The applicant alleged that aqua prawn farms caused soil degradation and crop loss in Andhra Pradesh. The Tribunal directed the formation of a Joint Committee for inquiry and remitted the matter to its Southern Zone Bench at Chennai.
Constitution of a Joint Committee to verify grievances and remittal of the case to the Southern Zone Bench at Chennai.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
Item No. 03
Court No. 2
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI
Original Application No. 310/2025
Dr Namala Umashri Francis Applicant
Versus
State of Andhra Pradesh & Ors. Respondents
Date of hearing: 10.07.2025
CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR TYAGI, JUDICIAL MEMBER HON’BLE DR. AFROZ AHMAD, EXPERT MEMBER
Applicant: Applicant in person.
ORDER
applicant is reproduced as follows:-
“Subject: Loss of paddy and coconuts' fields' yield due to Aqua prawn farms Photograph of Land damage, letter, and documents attached in this mail (also as pdf)
Guttenadeevi is a village in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in I.Polavaram Mandal of the Amalapuram revenue division. publicgrievancengt[at]gov[dot]in
It is our ancestral village. My maternal grandparents and parents were holding paddy fields and coconut gardens. I have also a
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paddy field with coconut trees bordering the land which measures about 1.90 acres (survey no. 182-2, 182-2A; Guttenadeevi village, I.Polavaram Mandal, Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Konaseema District, Andhra Pradesh) on which from more than 50 years paddy and coconut has been grown.
However, from past few years there has been a gradual and steady conversion of agricultural lands into aquaculture farms in the surrounding area due to which the fertility of the soil has declined drastically. No proper irrigation also has contributed to this.
In the last few years aqua prawn farms have come up in adjacent lands to my agricultural lands. I am told that this is done with the permission of the government authorities. Due to these aqua farms from last 3 years there is no paddy growing and the yield of coconut trees have also drastically reduced due the pollution and depletion of nutrients of the soil. There has been absolute loss of crops from last 3 years. Now the land is in no condition to grow paddy.
I request the government to compensate us for the loss incurred by us due to this pollution and depletion caused due to the government irresponsibly giving permissions for aqua prawn farms without considering the effects of this action on the paddy fields. The village which was part of the Rice Bowl of India has started turning into a saltwater body. The officials at local level have not taken any action to save the green zone. I also request that the canal water way which has been hampered by all be redone so there is proper irrigation of fields and drainage of lands which is not possible now due to water logging. Please also arrange ways and means of restoring the fertility of the land.
I am very pained to see the once green heaven of lush green paddy fields of Andhra Pradesh being turned into a murky place, The once dense and green healthy coconut trees are now dry and worn out. In the long run due to all this it will also affect the health of the inhabitants of the area.
I request you to please take immediate action to save our agricultural lands and compensate us for the loss incurred on us due to the wrong decisions of the government.
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Fisheries Department, Andhra Pradesh; (2) District Magistrate, Dr. B.R Ambedkar Konaseema and (3) Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) through its Member Secretary who are impleaded as respondents no. 1 to 3. The Registry is directed to prepare and attach memo of parties to the application and issue notices to respondents no. 1 to 3 requiring them to file their reply/response within two months.
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Arun Kumar Tyagi, JM
Dr. Afroz Ahmad, EM
July 10, 2025 Original Application No. 310/2025 M
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2 issues framed by the court
Whether the allegations regarding loss of agricultural yield due to aqua prawn farms lie within the jurisdiction of the National Green Tribunal.
Whether a Joint Committee should be constituted to verify the factual position and suggest remedial action.
1 provisions across 1 enactments
Dr Namala Umashri Francis
State of Andhra Pradesh
Arun Kumar Tyagi
Afroz Ahmad
As recorded by the court registry
An original application before a tribunal, most commonly a service dispute before the Central or a State Administrative Tribunal.
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
