Bill blasted

The Tamil Nadu Assembly recently passed a bill to regulate aquaculturtb, amidst vociferous protests by the Opposition members, who opined that the bill would only force the farmers to relinquish the hold of their lands for prawn farming. Further, prawn farming would render the fertile lands and groundwater saline.

The Opposition demanded a reconsideration of the bill. C K Thamizharasan of the Republican Party of India stated that local committees consisting of small farmers and social workers be set up to monitor the aquaculture farms. G Palanisamy, a member of the Communist Party India, felt that although aquaculture brings in hefty foreign exchange, it could affect the water flow in the Public Works Department canals.