      and TN  reveals that  the  cost  of      ecological and  social  damage  far      exceed the benefits that accrue out      of    the    coastal    aquaculture      activities.           The MEF’s  norms for  location      of aquaculture  and hatcheries have      been violated  in the States of AP,      IN,   and    Union   Territory   or      Pondicherry.           The   current    practice   of      installation of coastal aquaculture      farms within 500 m HTL violates the      fundamental rights  and  livelihood      or people  in the States AP and TN,      and   the    Union   Territory   of      Pondicherry.           The   current    practice   of      installation of coastal aquaculture      farms within  500m HTL  violate the      fundamental rights  and  livelihood      of people  in the States AP and TN,      and   the    Union   Territory   of      Pondicherry.           The State  of AP  has  adopted

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    twenty point  guidelines as  ad hoc      measures    for    management    of      aquaculture  in   the  district  of      Nellore. These  guidelines have not      been made mandatory in the State of      AP  as   a   whole.   Also,   these      guidelines  do   not  address   all      socio-economic,   and    ecological      aspects of coastal habitats.           The State Government of TN has      enacted a  Bill of  provide for the      regulation of  coastal  aquaculture      on April 10, 1995. This Bill is not      in  consonance   with   the   MEF’s      notification dated  19, 1991  as it      allows    the    construction    of      aquaculture units  within  500m  of      HTL of the sea.           The cost of eco-restoration of      the coastal  fragile area  must  be      borne     by     the     individual      entrepreneur  of   the   commercial      aquaculture farms  in keeping  with      the polluter-pays principle.           No     commercial      coastal      aquaculture  activity   should   be      undertaken  even  beyond  500m  HTL      unless    a    comprehensive    and      scientific   environmental   impact      asessment  (EIA)   study  has  been      conducted by  the entrepreneur, and      the  environment   management  plan      (EMP) approved  by  the  respective      State  Department  of  Environment,      Pollution  Control   Board,   shore      Development Authority,  and also by      the  Ministry  of  Environment  and      Forests.           Agricultural lands  are  being      converted      into      commercial      aquaculture  farms,   which  causes      unemployment   to    the   landless      labourers  and   also  in  loss  of      cultivable land.           Commercial  aquaculture  farms      are  being   installed   near   the      cultivated lands and the salt water      from   the    farms   damages   the      productivity   of   the   adjoining      lands.           Groundwater     also      gets      contaminated  due   to  seepage  of      impounded    water     from     the      aquaculture ponds.           Desertification of  cultivable      land is  on  the  increase  due  to      salinity intrusion.           Due to  commercial aquaculture      farms, there is a loss of      -    mangrove ecosystems      -    causarina plantations      -    grazing grounds for      cattle      -    potable water to      contiguous

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         population      -    fish catch      -    fishing nets      -    agricultural produce      -    manpower loss due to non-           approachability of           fishermen to sea shore      directly.           There   is    a    perceptible      increase in  the diseases  of  skin      and eye,  and water  borne diseases      in the contaguous population.           The     designs     of     the      acquaculture farms  are inadequate.      No  provision  has  been  made  for      wastewater    treatment    facility      enabling recycling  and  re-use  of      wastewater.           Prohibition on  conversion  of      agricultural lands  and salt  farms      into commercial  aquaculture  farms      must  be  enforced  with  immediate      effect.           No groundwater withdrawal must      be    allowed    for    aquaculture      purposes.           Free      access       through      aquaculture unit  to the  sea coast      must be provided to the traditional      fishermen.           No aquaculture  farm based  on      brackish water  should be installed      on inland brackish water bodies.           Wild  seed   collection   from      creek and  sea must  be prohibited.      Seed   must    be   procured   from      hatcheries. If  seed collection  is      noticed  it   must  immediately  be      seized and  dumped  back  into  the      creek.           A eco-restoration fund must be      created    by     collecting    the      stipulated fees  from the owners of      acquaculture  farms.  In  addition,      one  per   cent  of   total  export      earnings per  annum  must  also  be      collected      from      commercial      aquaculture farm  owners  and  used      for rejuvenation  of  coastal  eco-      system with  special  reference  to      plantation of  mangroves and common      eco-sensitive zones. The wastewater      treatment  system  with  reuse  and      recycle must  be installed  by  all      units. The smaller units can form a      co-operative and  treat their water      through common  effluent  treatment      plant. The  aquaculture units  must      be closed  down if  the  wastewater      treatment system is not functioning      to its design efficiency.      The second NEERI report dated July 10, 1995 states that a 19 member team of scientists lead by Dr. A.S. Ball and Dr. S.N.  Kaul  inspected  the  shrimp  farms  situated  on  the ecologically fragile  coastal areas  in the  States of  West

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Bengal, Orrisa,  Kerala,  Karnataka,  Goa,  Maharashtra  and Gujarat during  May 20  and June  10, 1995.  The summary  of salient comments  in the  report regarding  acqua-farming in the State of West Bengal is as under:-      -    organic  pollution  in  creeks      and estuaries with respect to BOD      deterioration      -    microbiological    of    water      quality      -    accumulation of organic carbon      and heavy  metals in  the sediments      of shrimp farms      -    Shannon  Weaver  index  values      less  than   3   indicate   organic      contamination      -    borewell water characteristics      near M/s Index Port Ltd., Sarberia,      Basanti, North  24-Paraganas,  show      intrusion of  salinity in  drinking      water source      -    conversion   of    land,   and      traditional fish  farm at M/s Index      Port Ltd., North 24-Paraganas      -    conversion      of       land,      traditional fish farm, and mangrove      plantation   at    M/s    Sundarban      Aquatics, South 24-Paraganas      -    violation of  CRZ  regulations      regarding high  tide line (HIL) has      taken  place   at   M/s   Sundarban      Aquactics, South  24-Paraganas.  In      addition,  violations  of  CRZ  for      setting up  the aquafarm  on creeks      have taken  place at  the following      places:      -    M/s Index Port Ltd., North 24-      Paraganas      -    M/s Sundarban  Aquatics, South      24-Paraganas      -    All shrimp  farms developed by      BWFD at Ramnagar, Midnapore."      The comments  regarding the  acqua-farming in the State of Orissa by the NEERI team are as under:-      "*   Organic  pollution  in  crecks      and estuaries with respect to BOD      *    deterioration               of      microbiological water quality      *    accumulation of organic carbon      and heavy  metals in  the sediments      of shrimp farms      *    Shannon  Weaver  index  values      less  than   3   indicate   organic      contamination      *    characteristics  of   borewell      water  samples   near  M/s  Sundeep      Aquatics, District  Bhadrak and M/s      Suryo  Udyog  Pvt.  Ltd.,  District      Balasore,   show    intrusion    of      salinity into drinking water      *    conversion of  cultivable land      for    the     establishment     of      aquafarms/hatcheries     in     all      districts      *    violation of  CRZ  regulations      by all  aquafarms on  creeks in the

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    districts of  Balasore and Bhadrak.      Hatcheries        have         been      constructed/under      construction      within 200m of high tide line (HIL)      in contravance of CRZ regulations."      The status  of acqua-farming  in the State of Kerala as indicated in the NEERI report is as under:-      "The comments on aquafarming in the      State of  Kerala are  presented  in      the footnotes  of  Tables  2.2.1.7.      Summary of  the salient comments is      given hereunder:      *    organic  pollution  in  river,      creeks and estuaries      *    deterioration               of      microbiological water quality      *    accumulation of organic carbon      and heavy  metals in  the sediments      of shrimp farms      *    Shanon  Weaver   index  valued      less  than   3   indicate   organic      contamination      *    well water  characteristics in      the  vicinity   of  M/s  Agalapuzha      aquafarm,   Kozhikode    show   the      intrusion of  salinity in  drinking      water source      *    conversion   of    land,   and      traditional fish  farm by  M/s Vasu      Aquafarms at Kozhikode      *    conversion      of       land,      traditional fish farm, and mangrove      plantation  by   M/s   West   Coast      Aquafarms Irinavu, Kannur      *    violation of  CRZ  regulations      regarding the location of aquafarms      on creeks  has taken  place at  the      following sites.      -    M/s   Consolidated   Aquafarm,      Poyya, Trissur      -    M/s Jaladhi Aquafarm, Cherchi      -    M/s    Keetodiyal    Aquafarm,      Arookutty Alleppey      -    M/s Mejovi Fisheries, Irinavu,      Kannur".      The report  further  indicates  the  status  of  acqua- culture in the State of Karnataka as under:-      "Organic   pollution    in   river,      creeks, and estuaries      Shanon  Weaver  index  values  less      than     3     indicate     organic      contamination      well   water    charactristics   in      vicinity  of   M/s  Raja  Ram  Bhat      Aquafarm, Hanmav,  Kumta  show  the      intrusion of  salinity in  drinking      water source      conversion  of   agricultural  land      into shrimp farms was observed at      -    M/s Popular  Aquafarm, Tallur,      Kundapur      -    M/s Raja  Ram  Bhat  Aquafarm,      Hanmav, Kumta      -    M/s Shri  Arya Durga Aquafarm,      Karwar

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    destruction of  mangrove vegetation      by M/s  Popular  Aquafarm,  Tallur,      Kundapur  was   observed   by   the      inspection team      violation  of  CRZ  regulations  by      aquafarms situated  on the creek of      Razadi river  at  Kundapur,  Hanmav      creek  at   Kumta,  and   Hgnashree      creeks were noted by the inspection      team."      The comments  of the NEERI report regarding acqua farms in the State of Goa are as under:-      "*   organic  pollution  in  river,      estuary and discharges from ponds      *    Shanon  Weaver   index  values      less  than   3   indicate   organic      contamination      *    well water  characteristics in      vicinity of  M/s Govt.  Prawn farm,      Choraho indicate salinity intrusion      *    conversion   of   agricultural      land into  shrimp farm was observed      by the  inspection team  at M/s Sky      Pak Aquafarm Ltd., Paliyam, Goa      *    violation of  CRZ  regulations      by all the aquafarms on the creeks,      viz. Masem  creek  at  Kankun,  and      Chahora at  Pernem were observed by      the inspection team.".      Summary of the salient comments on acqua-culture in the State of Maharashtra is as under :-      "*  organic   pollution  in   river      estuary and discharges from ponds      *    microbiological  deterioration      of water quality      *    accumulation of organic carbon      and heavy  metals in  the sediments      of shrimp farms      *    Shanon  Weaver   index  values      less  than   3   indicate   organic      contamination      *    conversion   of   agricultural      land into      shrimp farms      *    violation of  CRZ  regulations      regarding location  of shrimp  farm      on creeks, viz. Dharamtar, Satpati,      and Dahanu."      The comments  regarding to  State  of  Gujarat  are  as under:-      "organic   pollution    in   river,      estuary and discharges from ponds      destruction of  mangrove and shrubs      in the  marine zone  by M/s  GFCCA,      Onjal and  M/s Sea Crest Pvt. Ltd.,      Mendhar      violation of  CRZ  regulations  for      setting up  the shrimp farms on the      creeks,  viz.  Kanai,  Ambika,  and      Purna."      Para 3 of the NEERI report dated July 10, 1995 gives in detail the  impact of  acquaculture farming  on ecologically fragile coastal areas of India:- <sls>      "3.0 Observations on the Impacts of      Aquaculture Farming on Ecologically

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    Fragile Coastal Areas of India      3.1 East Coast      *    The shrimp  farms at Ramnagar,      Midnapur district are located right      on the  creek, and  therefore,  are      not  in  consonance  with  the  CRZ      regulations      *    No         wastewater/sediment      treatment facilities  exist at  any      of the aquaculture farms      *    No direct  withdrawal of water      from creek/estuary      *    No  conversion   of  land  has      taken place  except in cases of M/s      Index Port Ltd., North 24-Paraganas      and  M/s  Sundarban  Aquatic  Farms      Ltd., South 24-Paraganas      *    wild      shrimp      seedling      collection by  villagers  including      children is a common practice      *    M/s Index  Port Ltd., North 24      Paraganas has created the following      problems;      -    design of  aquaculture farm is      not      proper,       and       no      wastwater/sediment        treatment      facility exists in this shrimp farm      -    intensive  mode  of  operation      creates    wastewater     problems.      Presently, there  is  no  treatment      facility  existing  for  reuse  and      recycle of treated wastwater      -    deposition  of   clay  in  the      intake  water   reservoir,  and  no      proper  mechanism  exists  for  its      disposal      -    seepage from  the bunds create      additional problems around the farm      -    inspection team  observed that      groundwater in the vicinity of this      aquaculture farm has become saline      -    conversion   of   agricultural      land, and traditional fishing farm      -    barbed wire  fencing along the      periphery of  the farm has resulted      in restriction  to free  access for      the farmers,  fishermen and  cattle      to the creek      -    M/s  Sundarban  Aquatic  Farms      Ltd.,   South    24-Paraganas   has      created the following problems ;      -    conversion   of   agricultural      land, traditional fish farming, and      mangrove plantation      -    the aquafarm  is located below      ground  level.   Therefore,  it  is      difficult to  assess  the  seepages      from this  farm unless  peizometers      are installed around the aquafarm      -    a well  designed sedimentation      tank is  being used as a wastewater      treatment system.  However,  it  is      not adequate. Necessary arrangement      have to  be made  for  recycle  and      reuse of wastewater

