Andhra Pradesh: Environmental Activist Opposing Illegal Aquaculture Ponds Tied To Pole, Assaulted

The victim, Chikkam Veera Durga Prasad, had been actively fighting a legal battle against aqua farmers operating unauthorised aqua ponds in violation of environmental regulations.

Durga Prasad had also raised concerns about water pollution caused by these ponds. 

Source : Special arrangement

An environmental activist was tied to a pole and reportedly assaulted by aqua farmers for fighting against aqua culture and the subsequent water pollution from the illegal aqua ponds in Sannavilli village of Konaseema district, Andhra Pradesh. The youth from Sannavilli village in Uppalaguptam mandal of Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district, was beaten by Aqua Farmers for opposing illegal Aquaculture practices in the Konaseema region.

A video of the incident showed Chikkam Veera Durga Prasad, the activist, tied to the pole since he had been actively fighting a legal battle against aqua farmers. Earlier, he also criticised the farmers operating unauthorised aqua ponds in violation of environmental regulations.

A youth from #Sannavilli village in #Uppalaguptam Mandal, #EastGodavari district, was brutally beaten by aqua farmers for opposing illegal aquaculture practices in the #Konaseema region.

The victim, #ChikkamVeeraDurgaPrasad, had been actively fighting a legal battle against aqua… pic.twitter.com/BQmNOJWfg1

— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) December 11, 2024

 

Durga Prasad had voiced concerns about water pollution caused by the illegal aqua ponds, prompting the court to issue orders to halt their operations.

Despite these directives, the aqua farmers defied the orders and resumed digging the ponds. Acting on advice from authorities to collect evidence, Durga Prasad visited the site to document the illegal activity through photographs. However, the aqua farmers reportedly tied him to a pole and subjected him to severe assault.

He is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital, while the Uppalaguptam police have registered an FIR against four individuals involved in the attack.

Meanwhile, aquaculture or aquafarming is the cultivation of fish, algae, and other organisms in water bodies like ponds, tanks, rivers, lakes, and coastal ocean areas.. However, the use of antibiotics by farmers to manage the adverse effects of fish waste can introduce these drugs directly into the ecosystem, impacting the soil and native organisms in the area.

He also highlighted the water pollution caused by these activities in the nearby ponds.