Bhubaneswar, July 23: Environmentalists and tourists have hailed the Chilika Development Authority (CDA)'s move to intensify the drive to remove illegal prawn dykes from the lake area.

The CDA, which launched an anti-encroachment drive in the lake in June for the first time, has decided to step up its efforts amidst growing fears of heavy siltation in Chilika, Asia's largest brackish water lake straddling three districts.

The CDA earlier used to fund anti-encroachment drives conducted in the lake by the district administration. But now, it has started doing the job itself. Acting under the powers conferred by the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act, the authority has so far removed prawn dykes, locally known as "gherries", from the four main channels of the lake, including Balugaon and Magarmukh.

Environmentalist Bijay Mishra welcomed the CDA's decision to scale up its operation against illegal prawn culture in the famous lagoon saying that the use of chemicals by the culturists was likely to affect the quality and character of Chilika's water that nurtured a huge variety of flora and fauna. "This will change of the character of the lake. We must act fast before any major damage is done to the lake," said Mishra.

The environment expert pointed at the other dangers posed by the enclosures raised by prawn farmers. "They constitute an artificial obstruction and hamper the free movement of fish in the water. They also hinder the free flow of sea water into the lake which gives it its brackish character," added Mishra.

Sailabala Padhi, another environment campaigner, remains sceptical about government's efforts. "This is not the first time that they are trying to do this. But prawn gherries resurface in the lake in no time," she said, hoping that the CDA succeeded this time where others had failed earlier.