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    -    no   provision    exists   for      treatment of sediments      -    the location  of the aqua-farm      is  not  as  per  MEF  notification      dated February 19, 1991, keeping in      view high  tike line,  and  minimum      distance from the creek           The   important    areas    of      environmental   concern   regarding      shrimp  farming  in  the  State  of      orissa are      World   Bank   Aided   Projects   -      Narendrapur, Bhadrak District           World Bank aided project comes      within  the   national  park  area.      Therefore,  it  is  desirable  that      this  project   proposal  must   be      dropped. It  was also  informed  to      the  inspection   team   that   two      private   shrimp   farms   are   in      operation  at   present  near   the      proposed World  Bank Aided  Project      which must  be closed  immediately,      in  view   of  proximaty   of   the      national park      -    Beidipur, Bhadrak District      There are  plans to construct large      shrimp farms.  It is  necessary  to      mention that this area is prorusely      covered with  wild sea weeds, which      has direct  relationship  with  the      ecology  of   the   marine   biota.      Keeping  this  aspect  in  view,  a      detailed  EIA  is  required  before      finalizing   the   development   of      shrimp farms in the area which must      include private farms in the region      In addition,  there is  a salt dyke      which  prevents  the  flow  of  sea      water into  the agricultural lands.      It is  worth mentioning  that  more      than 50  shrimp farms,  1 ha,  each      have come  up in  this  area.  This      leads  to   conversion  of  fertile      agricultural       lands       into      brackishwater based  shrimp farming      resulting salinity,  intrusion  and      desertification of land      -    Jagatjore     -      Banapada,      Kendrapara District      Construction work of shrimp farm is      in progress. Mechanised systems for      excavation,  and  construction  are      being    used.     In     addition,      inhabitants are  prosecuted.  There      is a  signpost "Trespassers will be      prosecuted". It was informed to the      inspection  team   by  the   nearby      villagers that  this place was used      for      agriculture.      Farmers,      fishermen,  and   cattle  had  free      access to the nearby creeks. Now it      has been limited to a large extent.      In addition,  the  inspection  team      was informed  about  indiscriminate

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    cutting of  mangrove bushes  around      the  area.  This  project  must  be      reviewed critically  keeping Bhitar      Kanika Wild Life Sanctuary in view      Local  entrepreneurs  have  started      small shrimp  farms of  about 1  ha      each. This  will cause waterlogging      problems in  the area. Finally, the      high tide  line (HTL)  just touches      the saline  dyke. Therefore,  world      Bank  project  proposal  and  other      shrimp farms  fall within  500 m of      HTL, and  do  not  conform  to  the      MEF’s notification  dated  February      19, 1991      *    Chilka Lagoon      The  silt   carried  by   two  main      rivers, viz. Daya and Bhargabi gets      deposited in  the lagoon.  There is      little exchange  of water  from the      sea because the mouth of the lagoon      (35 km  long) has  been blocked  by      three factors, viz.      -    silt      -    improper mixing, and      -    large clusters of shrimp farms      hinder the pasage of water into/out      of the lagoon      The bird  sanctuary at  Nalaban has      also been affected by siltation and      shrimp farming activities. 35 km of      the canal mouth of the lagoon needs      immediate  attention,  because  the      exchange of sea water into and from      the lagoon is vital from ecological      considerations.    In     additions      deposited silt  has to  be removed,      Shrimp farms  must be  closed  down      immediately to  restore the  Chilka      lagoon, to  its original ecological      condition   by    application    of      scientific management practices      *    Subarnarekha Mouth      A large number of shrimp farms have      come up  on both sides of the lower      reaches of  the Subarnarekha  river      to utilise the tidal brackish water      as observed by the inspection team.      It was  reported to  the inspection      team by  local people that this has      resulted in  water logging in upper      reaches of Subarnarekha river      *    The inspection  team  observed      that the shrimp farming is at least      three times more than what has been      presented by  the  State  Govt.  of      Orissa      *    All the  shrimp farms  do  not      observe the  MEF notification dated      February     19,      1991.     The      creek/estuarine water  based shrimp      farms are  also not  observing  the      CRZ guidelines of MEF      Agricultural    land    is    being      converted to shrimp farming because

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    of Land  Reform  Act  of  Govt.  of      Orrisa      *    Artificial  creeks  are  being      constructed to  allow high tides of      creek/estuarine  water   into   the      large reservoir.  In addition, this      factor must  result in  flooding of      low lying areas      *    Reservoirs act  as  a  setting      cum concentration basin. Therefore,      it is  necessary sometimes  for the      shrimp farmers to dilute this water      by     withdrawing     groundwater,      resulting    in     depletion    of      groundwater resources in the nearby      villages. In  addition, groundwater      has   become    saline.   This   is      confirmed  by   the  situation   in      Adhuan village in Bhadrak district      *    The   shrimp    farming    has      resulted in several social problems      viz.      -    denial  of   free  access   to      fishermen      -    denial of job opportunities      -    conversion   of   agricultural      land to shrimp farming      -    social displacement      -    salination of groundwater      -    reduction in grazing ground of      cattle,   and    free   access   to      creek/estuarine water      *    Wild      shrimp      seedling      collection is  still  in  practice.      This will  have detrimental  effect      on the  ecology of  the sea, creek,      and estuarine waterbodies      *   Direct    pumping   from    the      creel/estuarine  water   system  is      being practiced.  This  results  in      reduction of fish catch and most of      stopped immediately      *    No shrimp farm had any type of      wastewater and  sediment  treatment      systems including hatcheries      *    All  hatcheries   are  located      within  200   m  of   the  HTL   in      contravance    of     the     MEF’s      notification  dated   February  19,      1991. It  is necessary  to stop the      commissioning of all new hatcheries      which are  not being constructed as      per CRZ regulations      *    Intake points  and  wastewater      discharge  channels  of  the  prawn      farms are  nearby. This  is  not  a      scientific  water   management   of      shrimp farms      *    It has  been observed  by  the      inspection  team  tat  some  shrimp      farms have  barbed wires  along the      periphery of project site, e.g.      -    M/s Deep Sun Culture Pvt. Ltd.      -    M/s Surya Udyog Pvt. Ltd.      -    M/s Manas Prawn Farm

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         Therefore, there  is  no  tree      access to creek and estuarine water      for the fishermen and cattle.      3.2  West Coast      *    The shrimp farming activity in      the west  coast is  mostly confined      to the  traditional extensive  type      of  farming.   Limited  number   of      commercial  shrimp   farms   having      areas more  than 5  ha, working  on      the semi-intensive  type have  been      installed  in   the  coastal  areas      since last 3 years.      *    Though  in   limited  numbers,      prawn farms  working on  the  semi-      intensive type  specifically in the      States of  Karnataka,  Maharashtra,      and Gujarat are situated within 500      m of  high tide  line of  the  sea,      which is  not  in  consonance  with      MEF’s notification  dated  February      19,1991      *    Incidence  of   conversion  of      agricultural  land   into   coastal      aquaculture units,  which infringes      the fundamental  right to  lite and      livelihood,  could  be  noticed  in      States of  Karnataka (Kumta taluk),      Maharashtra  (Ratnagiri   district,      and Palghar  taluk) and  in Gujarat      (Valsad district)      *    In States situated on the west      coast  of   India  brackish   water      aquaculture units  have been mainly      installed along  the estuaries  and      river   banks,    where   impounded      backwater is  being used for shrimp      farming.    Such    practices    of      extensive type  of farming  may not      have significant  adverse impact on      environment due  to the  fact  that      limited  quantities   of   brackish      water are  required for  recharging      these ponds,  and  the  wasterwater      generation is  negligible. However,      this  practice  of  utilisation  of      backwaters will prove to be unsound      if  carried  out  for  large  scale      farms using  semi-intensive type of      farming      *    Villages  situated  along  the      sea  coast,  and  backwater  zones,      specifically at  Gunda,  Kumta  and      Karwar  (Karnataka),   Palghar  and      Dahanu  (Maharashtra),  and  Valsad      (Gujarat) are  under threat  due to      conversion of land into aquaculture      farms      *    In the State of Karnataka, the      inspecting team  observed that  M/s      Murudeshwar Food  and  Export  Ltd.      Prawn aquafarm  units  are  located      within 100 m of HTL      The intake  and discharge points of      M/s  Samudra   Aquafarms  and   M/s

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    Skyline Biotechnologies  Pvt. Ltd.,      Kagil, Kumta are very close to each      other which  may create problems or      contamination  in  the  ponds.  The      prawns grown  in these  farms  were      reported to  be affected  by  vital      infection.  Disposal  of  sediments      from the ponds was also observed to      be carried  out on  the side of the      river      *    It was  also observed  by  the      inspecting team  in  the  State  of      Karnataka  that   aquafarm  of  M/s      Rajaram Bhat  Pvt. Ltd. at Monnavar      in Kumta  taluk has  been installed      on the  periphery of  the  village.      The bunds  constructed  for  making      the ponds  have obstructed the free      flow of  storm water,  and domestic      wastewater from  the village to sea      and this has created health hazards      for  the  villagers.  Intrusion  of      saline water  in the  soil was also      observed, and  reports on  damage o      coconut plantations in nearby areas      were also  received.  Contamination      of drinking  water sources  due  to      saline water intrusion was observed      *    In the State of Karnataka, M/s      Agnasana  Aquafarm  Pvt.  Ltd.  has      come up  adjacent to  a  school  in      village Gunda,  and the constructed      bund  of   the  pond   touches  the      compound of  the school. Seepage of      saline  water  from  the  bund  and      subsequent damage to the foundation      of the  school building, and damage      to coconut  plants in  nearby areas      was  observed.  Such  practices  of      allowing the  ponds to come up near      residential  and   public   utility      places must be stopped immediately      *    Coastal    aquaculture     has      resulted  in   loss  of   mangroves      ecosystems to  a limited  extent of      the    west     coast.     However,      significant     destruction      or      mangroves could  be noticed  in the      coastal areas  of the  districts on      Karwar a Kumta (Karnataka), Palghar      &  Shrivardhan  (Maharashtra),  and      Valsad   (Gujarat).    Since    the      mangrove ecosystems provide natural      habitat  for   spawning  of  marine      biota,     the      practice     of      indiscriminate    destruction    of      mangrove    ecosystem     due    to      installation or  shrimp farms  must      be stopped      *    No proper  peripheral drainage      has  been   provided   around   the      aquaculture ponds  following  semi-      intensive mode  of farming  in  the      States  of   Kerala,  Karnataka   &      Maharashtra,  and   the  wastewater

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    from the  ponds was  observed to be      discharged   into   the   receiving      bodies without treatment      *    The brackish  water intake and      effluent discharge  ponds  for  the      ponds are located in close vicinity      resulting in  contamination of feed      water of the aquaculture units. The      situation is  predominant at  Kumta      (Karnataka), Palghar (Maharashtra),      and Valsad  (Gujarat) where a large      number   of    medium   and   large      aquafarms have been installed      *    Since large  number of  medium      and big  farms have  been installed      on  the  coastal  areas  at  places      mentioned  above,   the  wastewater      discharged  into  creeks  and  back      water zones is not properly flushed      out  during   low  tide,   thereby,      affecting the intakes water quality      of aquaculture farms.      *    The situation  in the State of      Goa  has   not  reached   such   an      alarming situation  as yet  due  to      limited  number   of   farms,   and      abundant  quantities  of  backwater      available in  the riverine zones of      Zuari and  Mandavi rivers. However,      future  expansion   of  the  shrimp      farming practices  warrant  careful      control,   in   view   of   tourism      potential of the State      *    Shrimp farming activity in the      State  of   Gujarat  is   presently      confined to  the coastal  areas  of      Valsad,  Bharuch,  and  Surat.  Two      large commercial  shrimp farms  are      proposed to  be  installed  in  the      Jamnagar district  where salt farms      are   being   operated   currently.      Sanctions  for  such  installations      warrant  careful  consideration  to      avoid   damages   to   the   highly      ecosensitive coral  reef zones near      this coast.      The conclusions and recommendations as given in para of the NEERI report are as under:-      "7.0        Conclusions         and      Recommendations on  the attenuation      of adverse  Impacts of  Aquaculture      Farming  on   Ecologically  Fragile      Coastal Areas      7.1  East Coast      *    The shrimp farming activity in      east coast  is mostly  confined  to      the traditional and extensive mode.      However,   a    large   number   or      commercial   shrimp    farms   have      started  functioning   on  modified      extensive,   semi-intensive;    and      intensive modes  since  last  three      years      *    The large  scale shrimp  farms      and hatcheries  have  violated  CRZ

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    notification of  MEF dated February      19, 1991  in  the  States  of  West      Bengal and Orissa      *    Incidence  of   conversion  of      agricultural  land   into   coastal      aquaculture  units  which  infringe      upon the fundamental rights to life      and    livelihood     were     <??>      particularly in the State or Orissa      *    It is  desirable to  establish      aquaculture   farms   on   modified      extensive mode.  Semi-intensive and      intensive mode  of aquaculture must      not be  adopted in  the  States  or      West Bengal and Orissa      *    Maintenance of  quality of the      feed, and  stocking of healthy seed      from   the    government   approved      hatcheries     associated      with      appropriate    water     management      practices warrants proper attention      in the  prawn farming activities of      the coastal areas      *    The  proposed  guidelines  for      shrimp farming in the State of West      Bengal do  not address  all  socio-      economic, and  ecological status or      coastal habitats.      *    The State  of Orissa  has  not      formulated any  guidelines  related      to aquaculture practices      *    The cost of eco-restoration of      the coastal  fragile area  must  be      borne     by     the     individual      entrepreneurs  of   the  commercial      farms in  keeping with the polluter      pays   principle    with   specific      reference to.      -    Sunderban    Mangrove/Littoral      Forest, West Bengal      -    Chilka Lagoon, Orissa      -    Bhitar   Kanika    Wild   Life      Sanctuary, Orissa      -    National Park, Orissa      -    Subarnarekha Mouth, Orissa           No     commercial      coastal      aquaculture  activity   should   be      undertaken even  beyond 500  m  HTL      unless    a    comprehensive    and      scientific   environmental   impact      assessment  (EIA)  study  has  been      made by  the entrepreneur,  and the      environment management  plan  (EMP)      approved by  the  respective  State      Department     of      Environment,      Pollution Control  Board, and  also      by the MEF      *    Agricultural lands  are  being      converted      into      commercial      aquaculture,      which      causes      unemployment   to    the   landless      labourers  and   also  in  loss  of      cultivable land      *     Groundwater     also     gets      contaminated  due   to  seepage  of

