Sc To Be Urged To Revoke Ban On Aquafarms

Union commerce minister B B Ramaiah yesterday said various ministries were working together to explore alternatives including necessary amendments in existing laws to sort out the latest crisis in the aquaculture sector that had arisen following the Supreme Court order banning aqua farms along the coastal belt.

The first step would be yet another effort to convince the Supreme Court about the need to reverse or modify its order banning coastal aquaculture farms, he told newspersons here. This was mainly because public and private agencies had invested heavily in aquaculture and the country could not afford to lose out on a sector that had a direct bearing on export revenue.

 

Ramaiah said aquaculture was not as polluting as farming, where large quantities of pesticides were used. Efforts would be made to get coastal aquaculture exempted just like salt manufacturing, which was allowed in coastal zones, he said.

Later inaugurating the 11th Indian seafood fair, Ramaiah reiterated that aquaculture which offered the largest

employment opportunities after agriculture had to be protected at any cost. He felt the adverse Supreme Court order was mainly due to the failure to represent the case more convincingly before the court.

The government was now planning to consult various ministries including the ministries of law, finance, commerce and environment for effective presentation of the case.

Ramaiah said the issue was serious as private entrepreneurs, banks and governmental agencies like the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development had invested huge amounts in the aquaculture sector. Somehow or other this crisis has to be overcome in the interest of the economy, he said.

The minister said the major priorities in the seafood sector in the ninth plan were value addition and quality upgradation. Despite adverse circumstances, seafood exports were all set to achieve the current years target of Rs 4,000 crore especially since exports upto January stood at Rs 3,225 crore.