Berhampur: Over 2,000 acres of illegal prawn gheries were removed from Chilika in Balugaon area over two days, officials said on Wednesday. The drive was jointly conducted by the revenue, fisheries, police and Chilika Development Authority (CDA) officials and the wildlife wing of the forest division, in Balugaon, Barkul and Pali Jogeswar areas under Balugaon tehsil from Tuesday.The operation continued in the lake on Wednesday, said tehsildar Kanhu Charan Ghadei. “We have already evicted illegal prawn gheries spread over 2,000 acres and seized fishing nets and bamboo from the area,” Ghadei said. The CDA provided logistical support and vehicles for the operation, besides engaging hired labourers. No untoward incident was reported.No claimant came forward during the latest operation to identify themselves as the owner of the gheries. An investigation is underway to identify those responsible. “Stringent action will be taken against persons illegally undertaking prawn culture by encroaching on the lagoon,” Ghadei said.The prawn mafia allegedly built the gheries inside the lake because prawn farming is lucrative. Despite earlier action by the Ganjam and Puri administrations, the illegal structures were allegedly rebuilt. Spread over 1,100 sq km across Ganjam, Puri and Khurda districts, Chilika is the country’s largest wetland.Illegal prawn gheries and prawn culture ponds are not only damaging the breeding ground of the fishes, but also destroying the fragile ecosystem of the biggest wetland of the country. The illegal prawn gheries affect fish production in the lake, robbing the local fishermen of their livelihood, said Sudhir Rout, an environment activist.