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    impounded  water  from  aquaculture      farms      Due   to   commercial   aquaculture      farms, there is a loss of      -    mangrove ecosystem      -    grazing grounds for cattle      -    potable  water  to  contiguous      population      -    fish catch      -    agricultural produce      -    economic  loss   due  to  non-      approachability  of   fishermen  to      creek, estuary and sea directly      *    the designs of the aquaculture      farms are  inadequate. No provision      has  been   made   for   wastewater      treatment     facility     enabling      recycling and  re-use of wastewater      in shrimp  farms and  hatcheries to      minimise   water    exchange.    In      addition, there  is a  necessity to      treat deposited  sediments from the      shrimp  farms.   Sediments  can  be      converted  into   manure  for  land      application after proper treatment      *    Prohibition on  conversion  of      agricultural land  must be enforced      with immediate effect      *    Wild  seed   collection   from      creek, estuary,  and  sea  must  be      prohibited. Seed  must be procurred      from hatcheries      *    An eco-restoration  fund  must      be  created   by   collecting   the      stipulated fees  from the owners of      aquaculture farms. In addition, one      percent of  total  export  earnings      per annum  must also  be  collected      from  commercial  aquaculture  farm      owners, and  used for  rejuvenation      of    coastal    eco-system.    The      wastewater     treatment     system      including  sediment   control  with      reuse and recycle must be installed      by all  unites. The  smaller  units      can form  a co-operative, and treat      water   through   common   effluent      treatment  plant.  The  aquaculture      units must  be closed  down if  the      wastewater     treatment     system      including sediment  control is  not      functioning    to     its    design      efficiency      *    A  strict   vigilance  by  the      State Departments  of Fisheries and      Pollution Control Board is required      to  keep   a  check   on  pollution      abatement  measures,   it  may   be      mentioned that  even a  small,  one      <??> shrimp  farm can  be  <??>  to      i.e.   modified-extensive;    semi-      intensive,      and      intensive.      Therefore, strong  control measures      for   production    and   pollution      (wastewater  and   sediments)   are

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    essential      *    Water (from  sources  such  as      creek, estuary or sea) cess must be      charged from the shrimp farm owners      *    Cultivable lands  must not  be      converted for aquaculture. There is      a  perceptible  difference  between      cultivable and not cultivated land.      Thus, even  if  aquaculturist  buys      agricultural  land  and  keep  them      fallow for  say 2  or 3  years that      does not  mean that  the  land  has      become  non-cultivable.   Currently      almost all the farms that exist are      cultivable lands  except  those  in      Midnapur district  (7 aquafarms  in      wastelands). Even these farmers who      do not  sell their  land  to  prawn      farm owners,  are affected  due  to      lack of  drainage from paddy fields      which in turn cause flooding of the      crop during rainy season      *    The location  of shrimp  farms      in Midnapur  district on  wasteland      developed  by   the  Department  of      Fisheries,  Govt.  of  West  Bengal      fulfills all  scientific conditions      except ;      -    CRZ guidelines for creeks      -    Wastewater     &      sediment      management practices, and      -    Mode  of  operation  which  is      mostly semi-intensive and intensive      *   There    are   two   commercial      aquaculture units  in the  State of      West  Bengal,  viz,  M/s  Sunderban      Aquatic Farm  Ltd., and  M/s  index      Port Ltd.,  which are violating CRZ      regulations of  MEF dated  February      19, 1991 as discussed hereunder.      -    M/s  Sundarban  Aquatic  Farms      Ltd.:  Conversion  of  agricultural      land &  traditional fish  farm, and      destruction of  mangrove plantation      have taken place. In addition, this      farm falls  within 500 m from HTL.,      Further,   CRZ    regulations   for      location of  aquaculture farm  near      the creek have also been violated      -    M/s    Index     Port    Ltd.;      Conversion of  agricultural land  &      traditional fish  farm  have  taken      place.   Groundwater   has   become      saline  around   the  farm.  Shrimp      farms   are   not   well   designed      resulting in  seepage. Barbed  wire      fencing has  restricted free access      to farmers, fishermen and cattle to      the   creek.   In   addition.   CRZ      regulations   for    location    of      aquaculture  farm  near  the  creek      have also been violated           No treatment  facilities  have      been provided by both the farms           It is  necessary to review the

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    World  Bank   aided  projects   and      commercial  shrimp   farms  in  and      around Chilka  Lagoon,  keeping  in      view the  MEF norms  dated February      19, 1991  in the  State of  Orissa,      viz.      -    Narendrapur  project  must  be      abandoned  as   it  is  within  the      National park.  Also  the  existing      commercial farms  in operation must      be closed down      -    Bideipur project  requires EIA      studies. Several farms have come up      on the  other side  of  the  saline      dyke which  must also  be  included      for evaluation in the EIA studies      -    Jagatjaore-Sanaspada   project      is  within   500  m  HTL.  Farmers,      Fishermen and  cattle  earlier  had      free access  to the  nearby  creek,      which has  been limited  to a great      extent due to the commercial shrimp      farming       activity.        Also      indiscriminate cutting  of mangrove      bushes  has   been  reported.  This      project   must,    therefore,    be      reviewed critically  keeping Bhitar      Kanika Wild Life Sanctuary in view      *    The commercial shrimp farms in      Chilka  Lagoon  must  be  abandoned      keeping  in   view  the  ecological      condition of  the lagoon  and  also      the  location   of  National   Bird      Sanctuary.      7.2  West Coast      *    MEF’s norms  for  location  of      aquaculture  farms  and  hatcheries      have been  violated at  many places      in  the  States  situated  on  west      coast of India           The   current    practice   of      installation of coastal aquaculture      farms within 500 m HTL violates the      fundamental right and livelihood of      people in the coastal States      *    The    States    of    Kerala,      Karnataka, Maharashtra  and Gujarat      have neither formulated nor adopted      any guidelines  in consonance  with      CRZ-notification,    Ministry    of      Environment &  Forests (MEF), Govt.      of India for scientific control and      management of  the shrimp  farms in      the respective States. These States      must    formulate     and     adopt      legislative   Acts    for    proper      management   and    regulation   of      existing  shrimp   farms   in   the      respective States      *    The State  Government  of  Goa      has enacted  a bill  dated November      17,  1994  in  order  to  regulate,      promote and manage the shrimp farms      in  this  State,  in  a  scientific      manner. However,  this bill is <??>

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    in   consonance    with   the   MEF      notification  dated   February  19,      1991 as  it allows the construction      of aquaculture  units within  500 m      of HTL  of the  sea.  The  <??>  is      limited    to     the    guidelines      pertaining  to   the  allotment  of      lands for the entrepreneurs      *    The cost of eco-restoration of      the coastal  fragile area  must  be      borne     by     the     individual      entrepreneur  of   the   commercial      aquaculture farms  in keeping  with      the polluter pays principle      *    No     commercial      coastal      aquaculture  activity   should   be      undertaken even  beyond 500  m  HTL      unless    a    comprehensive    and      scientific   environmental   impact      assessment  (EIA)  study  has  <??>      conducted by  the entrepreneur, and      the  environment   management  plan      (EMP) approved  by  the  respective      State  Department  of  Environments      Pollution  Control   Board,   Shore      Development Authority,  and also by      the  Ministry  of  Environment  and      Forests      *    Commercial  aquaculture  farms      are planned  to be  installed  near      the cultivated  lands  in  all  the      States of  west coast.  Salt  water      from the farms results in damage to      the productivity  of the  adjoining      lands      *     Groundwater     also     gets      contaminated  due   to  seepage  of      impunded water from the aquaculture      ponds      *    Desertification of  cultivable      land can result in increased saline      intrusion on west coast      Due   to   commercial   aquaculture      farms, there is a loss of      -    mangrove ecosystems      -    casurina plantations      -    grazing grounds for cattle      -    potable  water  to  contiguous      population      -    fish catch      -    fishing nets      -    agricultural produce      -    economic  loss   due  to  non-      approachability of fishermen to sea      shore directly      *    The designs of the aquaculture      farms are  inadequate. No provision      has  been   made   for   wastewater      treatment     facility     enabling      recycling and re-use of wastewater      *    Prohibition on  conversion  of      agricultural lands  and salt  farms      into commercial  aquaculture  farms      must  be  enforced  with  immediate      effect

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    *    Wild  seed   collection   from      creek and  sea must  be prohibited.      Seed   must    be   procured   from      hatcheries      *    An eco-restoration  fund  must      be  created   by   collecting   the      stipulated fees  from the owners of      aquaculture farms. In addition, one      percent of  total  export  earnings      per annum  must also  be  collected      from  commercial  aquaculture  farm      owners and used for rejuvenation of      coastal  eco-system   with  special      reference    to    plantation    of      mangroves and  common eco-sensitive      zones.  The   wastewater  treatment      system with  reuse and recycle must      be  installed  by  all  units.  The      smaller  units   can  form   a  co-      operative  and  treat  their  water      through common  effluent  treatment      plant. The  aquaculture units  must      be closed  down in  the  wastewater      treatment system is not functioning      to its design efficiency      *    Drainage   canals    must   be      constructed  around   the  existing      ponds to  collect seepage  from the      pond   which   will   prevent   the      intrusion of  saline water into the      adjoining  agricultural   fields  &      residential areas.  The design  and      construction   of    the   drainage      canal/bund   must   be   undertaken      scientifically   based    on    the      topographical features of the area.      This will avoid the flooding of the      area with  saline water,  and  will      help in  restoration or  hygienic &      sanitary conditions  in the  nearby      residential areas."      The two  NEERI reports  clearly indicate  that  due  to commercial  acqua-culture   farming  there  is  considerable degradation  of   the  Mangrove  eco-systems,  depretion  of Casurina plantations, pollution of potable waters, reduction in fish  catch, and  blockage of direct approach to the sea- shore. Agriculture  lands and salt farms are being converted into commercial acqua-culture farms. The ground water has go contaminated due  to seepage  of impounded  water  from  the acqua-culture   farms.   Highly   polluted   effluents   are discharged by  the shrimp-farms into the sea and on the sea- coast.      A report  titled "Expert  Committee Report on Impact of Shrimp Farms  Along The Coast of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry" has been  placed on the record, Justice M. Suresh, a retired judge of  the Bombay  High Court,  Mr. A. Sreenivasan, Joint Director  of   Fisheries  (retd.),   Dr.  A.G.K.  Menon,  an Ichthyologist,  Mr.  V.  Karuppan  I.A.S.  (retd.),  Dr.  M. Arunachalam, Lecturer,  Centre for  Environmental  Sciences, Manommaniam Sundaradar  University, Tamil  Nadu and  Dr.  K. Dakshinamoorthy, a  medical surgeon  constituted the "expert committee" (Suresh Committee). Although the investigation by the Suresh  Committee was done at the instance of "complaint against shrimp industries" but keeping in view the status of the committee  members and  the factual  data collected  and

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relied upon  by the  committee it would be useful to examine the same.  The Suresh  Committee visited various villages in Tamil Nadu  and Pondicherry  and gave  its findings based on the  evidence  collected  by  the  Committee.  Some  of  the findings of Suresh Committee are as under:-      "The farmers  of Perunthottam  told      us that  they have  sold nearly 140      acres of  their own  lands  to  the      Bask company  and 40  acres to  the      Bismi company.  Evidence  was  also      given to  us showing  in the  lands      purchased  by   Bask  Farms,  where      three  or   two  crops  were  being      cultivated. It  also revealed  that      the percentage of yield was as much      as <??>  Details regarding this are      found in  Annexure  15.  The  Bismi      company has  erected  a  pipe  line      till the  boundary of  the farm for      draining sea water. It is yet to be      connected to the sea.           The Bask  company is  situated      at a  distance of  150 m  from  the      scheduled  caste  households.  Bask      Aqua Farm  is situated within 500 m      from the  sea and  the distance  of      Bismi Aqua  farms is just 25 m from      the sea. During our visit, we found      Bask farms  engaged in construction      of  Prawn   farms  on  agricultural      lands  that   had  been   purchased      (Photo  No.   23  &  24)  .........      representative   of    Perunthottam      village  also   shared  before  the      Expert team that the yield obtained      from the  fields adjacent  to prawn      farms were  affected. Moreover  the      villagers have lost their access to      potable water  as the  water tables      have become  alkaline  due  to  the      seepage of sea water from the prawn      farms. Bask  farms have  been using      ground water  for nearly  two years      crop.   The    Managing    Director      confirmed this  before  the  Expert      team."      The Committee  visted  Pichavaram  Vedaranyam  on  July 13th/15th, 1995 and observed as under:-      "It was  observed that the palmyrah      trees in  this area  which  is  the      most  drought  resistant  tree  has      dried  after  the  onset  of  prawn      farms in this area. Majority of the      coconut trees have dried up and few      remaining  have   stopped  yielding      fruits.           The unanimous  opinion of  the      people is that most of the mangrove      species are  on the  decline. These      mangroves serve as a source of <??>      wood for domestic purposes, grazing      ground for  animals, water  way for      locals   and    tourists   and   an      important  habitat   for  fisheries      increasingly  polluted  because  of

