Visakhapatnam: The residents of several villages in Devarapalli mandal urged Anakapalli collector Ravi Patan setti to take action against aqua farmers who were illegally farming and feeding fish with polluted leftovers from poultry farms, chemicals and other harmful ingredients in their area.The villagers led by CPI(M) Anakapalli district general secretary D. Venkanna submitted a memorandum to the collector in the ‘Jaganannaku Chepudam’ on Monday asking him to ban the ‘harmful’ fishing and initiate criminal cases against the erring farmers who were polluting agriculture fields and water bodies.Speaking to the media, Venkanna said the illegal fish farming was taking place in an extent of over 1,000 acres in Kothapeta, Mulakapalli, Mamidipalli, Kaligotla, Marepalli Chenulapalem and Pedanandi Tharuva in Devarapalli mandal. He said that most of the farmers were outside and taking advantage of the proximity to Raiwada canal, they lured the local farmers and took their agricultural lands for long leases for fish farming. They were dumping decomposed beef, chicken and food remnants from the canteens of Branadix Apparel City, the CPI(M) leader alleged.“People who consume fish from these farms have been suffering from various diseases including cancer,’’ he said and added that the wastewater from these farms was being released into agriculture fields and ponds.He said sometimes, these aqua farmers were diverting the Raiwada water to their fish ponds to prevent it from flowing to agriculture fields. The farmers were keeping quiet fearing reprisal from these aqua farmers who were connected to political leaders.Previously, revenue and police warned them and filed cases but they were not entertaining any complaints, Venkanna added.Venkanna appealed to the collector to get the machinery removed from the ponds and seize all the illegal fish farms.
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