Interim report by the District Magistrate, Surat on unauthorised/illegal shrimp farms and salt pans located in the flood plains of Kim and Sena river/creek and Tena village, taluka Olpad, Surat district, Gujarat dated 19/10/2020. Original Application No. 16/2020 (Western Zonal Bench) in the matter of Brackish Water Research Centre Vs Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change & Others.

Due to the prolonged rainy season, adverse field conditions for survey work and prevailing pandemic situation, the basic work of measurement of shrimp farm and salt pans including measurements of survey numbers, spreading over a huge area of approximately 5100 hectare, could not be completed in time, the report said. In view of this, the DLIR measurement work and subsequent activities like identifying the illegal shrimp farms and salt pans, violation with reference to their locations and size, CRZ status and other permissions could not be completed in time.

With likely completion of measurement work within the next three months and after submission of the map by DLIR, the remaining work would be initiated immediately. A complete report on the entire activity including action against the identified illegal shrimp  farms and salt pans would be submitted in the final report.