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    the  effluent   discharged  by  the      shrimp farms.  They also brought to      our notice the greater value of the      mangrove  as  a  stabliser  of  the      coast  and  how,  because  of  this      being disturbed  by the destruction      of  the   palmyrah,   coconut   and      casuarins grooves,  coastal erosion      has become common."      Regarding visit  to Pudhupetti, the Committee stated as under:-      "We  visited  Pudhupettai  on  14th      July in  order to  get a first hand      knowledge  about   the  impact   of      Farisa Aqua  Farm details  of which      was  narrated  by  the  Pudhupettai      representative to  the expert  team      on 13th  July at  Nagai. We saw the      pucca  construction   of  the  <??>      farm’s Jetti into the sea to enable      the pumping  of the sea water. This      clearly is  acting as  a  hindrance      for  the   free  mobility   of  the      finishing   community   and   their      access       to       sea       and      land................All these three      farms are situated within 25 m from      the sea.  Further these  farms  are      closely situated  to  the  dwelling      houses also. Coastal Enterprises is      situated at a distance of 20 m, the      Farisha Aqua  farm at a distance of      250 m and Blue Base Aqua farm at 20      m    from    the    dwellings    of      perumalpettai  the   next   fishing      village from  Pudupettain. There is      a fourth enterprise namely Abhirami      Aqua farms  which  owns  about  150      acres of wet land has not commenced      work  as  yet...........Pipes  have      been  laid  to  discharge  effluent      either to the sea, or adjoining dry      lands belonging  to the  village or      to  the   water  channel   used  by      villages for  bathing. Effluent  is      also being  discharged close to the      dwelling  houses.   In  particular,      "effluent is  being collected right      in  front   of   my   house"   said      Kalvikarasi    a     resident    of      Pudupettai  village   who  made   a      representation to  the Expert  team      on  July   13th.  She   said   that      "Drinking water  in the  village is      now         turning         salty".      ................the  advantages  of      shore  seine  net  fishing  is  the      abundant catch  of  "Anchovy"  fish      which   has   commercially   viable      market.   The    construction    of      permanent  jetties  has  eliminated      the ‘shore seine net fishing. Shore      seine     net     fishing     needs      uninterrupted coastline  and it has      become    an    impossibility    in

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    Pudupettai. About  10  shore  seine      nets are  idle in  the village. The      construction of  pipe to  discharge      effluent is  a  permanent  one.  By      construction   of   the   permanent      jetties, the  natural sand  dues in      the village  were destroyed.  These      sand dunes  are a  natural  cyclone      barriers. Hence a threat of cyclone      barriers. Hence a threat of cyclone      is  imminent  since  these  natural      cyclone barriers are destroyed.           The construction  of pipelines      ending in  the sea  for pumping  in      sea water  has  damaged  nearly  10      nets worth  Rs.60,000/-. Details of      nets damaged  is given  in Annexure      19. The  Coastal  Enterprises  Ltd.      has encroached the burial ground of      Pudupettai and Blue Base Aqua Farms      has encroached the burial ground of      Perumalpettai.      The Committee  visited the  Pullicat take  area on July 18, 1995. The findings of the Committee are as under:-      "Ecologically the Tamilnadu part of      the Pulicat lake is important since      it has the only opening of the lake      into the  sea thus  functioning  as      the  migratory   route   of   these      spawning animals  like prawns, fish      and mud  crabs. The  mud  rlats  of      Pulicat lake  harbours a  number of      winter migratory birds. e were told      that the  water fowl  sanctuary  at      Pulicat is  slowly being destroyed,      .........We  observed   that  Prawn      farms are  located all  around  the      wetland. In  the northern region of      the lake  prawn farms  are situated      even in  the  lake-bed.  Maheshwari      Export India  Ltd is constructing a      Prawn Farm across the Pulicant lake      bed  clearly   violative   of   the      Tamilnadu Aqua  Culture  Regulation      Act. We  also noticed  water  being      pumped out  from the  lake into the      Prawn farms.           According to Dr. Sanjeeva Raj,      Pulicat   lake    has   two    bird      sanctuaries namely  Yedurapattu and      Nelapattu.  It  is  estimated  that      nearly 10-15 thousand of flamingoes      and  other  rare  birds  visit  the      Pulicat lake  for four  months only      for feeding  all the  way from Rann      of Kutch.  Other water  birds  like      pelicans,  Cormorants,  Egrets  and      Herons breed  at Nelapattu and feed      at   this    Pulicat    Take.    At      Yedurapattu,    Painted     Storks,      Pelicans, and  Open Bills also feed      here. In 1993 it was estimated that      there   was    10000    to    15000      Flemingoes. By  1994 this  has been      reduced  to  less  than  1000.  The

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    reason for  this can  be attributed      to the  effluent from  prawn  farms      which kills  the organisms on which      the Flamingoes  feed. The depletion      of natural  feed could  have caused      this    reduction.    ..........The      Tamilnadu  forest   Department   is      establishing a  third sanctuary  in      the southern  tip of  Pulicat lake.      We were  told that due to the noise      of  oil   engines,  bulldozers  and      other  disturbances  by  the  prawn      farms many birds especially painted      storks have deserted this lake           Dr. Sanjeeva  Raj also  states      that Pulicat  is ecologically  very      sensitive  and  fragile.  The  east      coast is  vulnerable  to  cyclones,      With the  hundreds of  prawn  farms      along  the  coast  excavating  sand      along   the    coast   line   every      possibility  existed  for  inviting      the sea  to enter  and destroy  the      water table.  Further, prawn  farms      destroys sand dunes and vegetations      and in  times of  tidal  waves  sea      water could enter in a big way.           Further, Dr. Sanjeeva Raj said      that Pulicat lake is fairly shallow      with an  average depth of about 1.5      m. It can be described as a saucer.      The pumping  of water  by aquafarms      up of  the lake.  Added to this the      road, from  Sulurpet that  has been      constructed   for    reaching   the      Shriharikotta rocket launching site      through  the  lake  has  obstructed      free flow of water. It is generally      claimed by  the prawn  farm  owners      that the  land on  the eastern <??>      of the  road is  not  the  part  of      Pulicat lake  and hence prawn farms      can be  constructed. This  is false      as all  this land  area is  part of      the Pulicat  lake. The  tragedy  is      that if  prawn farms are erected on      the higher  side of  the lake,  the      effluent from  the prawn farms will      flow back  into  the  lake  causing      serious  damage   to   marine   and      estuarine biota..........Pasiapuram      Rajiv  Gandhi  Nagar  has  a  dalit      hamlet Edamani.  This hamlet  had a      water tank  which provided water to      the nearby  35 villages. The source      of  water  was  the  villages.  The      source of  water  was  the  village      ground water. But due to the impact      of the  adjoining  farm  the  water      became saline  making it unsuitable      for consumption.           An eminent danger by the prawn      companies is  to the village called      Jamila Badh.  This village  has 150      muslim families (fisher). They were

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    originally living  in the  land  on      which   the   Shriharikotta   Space      Research Station  is  built.  These      families  were   relocated  by  the      Government   promising   jobs   and      providing free  housing  site  near      the Pulicat  lake. The  built their      own huts  at the  cost  of  Rs.5000      each. These huts today face serious      flood threat since on both sides of      the village  two prawn  enterprises      have obstructed  the  Ponneri  lake      water to  flow in  to the sea. This      obstruction due to the construction      of Prawn  farms floods the village.      From  1991  till  date  every  year      water reaches  the boundary  of the      village and  before it  could enter      inside nearly  2000 village  people      manudily divert  the water  to  the      sea. Though the village people have      made representation  and  protested      to  the   owners,  they  use  their      economic  and  Political  Power  to      scare the  fishing People  and make      them live  in a  permanent state of      fear, People also told us that they      areaffected  by  itching,  scabies,      and lever which could be due to the      dischargeof effluent."      The Committes’ observations regurding Karaikal district Pondicherry are as under:      "As  quoted   by   the   Pondichery      Science Forum, :Karaikal region has      only 20  Kms  of  coastal  stretch.      This   coastal    stretch   is   of      environmental significance  as  the      area and  its environs  have creeks      and  lagoons  beaches  with  dunes,      coasted  Platns,   natural  reeves,      Flood plain  and is  also the  tail      end of  the  Cauvery  river  basin,      Karaikal  is   considered  as   the      granary of Pondicherry and has main      irrigation   canals    like    NIni      Kattalai   Pidari    Kattalal   and      Arasapuram:.           The ground  water reserves  of      Karaikal is  Frightfully meagre but      for the only sweet water aquifer at      about 10  to 20 ft deep there is no      other Potable  aquifer. This  water      source    cannot    be    expionted      continuously since it takes time to      recharge and  Poses danger  of  sed      water intrusion.  Only manual  hand      Pumps are  being used  to tap  this      water at Present.           It is in this context Karaikal      is Posed with the serious danger of      loosing this sweet water aquiter as      most of  the small  Prawn farms are      in the  process of  deriving  water      during  the  high  tides  from  the      rivers       like.       Mullaiyar,

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    Thirumalairayananar.       Arasalar      Nandalar and  Pravidayanar and also      use   ground   water   for   Shrimp      culture. This continuous withdrawal      of fresh  water will  alter surface      water resources.  So, there  is  no      Possibility  for   the   recharging      mechanisms as  the wet  lands  near      these river basnis are converted to      aquafarms and  these wet lands have      lost their  function  of  absorbing      rain  water   and  recharging   the      aquifer zones."      The conclusions  reached by  the Suresh Committee under various headings  indicating the  impact of  shrimp  culture farming on environment are reproduced hereunder;      "(a) Effluent Pollution           As Shrimp  Culture using  high      protein feeds is a highly polluting      activity. Presently  78,000  tonnes      feed is  used in  India  in  Shrimp      Culture. This is bio-degradable, if      properly treated.  It leaves behind      responded solids  (organic) and the      decomposition liberates inorganic N      and P.77.5%  of N and 86% of P from      the feed  are worked  and enter the      pond   environment.    1   ton   or      P.monodon production  results in  a      pollution load  of 56.3-48.1  Kg  N      and 13.0-24.4 Kg P. (Phillips et at      1993. ICLARM.  Conf.  Proc  31  1/1      198).           Excess amounts  of P and N are      detrimental  to  environment  (<??>      1994  SACMONID  XVII  (4);  10-14).      These      lead      to      "hyper      eutrophication"    resulting     in      massive  algal  blooms  and  oxygen      depletion  which   are  harmful  to      aquatic like.  These blooms such as      "Red tide"  cause  fish  mortality.      The   effluent    quality    during      harvesting  the   shrimp  <??>  is:      total nitrogen 1900-2600 ppm, total      0 48-110  PPM  and  organic  carbon      7.3-13.7 ppm. The impact of this is      the    reduced     oxygen,    hyper      nitrification,    alteration     of      community structure, sedinextation,      changes  in   besithic  communities      etc. (Phillips et al 1993).           Further    "Self    pollution"      results  from  feed  wasted,  which      becomes unmanageable  (lmre  Csavas      1994.  Shrimp  News  International,      March-April 1994).  Organic wastes,      solid matter, dissolved metabolites      like  ammonia,  Carbon-dioxide  are      produced.    Decomposing    organic      matter depletes  oxygen from water.      Admittedly being  biodegradable the      effluents  consume  oxygen  and  so      denude the  water  of  its  oxygen.      When there  is oxygen deficit, fish

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    avoid such  low  oxygen  zones  and      move   further   away   to   oxygen      saturated zones  and when  there is      oxygen depletion fish die en-masse.      Fishing village  near  whose  coast      shrimp ponds  have come  up -  fish      have   become    scarce   and   the      artisanal  fishermen   have  to  go      further away  from shore  to  catch      fish. Population  of fish and their      diversity                 decrease.      ............With  regard   to  farm      effluents   being    treated    and      discharged into  the sea  and other      water bodies.  We did  not  see  or      hear  about   any  such  scientific      process   of   effluent   treatment      having been  set up by prawn farms.      In m/s Bask farms we were shown two      partially dry  sedimentation tanks.      We saw untreated effluents from m/s      Amaigam    shrimp     farm    being      discharged <??> the beach (not even      into the sea causing degradation of      the <??>  shore  with  dark  brown,      four smelling organic matter, which      is  a   <??>  hazard.   The   Joint      Director, MPLDA  itself has  stated      that "most  of the  farms have  not      set up effluent treatment systems.      (b)  Slinisation           The dominant species of Shrimp      cultured  is  Penaeus  monodon  the      tiger  prawn  and  next  comes  the      white prawn,  P. indicus.  Both are      marine prawns. P.monodon grows best      at salinities  of 10-20  p.pt (20%)      but  tolerate  slightly  higher  or      lower   salinities.    P.   indicus      requires higher salinity 20-30 ppt.      Thus seawater is the primary medium      of growth. Seawater or salinity 55-      36 ppt is taken into the ponds. The      growing period  ranges from 120-150      days.  Sea  water  is  periodically      replaced. Sea water is periodically      replaced. Sea  water  remaining  in      the pond  for a  long period  seeps      into   neighbouring   areas   where      agriculture   is    practiced   and      salinizes the soils which therefore      lose their  productivity for  crops      and become  unfit for  agriculture.      Even  assuring   that  the   500  m      zonation is  enforced it  will  not      solve the  problem  of  salination.      Agriculture lands, inwards (towards      inland) of shrimp ponds will become      saline and  the chain reaction will      continue. ............  Many shrimp      industries  assert  that  they  are      taking only  sea water  for  shrimp      culture  and   do  not  use  ground      water. Sea  water  has  a  salinity      around 35 ppt. It is mostly Penaeus

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    monodon the    tiger  shrimp.  This      needs a  salinity in  the range  of      15-20 ppt  for optimum  growth.  30      the    shrimp     producer     have      necessarily to  dilute it  to bring      down the  salinity by  adding fresh      water. Let  along ground  water, we      have even  seen river  water  being      pumped  near   Poompuhar  into   to      shrimp    ponds.     ..............      Salinization is  not only  possible      but has  actually happened all over      the world.  The Bhagwathi Institute      of  Environment   and  Development,      analysed numerous  samples of water      adjacent to shrimp farms in Sirkali      Taluk, TN,  and found  that in most      of  them   Chlorides  exceeded  the      permitted limits  even by  over 100      times for eg.15265 mg/1 in drinking      water source near Suryakumar Shrimp      co.   Mahendrapalle.    In    Kurru      village, Nellore District, drinking      water  became   saline  after  four      shrimp farms  were established  and      500 people  of this  village had no      drinking water (Vandana Shiva 1994,      "Social and Environmental impact or      Aquaculture).   Dr.    Alagarswami,      Director      CIBA       identifies      salinization  of   drinking  water,      wells,  dwelling   units  adjoining      agriculture lands  and aquifers  as      critical issues  in shrimp culture.      (National Workshop  on Transfer  of      Technology for  sustainable  shrimp      Farming, Ms. Swaminathan Foundation      Madras, January  9-10, 1995) Dr. V.      Gopalakrishnan, former  FAO  export      says "salt  water  seepage  problem      appears to be genuine and such area      should be  avoided for establishing      new   shrimp    farms"   (Fish    &      Fisheries, Newsletter  No 4 January      1995). Dr.  Sanjeevaraj noted  that      in Political  lake, saltwater  from      Prawn ponds was known to be seeping      into    drinking    water    tables      (COPDANET NEWSLETTER  winter 1994).      ...........  We   have  noted   the      salinization of  drinking water  in      Pudukuppam,     Naicker     Kuppam,      Poompuhar,  Perunthottam,  Pudupet,      etc  in  Sirkali  Taluk  caused  by      large shrimp  units and  also in  a      very      acute      manner      in      Pattinamarudur,   iluticorin,   VOC      district   which   is   sandwitched      between two  large farms  viz.  DTC      and MAC Aqua farms Ltd.      (c)  Feed and wastes           In a  moderate 3 t/ha yield of      shrimp, 4-6  t/ha feed  is  applied      while for  a yield  of 5t/ha  it is      15t/ha.    The     magnitude     of

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    putreseible  organic   matter  from      these wastes  is  enormous.  Hence,      the practice  of  discharging  such      effluents into  common water bodies      needs to  be  strongly  discouraged      because of  the strongly  polluting      effect (Mackintosh.  D.J. INFOFISH.      International  6/92.  38/41).  Feed      wastes are  more toxic  than sewage      and this is a sufficient ground for      banning industrial  Shrimp Culture.      ..............The Team  found  that      Amalgam   marine    Harvests,   was      blatantly discharging the effluents      into  the  foreshore  narrow  sandy      breach  at   Pudukuppam.  This  has      spoiled the aesthetic appearance of      the beach.  The area  is dark brown      in colour  and foul  smelling. This      will  pose   a  serious  hazard  to      Public  Health.   The  wastes  also      enter "Uppanar"  stream hardly  5 m      away from  discharge point. This is      illegal and  affects the  health of      villages. Settleable solids silt up      the   ponds    and   canals.   Over      accumulation of  detritus leads  to      profusion    of    protozoa,    and      ciliates, which  cover the  body of      Pisa, Respiratory diseases, loss of      appetite, black gill disease, shell      disease,  foul  smell  of  internal      parts, tail  rot etc  are caused on      such unhealthy pond conditions. The      quality  of   effluents  discharged      into the  environment are  so  poor      that biological methods will not be      sufficient to  treat them.  Most of      the  environmental   troubles   are      caused by  the  industrial  shrimp.      The coastal zone used for culturing      aquatic organisms  is only a narrow      strip on  the continental shell and      on the  low lying  flatlands. Hence      the  very  fragile  nature  of  the      coatal   ecosystem    is    getting      destroyed.      (d)  Fertilizers and therapeutants           Large quantities  of feeds are      being    used     and    fertilizer      applications are generally minimal.      Lime   is    regularly   used   but      continued use  of lime impoverished      the soil. It also hardens the soil.           However,  it  is  the  use  of      therapeutants   that    is   highly      destructive of  the environment.  A      very incisive account of the use of      drugs in  aquaculture is  available      from P. de. Kinklein and C. Michael      (INFOFISL International 4/92; 45-46      1992) and  an exhaustive  report is      provided  by   Fred  P.  Meyer,  an      authority on  the subject.  (Review      in Aquaculture  sciences Ve  1 (4):

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    693-710 1989).  However the  use of      drugs  has   only  aggravated   the      damage   to   environment.   Sulpha      drugs,  Tetracyclines,  Quinolones,      Nitrofurans,  macrolids  (for  <??>      erythromycin). Chloramphenicol, and      dozens of similar drugs are in use.      Organophosphorus   compounds   like      Dichlorvas are also used. Formalin,      malachite  green  copper  sulphate,      quaternary   ammonium    compounds,      Iodophores, chloramine -I etc., are      used as sanitizers.           Viruses cannot  be treated  by      any of  the drugs. Renibacterium sp      is   also   resistant   to   drugs.      Chemotherapy leads  to  transit  of      drugs and  their long  persistence.      Rebase   of    drugs    or    their      metabolites  into  the  environment      affects the  non-target  organisms.      Uses of steroids (Di-dehyl in ponds      has carcinogenic  effect on humans.      Use    of    chloramphenicol    has      unpredictable   risks   for   human      beings.  Effluent   treatment   and      self-recovery are  hampered by  the      drugs  by  suppressing  saprophytic      bacteria involved  in  purification      processes.  Softs  accumulate  drug      residues.      (e)   Loss    of   Mangroves    and      Biodiversity           We observed  that  removal  or      destruction  of   these   important      mangrove habitats  for establishing      shrimp    farms     is     becoming      increasingly common along the coast      of Tamilnadu.  From the Photographs      (No. 40-45  showing the destruction      of  mangroves-bunds   are   already      built), it  is evident  that  there      are several  shrimp  farms  on  the      banks   of   Pitchavaram   Mangrove      forests a valuable Habitat. For the      farms,  water   intake   from   the      habitat  will   lead   to   virtual      dryness of the habitat and the loss      of biodiversity  in  this  valuable      reaim.  It   is  evident  that  the      consequences  are   felt   by   the      existing   farms    (Palmyarh   and      coconut trees  in nearby  farms are      withering - Photograph No.46 & 47).      The destruction  of  the  mangroves      (Photo No.  40-42) for  shrimp farm      will be  a major cause for the loss      of  habitat   diversity  along  the      coastline  of   Tamilnadu.  We  are      going to  lose a valuable gene pool      and thus  conservation of mangroves      genetic    resources    from    the      activities of  shrimp industry is a      matter of primary urgency.      (f)  Loss   of    Biodiversity   in

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    Cauvery flood plain and delta           The  stagnation  of  water  in      this lower  reaches is  due to  the      illegal damming  at several  places      along   the    course    and    the      obstruction of  feeder  canals  and      distributors  to  the  main  river.      Once considered  a best estuary and      the  delta   of  cauvery   are  now      vanished (Photo  No.48 showing  the      ill fated  Cauvery).  Also  in  the      lower reaches  in  Nagai  district,      Tamilnadu,    low    land    drains      regulator has  been used  for their      effluent  release   (Photo   No.49)      showing the  block and  the  P.W.D.      feeder canals are either blocked by      the  farm   owners  or   using   as      drainage for  effluent  release  by      Amalgam  Marine   Harvests  Ltd  at      Pudhukkuppam (Photo No.50) from the      farms. These canals and drains once      used as  a freshwater  resource for      bathing  and   rechargers  for  the      wells  for   the  fisher   folk  in      several villages  now become saline      because of  the cessation  of  flow      (example :  Pudukuppam  village  of      Sirkali faluk  district; Pudupettal      village    Tharangampadi     faluk.      ............Seed   collection    of      Peneaus monodon  (tiger  prawn)  by      children is  a regular  practice in      these  canals   now.  During  their      collection of  seeds  the  children      picked only  the tiger  prawn seeds      and threw away all other shrimp and      fish  seeds,   thus  depleting  the      estuarine   and   coastal   fishery      resources. One child get paise 0.10      for the  tiger prawn  seed and  one      earns  about   Rupees  one  hundred      (Rs.100 per  day and 40-50 children      are engaged  in  seed  collection).      This  involves   child  labour  and      depletion of  fishery resources and      the loss of biodiversity in coastal      and  beltaic  regions  of  Cauvery.      Nursery grounds  for shell  and fin      fishes are  lost  in  this  ancient      river delta.      (g)  Threatened     Wetlands     of      National     and      International      Importance           The    marshy     swamps    of      Vedaranyam are  now  as  threatened      habitats  with   the  formation  of      shrimp  culture   all   along   the      brackish water  zones  and  in  the      marshy  swamps  ............Another      wet land  of  national  importance,      which  is   being   threatened   is      Pulicat lake.  Report A  (1992)  by      the  Ministry  of  Environment  and      forests,   Government    of   India

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    clearly  stressed   the   need   of      conserving   these    wetlands   of      national  importance.  ..........In      the  Government   of  India  Report      Pulicat Lake has been identified as      an important  lagoon  (p.8  of  the      Report). This fragile ecosystem has      been  under  great  threat  by  the      industrial shrimp  farming. In  the      main    brackish     water    area,      construction of  bunds is  going on      (Photo  No.55   to  66).  From  the      photographs it  is evident that the      marshy  lands   with  its   typical      marshy vegetation  is the only area      left  and  almost  all  the  marshy      areas are being lost because of the      upcoming  shrimp   culture   ponds.      These areas  of  marshy  vegetation      act as spawning/nursery grounds for      a   variety   of   estuarine/marine      invertebrates,  and  fishes.  These      areas   also    provide    wildlife      habitats to several migrant birds.      (h)  Impact on agriculture           Dr. Alagarswami, Director CIBA      identifies          "indiscriminate      conversion  of  agricultural  lands      into shrimp  culture" as a critical      issue.  Most   shrimp  farmers   in      coastal   areas    have   converted      agricultural  lands   is  the  fact      ponds. More  relevant is  the  fact      that   shrimp    industry    causes      salinisation   of    crop    lands,      Seawater (Salinity  around  35  ppt      i.e.35%) is  pumped into the shrimp      ponds. The  growing period  is from      120-150 days.  This long  detention      of saline water in the shrimp ponds      seeps into  the adjacent crop lands      and  salinizes  them  resulting  in      reduction or  productivity of  even      barrenness.        Then        this      "Unproductive" land (so declared by      the shrimp industries) is converted      into shrimp ponds           We    are    concerned    that      conversion  of   paddy  fields   to      shrimp ponds  is already  adversely      affecting local rice production. In      all the  places we  visited in  NUM      district     pattinamarudur      of      luticorin, Pulicat  of Chengai  MGR      districts Etc;  most of  the shrimp      ponds are  constructed  on  fertile      agricultural land  or  on  marginal      lands  where  on  crop  is  raised.      Owing to  the  recent  shortage  of      Cauvery water (dispute between T.N.      and Karnataka)  the yield  of crops      has been affected. Taking advantage      of  this,  Shrimp  industries  have      been buying  up  agricultural  land      through inducement,, persuasion and

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    high    pressure     on     revenue      authorities. Salinization  of  soil      and  water   adjoining  the  shrimp      farms is  very well  documented for      Perunthottam village.  As  per  the      cultivation   record    for    land      purchased by <??> Bask farms we see      clearly  that  the  ands  purchased      were  fertile   agricultural  lands      with an average of two crops having      a 60% harvest yield.      (i)  Denial of potable water           "Nagai,  Q.M.   districts   of      Tamilnadu, the erstwhile granary of      South"  is  today  threatened  with      pollution, ecological imbalance and      land  alienation   because  of  the      arrival of  large number of private      companies     and     translational      corporations   that    have    been      investing heavily  in shrimp  farms      etc"  (Mukul   Sharma:   Interpress      service November 11 1994). Drinking      water in  the  vicinity  of  shrimp      farms has  become saline,  wherever      such farms  were  operated.  Shrimp      culture   may   increase   salinity      through facilitating  the  flow  of      saline water  inland and  discharge      of saline  effluent (Phillips, Kwel      lin  and   Beveridge  1993.)  Water      samples from 7 villages in Sirkazhi      near the shrimp farms were analysed      by      Bhagwathi       Environment      Development Institute  at Dindigul.      It was  found that  the water  from      bore  wells  and  hand  pumps  were      unpotable   (see    Annexure)   The      villages       affected        were      Mahendrapatti,         Neithavasal,      Pudukuppam, Eranyimedu,  Keelaiyun,      Thirunagari, nirajimedu  etc.  This      was also confirmed by the Bharatiya      Mazdoor  Sangh  in  Kurru  village.      Nellore Dt where all the freshwater      wells became  saline and  unpotable      after   4    shrimp   farms    were      established. The  proof of this was      the fast that the District      Collector,  Nellore   ordered   the      supply of  drinking  water  through      tankers, to these villagers. Dr. P.      Sanjeev Raj  (COPDANET NEWS  LETTER      winter 1994)  also found  that salt      water from  shrimp pond seeped into      drinking water sources. Dr. Vandana      Shiva, after visiting some villages      recorded that "shortage of drinking      water  and   deterioration  of  its      quality  have   resulted   in   the      neighbourhood of shrimp farms".           Protection  of   ground  water      sources   may    be    viewed    as      nontradeable   capital,   as   once      contaminated,   they    may   prove

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    impossible  to  rehabilitate  (mark      Eyvarard 1994).           As per the study done by BEDI,      Water sample  from a drinking water      well in  Naikarkuppam had  a IDS of      2164 mg/1 and a chloride content of      99 mg/1  in addition  to  excessive      quantities of  MG and  Ca.  Samples      collected  from  a  drinking  water      hand pump  near Shriram Shrimp farm      now   Amalgam    farms    had    an      exceedingly high TDS of 357/8 mg/1,      hardness of  7506 mg/I  which is as      bad as  seawater. Unacceptably high      Ca, Mg  and sulphate were recorded.      Another hand  pump  near  the  same      farm had  a TDS  of 1466  mg/ and a      chloride content  of 656  ppm which      are unpotable.           Drinking water from a handpump      near the  shrimp  farm  of  Coastal      Enterprises Ltd  had a TDS of 7694,      chloride of  3879, hardness or 24/0      mq/I and so was unpotable."      The  three   reports  discussed  above  give  a  rather depressing  scenario   of  the  shrim  industry.  While  the production increases and export earnings of the industry are well publicised, the socio-economic losses and environmental degradation affecting  the well-being  of coastal population are hardly  noticed. The  traditional production systems are being replaced  by  more  intensive  ones.  This  have  been ecouraged by  increasing demand  from high income countries. Shrimp yield  per hectare  in many  areas increased within a few years  from an  average 100  kg/ha  per  harvest  to  an average of  1000 kg/ha/crop  for semi-intensive shrimp farms and to  between 2000 and 10000 kg/ha/crop for intensive type of production.  The social  and environmental  costs of  the expanding  shrimp   industry  are   closely   inter-related. Pollution and  other types  of natural  resource degradation induced  by   shrimp   farming   have   been   considerably, highlighted in  the NEERI  reports and other material quoted and  discussed  by  us.  Social  and  environmental  changes resulting from  expanding shrimp  industry in  coastal areas are largely  due to  the conversion into shrimp farms of the lands, waters  and forests  which were  earlier dedicated to other uses.  In fact,  shrimp farms  are developing  at  the expense of  other agriculture, acquaculture, forest uses and fisheries that  are better suited in many places for meeting local food  and employment requirements. Intensive and semi- intensive types  of shrimp  production hardly  seem to  meet these requirements.      Mangrove forests  constitute an  important component of coastal eco-systems.  They thrive  in tidle  estuaries, salt marshes and  muddy coast  lines. Conversion  of mangrove  to shrimp farms significantly reduces the natural production of wild capture  shrimp as  well as other fisheries. More over, their production  role  for  low-lying  coastal  regions  is rapidly dimnishing by their replacement by shrimp ponds. The Sunder Bans,  which constitute  one of  the biggest mangrove areas in  the world,  covered in the early 1990s about 12000 sq. kms. in India and Bangladesh. In the West Bengal part of Sunder Bans  large mangrove  areas have been replaced by the shrimp ponds.      The increasing  need for  land by  shrimp enterpreneurs has meant  a dramatic  rise in  land prices  in many  areas.

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After the  installation of  shrimp farms near village lands, prices rise  estronomically. Local  farmers  can  no  longer afford to  purchase land, while indebted farmers are tempted to sell  their holdings.  Much of  the coastal land recently converted into  shrimp farms  was previously  used for  food crops and traditional fishing.      The  United   Nations  Research  Institute  for  Social Development in  colloboration with  the World  Wide Fund for Nature International  has conducted  a study and published a report dated  June 19,  1995  called  "Some  Ecological  and Social Implications  of Commercial  Shrimp Farming in Asia". The report is prepared by Solon Barraclong and Andrea Finger - Stich (the UN Report).      The UN  Report gives  the following  picture  regarding polluted waters and depleted fisheries:-      "Polluted   waters   and   depleted      fisheries: Shrimp  farms  use  both      sea and  fresh water  to  replenish      their ponds.  This brings them into      competition  with  other  users  of      these  water  resources.  In  areas      where commercial  shrimp ponds have      been    constructed     there    is      frequently insufficient fresh water      left to  met  customary  needs  for      irrigation, drinking,  washing,  or      other   household   and   livestock      related uses,  and  water  supplies      may  be   contaminated,  or   both.      Groundwater salinization  has  been      reported in  several  places.  This      often means  that people  - most of      the time  women  -  have  to  bring      water from more distant wells. In a      village in Tamil Nadu (Nagar-Quaid-      e-Millet     district,     Pompuhar      region), for example, women have to      walk two  to  three  kilometres  to      fetch    drinking     water    that      previously  was   available  nearby      before  the   expansion  of  shrimp      farms  on   about  10,000  hectares      (Bhagat, 1994).  In Andhra Pradesh,      a case  study conducted  by Vandana      Shiva reports  that, in the Nellore      district,  there  was  no  drinking      water   available   for   the   600      fisherfolk of  the village of Kurru      due to aquaculture farms salinizing      groundwater. She  adds that  "after      protest  from   the  local   women,      drinking  water   was  supplied  in      tankers"                    (Mukul,      1994).........Local    stocks    of      native  fish  and  crustaceans  are      being  depleted   in  many   places      because of the removal of mangroves      which served  as  nurserybeds,  and      also as  a result of indiscriminate      overfishing  of   wild  shrimp  fry      (over  90   per  cent  of  randomly      caught fry are often wasted [Gujja,      1994]). Natural  fisheries are also      frequently  damaged   by  pollution      caused by  overloads of  nutrients,

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    sediments and chemicals from shrimp      farms. In  another  Indian  coastal      village,          Ramachandrapuram,      fishermen reported  that the  value      of their  average catch  of  shrimp      used to  be Rs.50,000 per catamaran      per month,  but after  one year  of      operation of nearby aquafarms their      catch was ten times smaller (Mukul,      1994). In  the Chokoria part of the      Sundarbans’     of      Bangladesh,      fishermen report  an  80  per  cent      drop  in  fish  capture  since  the      destruction of  the  mangroves  and      building  of   dikes   for   shrimp      farming (Sultna, 1994). Frequently,      fisherfolk  protest  because  their      traditional access to the coast has      been restricted  or because  stocks      of wild  crustaceans and  fish have      disappeared.      All the reports referred to by us clearly indicate that the expansion  of modern  shrimp ponds  in the coastal areas has meant that local fishermen could only reach the beach by trespassing at  great risk  on shrimp  farms or  by taking a long detour. Local people have not only lost access to their fishing grounds  and to  their sources  of riverine seafoods and seaweeds,  but they  also have  to relinquish social and recreational activities  traditionally taking place on their beaches. The UN Report gives the following picture regarding natural resource degradation as a result of shrimp farming:-      "In  areas   densely  covered  with      intensive  shrimp  farms,  however,      the  industry  is  responsible  for      considerable   self-pollution   and      particularly  for   bacteriological      and   viral   contamination.   Each      hectare of  pond produces  tons  of      undigested feed  and fasecal wastes      for every  crop cycle. This induces      the   growth    of   phytoplankton,      protoza,   fungus,   bacteria   and      viruses  (like   the  Vibrio  group      growing in  shrimp  faeces  and  in      large part responsible for the 1988      collapse of  Tasiwan’s  production)      (Lin,   1989).   The   overuse   of      fertilizers and  of veterinary  and      sanitary    products     such    as      antibiotics  adds   to  the   water      pollution    problem.    It    also      contributes   to   the   decreasing      resistance  of  the  shrimp  stock.      Where intensive  shrimp  farms  are      densely spaced,  waste laden  water      tends to  slosh from  one  pond  to      another  before   it   is   finally      discharged  into  the  sea.  Shrimp      producers are  extremely  concerned      about  assured  supplies  of  clean      water as  it  is  vital  for  their      immediate economic returns.           Large amounts of sedimentation      in intensive shrimp ponds is posing      serious   disposal   problems   for

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    shrimp farmers.  From  100  to  500      tons of  sediment per  hectare  per      year are  apparently  accumulating.      Since only  some 10 tons of feed is      used to  produce about  5  tons  of      shrimp per  hectare per  year, this      raises questions  about where  such      incredible quantities  of  sediment      come from  (Rosenberry,  1994a;42).      Ponds are  cleaned after  each crop      cycle and  the sediments  are often      discarded  in  water  ways  leading      into the sea, or they are sometimes      used   to    build   dikes.   Their      putrefaction inside and outside the      ponds    causes     foul    odours,      hypernutrification              and      eutrophisation,    siltation    and      turbidity  of   water  courses  and      estuaries,     with     detrimental      implications  on  local  fauna  and      flora.    .............Biodiversity      losses:  The   impacts   of   semi-      intensive  and   intensive   shrimp      aquaculture on  biodiversity  ("the      totality  of   genes,  species  and      ecosystems  in   a   region")   are      multiple. This  is because  of  the      land area  they  cover;  the  water      they pollute; the water circulation      systems they  alter; the  wild fish      and   crustacean    habitats   they      replace; the  risks  they  pose  of      disease transfer;  the  impacts  of      released  raised   shrimp  on   the      genetic diversity  and resilence of      indigenous shrimp and possibly also      their  negative  impacts  on  other      native     fauna     and     flora.      ..........Health  hazards:   Health      hazards to local populations living      near or  working  in  shrimp  farms      have  been   observed  in   several      places. For instance, in Tamil Nadu      (Quaid-e-Milleth   district    near      Pondicherry) an approximately 1,500      acre large  shrimp  farm  has  been      reported  to   have  caused   eight      deaths  from   previously   unknown      diseases within  a  period  of  two      months following  the  installation      of the aquaculture farm (Naganathan      et  al.,   1995:60/).   There   are      numerous hazards  to public  health      along the  shrimp production  chain      from  the   farmers   through   the      various  processors  to  the  often      distant  consumers.   The   workers      employed  on  shrimp  farms  handle      several    potentially    dangerous      chemicals, and  may be  exposed  to      unsanitary working conditions."      According to  the UN  Report -  intensive ponds  have a maximum life  of only  5 to 10 years. Abandoned ponds can no longer  be   used  for   shrimp  and  there  are  few  known

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alternative  uses  for  them  except  some  other  types  of acquaculture. Apparently  they can  seldom  be  economically rehabilitated for  other uses  such as crop land. The extent of abandoned areas by the shrimp industry has been indicated by the UN Report in the following works:-      "After a  production cycle of about      four of  five months,  shrimp ponds      under intensive use are cleaned and      disinfected and the polluted sludge      is removed  and often  disposed for      unsafely. This  treatment, however,      does   not   usually   surfice   to      maintain  the  ponds’  productivity      for more  than five to ten yn years      (Ibid.,       Annex        III/12).      Entrepreneurs then  move  to  other      areas  because   of  pollution  and      disease. This  mode  of  production      has  been  called  "rape  and  run"      (Csavas, 1994b). The altered milieu      of these  abandoned ponds  inhibits      the  spontaneous   regeneration  of      vegetation  and   their   use   for      agriculture,    forestry,     other      aquaculture  or   related   fishing      activities. These  abandoned  areas      do   not    appear   in   worldwide      estimastes of areas used for shrimp      farming,  which   for   1993   were      estimated   to    include   962,600      hectares, of which 847,000 hectares      were  in  Asia.  In  December  1994      these areas  were estimated to have      increased  worldwide  to  1,147,500      with  1,017,000  hectares  in  Asia      (Rosenberry,   1993   and   1994a).      Globally,  areas  affected  by  the      industry’s practices  over the last      decade are  probably at  least  one      third larger,  or even  more if the      total  infrastructures  surrounding      the ponds are accounted for."      The UN  Report  pithily  sums  up  the  "conflicts  and externalities" as under:-      "A major  portion of  the conflicts      arising  from   the  expansion   of      shrimp farming  are the  result  of      environmental      and       social      degradation that is not included in      the  costs  of  shrimp  production.      Where  the   industry  assumes   no      responsibility for damages to other      groups arising from its activities,      economists        call         them      "externalities".    For    example,      abandoned   ponds    are    usually      virtually   unusable    for   other      purposes  for   indefinite  periods      without   costly    rehabilitation,      which   is    seldom    undertaken.      Mangrove destruction,  flooding  of      crops, salinization or pollution of      land and  water associated with the      expansion  of  shrimp  farming  all      affect the  local people  depending

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    on these resources"      Alagarswami has divided the shrimp-farm technology into six types.  We have  already quoted  the relevant  paragraph 5.1.2 of  the report.  Although different experts have given different nomenclature  to different  types of  shrimp  farm technologies, we are of the view that the types indicated by Alagarswami in  his report  are based  on the functioning of the shrimp  culture  industry  in  India  and  as  such  are acceptable. Keeping  in view  the  NEERI  report  and  other material quoted and discussed by us, we are of the view that the traditional  and improved  traditional types  of shrimp- farm  technologies   -  defined   by   Alagarswami   -   are environmentally benign  and pollution  free. Other  types of technologies - extensive, modified extensive, semi intensive and intensive  - create  pollution and have degrading affect on the  environment and coastal ecology. Such type of shrimp farms cannot be permitted to operate.      We may refer to constitutional and Statutory provisions which  mandate   the  State   to  protect  and  improve  the environment. Article  48-A  of  the  Constitution  of  India states that  "the  State  shall  endeavour  to  protect  and improve the  environment and  to safeguard  the forests  and wild life  of the country". Article 51-A of the Constitution imposes as  one of  the fundamental duties on every citizen, the duty  to protect  and improve  the  natural  environment including forests,  lakes, rivers  and wild life and to have compassion   for    living   creatures.    The   Environment (Protection) Act,  1986 (the Act) was enacted as a result of the decisions  taken at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment  held at  Stockhorm in June, 1972 in which India participated.  The Indian  delegation was  led by  the then Prime  Minister of  India. The Statement of objects and reason to the Act is as under:-      "The   decline   in   environmental      quality  has   been  evidenced   by      increasing   pollution,   loss   of      vegetal   cover    and   biological      diversity, excessive concentrations      of harmful chemicals in the ambient      atmosphere  and   in  food  chains,      growing  risks   of   environmental      accidents  and   threats  to   life      support    systems.    The    world      community’s resolve  to protect and      enhance the  environmental quality.      Found expression  in the  decisions      taken   at   the   United   Nations      Conference on the Human Environment      held in  Stockholm in  June,  1972,      Government of India participate din      the Conference  and strongly voiced      the environmental  concerns.  While      several measures  have  been  taken      for environmental  protection  both      before and  after  the  Conference,      the need  for a general legislation      further to  implement the  decision      of  the   conference   has   become      increasingly evident."      Section 2(a),  2(b), 2(c)  and 2(e)  of the Environment Act are as under:-      2. Definitions.-In this Act, unless      the context otherwise requires,-      (a)  "environment" includes  water,      air  and   land  and   the   inter-

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    relationship which exists among and      between water,  air and  land,  and      human    beings,    other    living      creatures,  plants,  micro-organism      and property;      (b)  "environmental      pollutant"      means any  solid, liquid or gaseous      substance    present     in    such      concentration as may be, or tend to      be, injurious to environment;      (c)  "environmental      pollution"      means   the    presence   in    the      environment  of  any  environmental      pollutant;      (e)  "hazardous  substance"   means      any substance or preparation which,      by  reason   of  its   chemical  or      physico-chemical   properties    or      handling, is  liable to  cause harm      to  human   beings,  other   living      creatures, plants,  micro-organism,      property or the environment;"      Section 7 and 8 of the Environment Act are as under:-      "7.  Persons carrying  on industry,      operation,  etc.,   not  to   allow      emission    or     discharge     of      environmental pollutants  in excess      of  the   standards.-   No   person      carrying on any industry, operation      or process  shall discharge or emit      or  permit   to  be  discharged  or      emitted any environmental pollutant      in excess  of such standards as may      be prescribed.      8.   Persons   handling   hazardous      substances    to     comply    with      procedural safeguards.-  No  person      shall handle or cause to be handled      any hazardous  substance except  in      accordance with  such procedure and      after    complying     with    such      safeguards as may be prescribed.      Section 15  of  the  Act  makes  contravention  of  the provisions of  the said Act punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine which may extend to  one lakh  rupees or  with both. If the failure or contravention continues  beyond a  period of  one year after the date  of conviction,  the offender  shall be  punishable with imprisonment  for a  term which  may  extend  to  seven years. The  effluents discharged  by the  commercial  shrimp culture farms are covered by the definition of Environmental pollutant, environmental  pollution and hazardous substance. The NEERI  reports indicate that the effluents discharged by the farms  at various  places were  excess of the prescribed standards. Unfortunately,  no action  is being  taken by the authorities under the Act.      Hazardous Waste  (Management and  Handling) Rules, 1989 (the rules) have been framed under the Act. Rule 2(i) of the rules defines  "hazardous  wastes"  to  mean  categories  of wastes specified  in the  Schedule appended  to  the  rules. Waste category  No.12 under  the Schedule to the rules is as under:-                          "SCHEDULE                Categories of Hazardous Waste ------------------------------------------------------------

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Waste     Categories     Types of wastes     Regulatory quantities ------------------------------------------------------------      1                        2                   3      =                        =                   = Waste category No.12     Sludges arising     Irrespective of                          from treatment of   any quality.                          waste waters                          containing heavy                          metals, toxic                          organics, oils,                          emulsions and spend                          chemicals and                          incrineration ash."      Rule 5  of the  rules makes  it  obligatory  for  every occupier generating hazardous wastes to obtain authorisation as provided  under the  said rule.  Rule 5(4)  requires  the State Pollution Control Board not to issue and authorisation unless it is satisfied that the operator of a facility or an occupier,  as   the  case   may  be,  possesses  appropriate facilities, technical  capabilities and  equipment to handle hazardous waste safely.      Mr. Mehta  has vehemently  contended  that  the  shrimp culture farms  are  discharging  highly  polluting  effluent which is  "hazardous waste",  under  the  rules,  Mr.  Mehta relying upon  the NEERI  reports and other reports placed on record has  contended that  none of  the farms have obtained authorisation from the State Pollution Control Boards.      The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act. 1974 (the  Water  Act)  has  been  enacted  to  provide  for  the prevention  and   control  of   water  pollution   and   the maintaining or  restoring of  wholesomeness  of  water.  The Statement of  Objects and  Reasons of  the Water  Act, inter alia, state as under:-      "The problem of pollution of rivers      and     streams     has     assumed      considerable importance and urgency      in recent  years as a result of the      growth  or   industries   and   the      increasing       tendency        to      urbanization.  It   is,  therefore,      essential  to   ensure   that   the      domestic and  industrial  effluents      are not  allowed to  be  discharged      into  the   water  courses  without      adequate    treatment    as    such      discharges would  render the  water      unsuitable as  source  of  drinking      water as  well  as  for  supporting      fish   life    and   for   use   in      irrigation. Pollution of rivers and      streams  also   causes   increasing      damage to the country’s economy."      Section 2 (j) & (k) of the Water Act are as under:-      "2.  Definitions.-   In  this  Act,      unless   the    context   otherwise      requires,-      (j)  "stream" includes-      (i)  river;      (ii) water  course (whether flowing           or for the time being dry);      (iii) inland water (whether natural           or artificial);      (iv) sub-terranean waters;      (v)  sea or  tidal waters  to  such

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         extent or, as the case may be,           to such  point  as  the  State           Government       may,       by           notification in  the  Official           Gazette,   specify   in   this           behalf;      (k) "trade  effluent" includes  any      liquid, gaseous  or solid substance      which  is   discharged   from   any      premises used  for carrying  on any      [industry operation  or process, or      treatment  and   disposal  system],      other than domestic sewage.      Section 25  of the  Water Act  provides that  no person shall, without  the previous  consent  of  the  State  Board establish  any   industry,  operation  or  process,  of  any treatment and  disposal system  which is likely in discharge sewage or  trade effluent  into a stream on well or sewer or on land.  There is  nothing on  the record  to show that the shrimp  culture  farm  owners  are  even  conscious  of  the statutory  provisions  which  require  them  to  obtain  the necessary consent/authorisation from the concerned Pollution Control Boards.      There are  other legislations  like Fisheries Act 1987, Wild Life  Protection Act, 1972 and Forest Conservation Act, 1980  which   contain  useful   provisions  for  environment protection  and   pollution  control.   Unfortunately,   the authorities responsible  for the  implementation of  various statutory provisions  are wholly  re-miss in the performance of their duties under the said provisions.      At this  stage we  may deal  with a  question which has incidentally come  up for our consideration. Under para 2 of the CRZ  notification, the  activities listed thereunder are declared as prohibited activities. Various State Governments have enacted  coastal acquaculture  legislations  regulating the industries  set up  in the  coastal areas. It was argued before us  that certain provisions of the State legislations including that  of the  State  of  Tamil  Nadu  are  not  in consonance  with   the  CRZ   notification  issued   by  the Government of  India under Section 3(3) of the Act, Assuming that <??>  so, we  are of  the view  that the  Act  being  a Central legislation  has the  overriding effect. The Act the Environment Protection  Act, 1986)  has been  enacted  under Entry 13  of list  1 Schedule  VII of  the  Constitution  of India. The said entry is as under:-      "Participation   in   international      conferences, assessment  and  other      bodies    and    implementing    of      decisions made there at."      The preamble  to the  Act clearly  states that  it  was enacted to  implement the  decisions  taken  at  the  United Nations  Conference   on  the   Human  Environment  held  at Stockholm in  June, 1972. The Parliament has enacted the Act under Entry  13 of List 1 Schedule VII read with Article 253 of the  Constitution of  India the  CRZ notification  having been issued  under the  Act shall have overriding effect and shall prevail  over the  law made by the legislatures of the States.      This Court  in Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs. Union of India  & Ors.  JT 1966  (7) SC  375 has  dealt  with  the concept of  "sustainable development"  and has  specifically accepted "The  Precautionary Principle"  and  "The  Polluter Pays" principle  as part  of the  environmental laws  of the land. The relevant part of the judgment is as under;      "The   traditional   concept   that

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    development and ecology are opposed      to  each   other,  is   no   longer      acceptable. Sustainable Development      is the answer. In the International      sphere "Sustainable Development" as      a concept  came to be known for the      first   time   in   the   Stockholm      Declaration of 1972. Thereafter, in      1987  the   concept  was   given  a      definite   shape   by   the   World      Commission   on   Environment   and      Development in  its  report  called      "Our Common Future". The Commission      was  chaired   by  the  then  Prime      Minister   of   Norway   Ms.   G.H.      Brundtland and  as such  the report      is popularly  known as  "Brundtland      Report".   In    1991   the   World      Conservation Union,  United Nations      Environment  Programme   and  World      Wide Fund  for Nature, jointly came      out with  a document called "Caring      for the  Earth" which is a strategy      for  sustainable  living.  Finally,      came the Earth Summit held in June,      1992 at  Rio which  saw the largest      gathering of  world leaders ever in      the  history   -  deliberating  and      chalking out  a blue  print for the      survival of  the planet.  Among the      tangible achievements  of  the  Rio      Conference was  the signing  of two      conventions,  one   on   biological      diversity and  another  on  climate      change.  These   conventions   were      signed   by    159   nations.   The      delegates    also    approved    by      consensus   three    non    binding      documents namely,  a  Statement  on      Forestry Principles,  a declaration      of  principles   on   environmental      policy and  development initiatives      and  Agenda   21,  a  programme  of      action into  the  next  century  it      areas like  poverty population  and      pollution. During  the two  decades      from Stockholm  to Rio "Sustainable      Development"   has   come   to   be      accepted as  a  viable  concept  to      eradicate poverty  and improve  the      quality of  human life while living      within the carrying capacity of the      supporting             eco-systems.      "Sustainable    Development"     as      defined by  the  Brundtland  Report      means "Development  that meets  the      needs  of   the   present   without      compromising  the  ability  of  the      future generations  to  meet  their      own needs".  We have  no hesitation      in   holding    that   "Sustainable      Development" as a balancing concept      between ecology and development has      been accepted  as  a  part  of  the      Customary International  Law though

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    its salient features have yet to be      finalised by  the International Law      Jurists.      Some of  the salient  principles or      "Sustainable    Development",    as      culled out  from Brundtland  Report      and other  international documents,      are Inter-Generational  Equity, Use      and   Conservation    of    Natural      Resources,            Environmental      Protection,    the    Precautionary      Principle, Polluter Pays principle,      Obligation to assist and cooperate,      Eradication    of    Poverty    and      Financial   Assistance    to    the      developing   countries.   We   are,      however,  of  the  view  that  "The      Precautionary  Principle"  and "The      Polluter   Pays"    principle   are      essential features  of "Sustainable      Development".  The   "Precautionary      Principle" -  in the context of the      municipal law - means:      (i) Environment  measures -  by the      State Government  and the statutory      authorities  -   must   anticipate,      prevent and  attack the  causes  of      environmental degradation,      (ii) Where  there  are  threats  of      serious  and  irreversible  damage,      lack of scientific certainty should      not  be   used  as   a  reason  for      postponing  measures   to   prevent      environmental degradation,      (iii) The "Onus of proof" is on the      actor            of             the      developer/industrialist   to   show      that his  action is environmentally      benign.           "The Polluter  Pays" principle      has  been   held  to   be  a  sound      principle by  this Court  in Indian      Council for Enviro-Legal Action vs.      Union of India JT 1996 (2) 190. The      Court  observed,  "We  are  of  the      opinion that  any principle evolved      in this  behalf should  be  simple,      practical   and   suited   to   the      conditions   obtaining    in   this      country".  The   Court  ruled  that      "Once the  activity carried  on  is      hazardous or  inherently dangerous,      the   person   carrying   on   such      activity is liable to make good the      loss caused  to nay other person by      his activity  irrespective  of  the      fact  whether  he  took  reasonable      care   while    carrying   on   his      activity. The rule is premised upon      the very  nature  of  the  activity      carried   on".   Consequently   the      polluting      industries       are      "absolutely  liable  to  compensate      for the  harm  caused  by  them  to      villagers in  the affected area, to

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    the soil  and  to  the  underground      water rand hence, they are bound to      take  all   necessary  measures  to      remove sludge  and other pollutants      lying in  the affected  areas". The      "Polluter   Pays"    principle   as      interpreted  by  this  Court  means      that  the  obsolute  liability  for      harm to the environment extends not      only to  compensate the  victims of      pollution  but  also  the  cost  of      restoring     the     environmental      degradation.  Remediation   of  the      damaged environment  is part of the      process       of       "Sustainable      Development" and  as such  polluter      is liable  to pay  the cost  to the      individual sefferers as well as the      cost  of   reversing  the   damaged      ecology.           The  precautionary   principle      and  the  polluter  pays  principle      have been  accepted as  part of the      law of  the land. Article 21 of the      Constitution  of  India  guarantees      protection  of  life  and  personal      liberty.  Articles   47,  48A   and      51A(g) of  the Constitution  are as      under:           "47.  Duty  of  the  State  to      raise the  level of  nutrition  and      the  standard   of  living  and  to      improve public  health. - The State      shall regard  the  raising  of  the      revel of nutrition and the standard      of living  of its  people  and  the      improvement  of  public  health  as      among its  primary  duties  and  in      particular,    the    State    that      endeavour    to     bring     about      prohibition  of   the   consumption      except for  medicinal  purposes  of      intoxicating drinks  and  of  drugs      which are injurious to health.      48A.      Protection            and      improvement  of   environment   and      safeguarding of  forests  and  wild      life. -  The State  shall endeavour      to   protect    and   improve   the      environment and  to  safeguard  the      forests  and   wild  life   of  the      country.      51A(g).   To  protect  and  improve      the natural  environment  including      forests,  lakes,  rivers  and  wild      life, and  to have  compassion  for      living creatures."           Apart from  the constructional      mandate to  protect and improve the      environment  there  are  plenty  of      post independence  legislations  on      the  subject   but  more   relevant      enactments for  our purpose  are  :      The Water  (Prevention and  Control      of Pollution)  Act, 1974 (the Water

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    Act),  The   Air  (Prevention   and      Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1981      (the Air  Act) and  the Environment      Protection    Act,     1986    (The      Environment  Act).  The  Water  Act      provides for the constitution f the      Central Pollution  Control Board by      the  Central   Government  and  the      constitution of the State Pollution      Control  Boards  by  various  State      Governments  in  the  country.  The      Boards function  under the  control      of the  Governments concerned.  The      Water  Act  prohibits  the  use  of      streams and  wells for  disposal of      polluting  matters.  Also  provides      for  restrictions  on  outlets  and      discharge  of   effluents   without      obtaining consent  from the  Board,      Prosecution and penalties have been      provided which  include sentence of      imprisonment. The  Air Act provides      that the  Central Pollution Control      Board  and   the  State   Pollution      Control  Boards  constituted  under      the Water  Act shall  also  perform      the powers  and functions under the      Air Act.  The main  function of the      Boards, under  the Air  Act, is  to      improve the  quality of the air and      to prevent,  control and  abate air      pollution in  the country. We shall      deal with  the Environment  Act  in      the later part of this judgment.           In view of the above mentioned      constitutional    and     statutory      provisions we have no hesitation in      holding  that   the   precautionary      principle  and  the  polluter  pays      principle   are    part   of    the      environment law of the country.      We are  of the  view that before any shrimp industry or shrimp pond  is permitted  to be  installed in  the  ecology fragile  coastal   area  it   must  pass  through  a  strict environmental  test.   There  has   to  be  a  high  powered "Authority" under  the Act to scrutinise each and every case from the  environmental point  of view.  There  must  be  an environmental impact assessment before permission is granted to instal  commercial shrimp farms. The conceptual framework of the  assessment must  be broad-based primarily concerning environmental  <??>   linked  with   shrimp   farming.   The assessment must  also include the social impact on different population strata in the area. The quality of the assessment must be  analytically based  on superior technology. It must take into  consideration the  inter-generational equity  and the compensation for those who are affected and prejudiced.      Before parting  with this  judgment, we  may notice the "Dollar" based argument advanced before us. It was contended before us  by the  learned counsel  appearing for the shrimp acquaculture  industry   that  the   industry  has  achieved singular distinction  by earning maximum foreign exchange in the country.  Almost 100 per cent of the produce is exported to America,  Europe and Japan and as such the industry has a large potential  to earn  "Dollars". That may be so, but the farm-raised production  of shrimp  is much  lesser than  the

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wild-caught  production.  The  UN  Report  shows  the  world production of shrimp from 1982 to 1983 as under:-             Table 1: World Production of Shrimp ------------------------------------------------------------                   Thousands of matric tons ------------------------------------------------------------ Year      Farm-raised         Wild-caught         Total ------------------------------------------------------------ 1982           84                  1,652          1,756 1983           143                 1,683          1,626 1984           174                 1,733          1,907 1985           213                 1,906          2,121 1986           309                 1,909          1,218 1987           551                 1,909          2,264 1988           604                 1,914          2,518 1989           611                 1,832          2,518 1990           633                 1,968          2,443 1991           690                 1,968          2,601 1992           721                 2,118          2,912 1993           610                 2,100          2,710" ------------------------------------------------------------      It is  obvious from the figures quoted above that term- raised production  of shrimp  is of  very small  quantity as compared to  wild-caught Even  if some of the shrimp culture farms which  are polluting  the environment, are closed, the production of  shrimp by environmentally friendly techniques would not  be affected  and there may not be any loss to the economy specially in view of the finding given by NEERI that the  damage   caused  to   ecology  and   economics  by  the acquaculture farming  is higher  than the  earnings from the sale of coastal acquaculture produce. That may be the reason for the  European and  American countries for not permitting their sea-coasts to be exploited for shrimp-culture farming. The UN report shows that 80% of the farm - cultured - shrimp comes from the developing countries of Asia.      We, therefore, order and directed as under: 1.   The Central  Government shall  constitute an  authority under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and shall  confer on  the  said  authority  all  the  powers necessary to protect the ecologically fragile coastal areas, sea shore, water front and other coastal areas and specially to deal  with the  situation created  by the  shrimp culture industry  in   the  coastal  States/Union  Territories.  The authority shall  be headed  by <??>  Judge of  a High Court. Other members  preferably with  expertise in  the  field  of acquaculture, pollution  control and  environment protection shall be  appointed by  the Central  Government. The Central Government shall  confer on the said authority the powers to issue directions  under section  5 of the Act and for taking measures with  respect to the matters referred to in clauses (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) and (xii) of sub-section (2) of  Section 3.  The Central  Government shall constitute the authority before January 15, 1997. 2.   The authority  so constituted by the Central Government shall  implement  "the  Precautionary  Principle"  and  "the Polluter Pays" principles. 3.   The  shrimp   culture  industry/the  shrimp  ponds  are covered by the prohibition contained in para 2(1) of the CRZ Notification. No  shrimp culture  pond can be constructed or set up  within the coastal regulation zone as defined in the CRZ notification.  This shall  be applicable  to  all  seas, bays,  estuaries,   creeks,  rivers   and  backwaters.  This direction  shall  not  apply  to  traditional  and  improved traditional types of technologies far defined in Alagarswami report which are practised in the coastal low lying areas.

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4.    All     acquaculture     industries/shrimp     culture industries/shrimp culture  ponds  operating/set  up  in  the coastal  regulation   zone  as   defined   under   the   CRZ Notification shall  be demolished  and removed from the said area before  March 31, 1997. We direct the Superintendent of Police/Deputy  Commissioner   of  Police  and  the  District Magistrate/Collector of  the area  to enforce this direction and  close/demolish   all   acquaculture   industries/shrimp culture industries,  shrimp culture ponds on or before March 31, <??>  A compliance  report in this respect shall be <??> in this Court by these authorities before April 15, 1997. 5.   The farmers  who are operating traditional and improved traditional  systems  of  acquaculture  may  adopt  improved technology for  increased production productivity and return with prior  approval of  the "authority" constituted by this order. 6.   The agricultural  lands, salt pan lands, mangroves, wet lands, forest lands, land for village common purpose and the land meant  for public  purposes shall not be used/converted for construction of shrimp culture ponds. 7.   No acquaculture industry/shrimp culture industry/shrimp culture ponds  shall be constructed/set up within 1000 meter of Chilka  lake and Pulicat lake (including Bird Sanctuaries namely Yadurapattu and Nelapattu) 8.  Acquaculture   industry/shrimp  culture  industry/shrimp culture ponds  already operating and functioning in the said area of  1000 meter  shall be  closed and  demolished before March  31,   1997.   We   direct   the   Superintendent   of Police/Deputy  Commissioner   of  Police  and  the  District Magistrate/Collector of  the area  to enforce this direction and  close/demolish   and   acquaculture   industries/shrimp culture industries,  shrimp culture ponds on or before March 31, 1997.  A compliance  report in  this  respect  shall  be filled in  this Court  by these authorities before April 15, 1997. 9.  Acquaculture   industry/shrimp  culture  industry/shrimp culture  ponds   other   than   traditional   and   improved traditional may  be set  up/constructed outside  the coastal regulation zone  as defined  by  the  CRZ  notification  and outside 1000  meter of  Chilka and  Pulicat lakes  with  the prior approval  of the  "authority" as  constituted by  this Court. Such  industries which  are already  operating in the said areas  shall <??>  authorisation from  the  "Authority" before April  30, 1997  failing which the industry concerned shall stop  functioning with  effect from  eh said  date. We further direct  that  any  acquaculture  activity  including intensive and semi-intensive which has the effect of causing salinity of  soil, of  the drinking water or wells and/or by the  use   of  chemical  feeds  increases  shrimp  or  prawn production with  consequent increase in sedimentation which, on putrefaction  is a  potential health  hazard, apart  from causing silication  turbidity of water courses and estuaries with detrimental  implication on local fauna and flora shall not be allowed by the aforesaid Authority. 10.  Acquaculture  industry/shrimp  culture  industry/shrimp culture ponds  which have  been functioning/operating within the  coastal   regulation  zone   as  defined   by  the  CRZ Notification and  within 1000  meter from Chilka and Puliket Lakes shall  be liable to compensate the affected persons on the basis of the "polluter pays" principle. 11.  The authority  shall, with  the help  of expert opinion and after  giving opportunity  to  the  concerned  polluters assess the  loss to  the ecology/<??> the affected areas and shall a  individuals/families who  have suffered  because of the pollution  and shall  assess the compensation to be pain

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to  the   said  individuals/families.  The  authority  shall further determine  the compensation to be recovered from the polluters as  cost of reversing the damaged environment. The authority  shall  lay  down  just  and  fair  procedure  for completing the exercise. 12.  The authority  shall compute the compensation under two heads hardly,  for reversing  the ecology and for payment to individuals. A statement showing amount to be recovered, the names of  the <??>  whom the  amount is to be recovered, the <??> recovered  from each  polluter, the persons to whom the compensation is to be paid and the amount payable to each of them shall be forwarded to the Collector/District Magistrate of the  area concerned.  The  Collector/District  Magistrate shall recover  the amount  from the polluters, if necessary, as  arrears   of  land   revenue.  He   shall  disburse  the compensation  awarded  by  the  authority  to  the  affected persons/families. 13.  We further  direct that any violation or non-compliance of the directions of this Court shall attract the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act in addition. 14.  The compensation  amount recovered  from the  polluters shall be deposited under a separate head called "Environment Protection Fund"  and shall be utilised for compensating the affected persons as identified by the authority and also for restoring the damaged environment. 15.  The authority,  in consultation with expert bodies like NEERI, Central  Pollution Control  Board,  respective  State Pollution Control  Boards  shall  frame  scheme/schemes  for reversing the damage cause to the ecology and environment by pollutions of  the  coastal  States/Union  Territories.  The scheme/schemes so framed shall be executed by the respective State  Governments/Union  Territory  Governments  under  the supervision of the Central Government. The expenditure shall be met  from the  Environment  Protection  <??>  from  other sources provided  by the  respective State Governments/Union Territory Governments and the Central Government. 16.  The workmen  employed in  the shrimp culture industries which are  to be  closed in  terms of  this order,  shall be deemed to  have been  retrenched with  effect from April 30, 1997 provided  they have  been  in  continuous  service  (as defined in Section 258 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947) For not  less than one year in the industry concerned before the said  date. They  shall be paid compensation in terms of Section <??>  of the  Industrial Disputes  Act, 1947.  These workmen shall also be paid, in addition, six year’s wages as additional compensation.  The compensation  shall be paid to the workmen before May 31, 1997. The gratuity amount payable to the women shall be paid in addition.      The writ  petition is  allowed with  costs. We quantify the costs  as Rs.  1,40,000/-(Rupees one lac forty thousand) to be  paid by  the States  of Gujarat. Maharashtra, Orissa, Kerala, Tamil  Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal in equal shares of  Rs. 20,000/-  each. The  amount of Rs. 1,40,000/- realised from  the seven coastal States shall be paid to Mr. MC Mehta,  Advocate who  has  assisted  <??>  in  this  case throughout. We  place on  record our  appreciation  for  the assistance rendered by Mr. Mehta.