Editor,
River Rymben in Lapalang village, Pynursla Block, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya is a torrential river, strong and mighty during summer, but lean during the winter months. Just before entering Bangladesh the river flows gently and becomes broader, and is known by the name, Borhir. With the help of a minor research grant from UGC, I documented the fish species inhabiting Rymben. However, I extended my research to Borhir and found a significant difference in the variety of fish species in the two places. While Rymben harbours ten species that adapt to the fast flowing water, Borhir is a habitat of more than 33 fish species that are commonly found in the plain areas. In Rymben chocolate mahseer (khasaw), loach (dar), catfish (maiñ,briang), danio (shalynnai), suckers (Garra gotyla and khasi garra) locally known as kew and sher, Schistura (syngkai), perch (Badis) locally called khalawei and snakehead (thli) were documented. Five of these species (khasaw, maiñ, dar, kew and khalawei) belong to the threatened category of IUCN Red List of endangered species.
As fishes migrate freely between India and Bangladesh, Borhir harbors chola barb, olive barb, reba carp, Labeo gonius, common carp, minnow, Gongota loach, scavenger loach, zipper loach, Tista batasio, Day’s mystus, catfishes, Gangetic mystus, stinging catfish, angler catfish, Asian needle fish, swamp eel, spiny eel, glassy fish, Gangetic leafish, banded gaurami, snakehead, Badis, puffer fish and freshwater shark. Since these fishes are commonly available elsewhere, except Badis, all of them do not belong to the threatened category.
Born and brought up in Lapalang, as a child I remember eating mostly local food (vegetables and meat collected from forests and a variety of fresh fishes captured from Rymben and Borhir). At present, however, it is no longer easy to procure mahseer or any other fishes from these rivers. People have to depend on rohu and catla from Shillong, and of course on foreign fishes of Bangladesh brought , maiñ, dar, kew and khalawei) belong to the threatened category of IUCN Red List of endangered species. As fishes migrate freely between India and Bangladesh, Borhir harbors chola barb, olive barb, reba carp, Labeo gonius, common carp, minnow, Gongota loach, scavenger loach, zipper loach, Tista batasio, Day’s mystus, catfishes, Gangetic mystus, stinging catfish, angler catfish, Asian needle fish, swamp eel, spiny eel, glassy fish, Gangetic leafish, banded gaurami, snakehead, Badis, puffer fish and freshwater shark. Since these fishes are commonly available elsewhere, except Badis, all of them do not belong to the threatened category. Born and brought up in Lapalang, as a child I remember eating mostly local food (vegetables and meat collected from forests and a variety of fresh fishes captured from Rymben and Borhir). At present, however, it is no longer easy to procure mahseer or any other fishes from these rivers. People have to depend on rohu and catla from Shillong, and of course on foreign fishes of Bangladesh brought through the border markets. Even though only five species of Rymben-Borhir system were listed in the threatened category, the fact remains that all of them are endangered and their abundance is on a drastic decline. Locals of Lapalang village have stated with all certainty that two types of fish (khalyntang or flat fish, and khababia, a type of catfish) have completely disappeared from Borhir. The main reason for their disappearance is overexploitation. Using all means (net, rod, hooks, chemicals), locals catch them all, big or small. Fishing goes on unabated, and these species are on the verge of extinction. At the same time there is an unprecedented increase in human population leading to ever increasing demand of food resources.
The urgent need of the hour is to conserve and protect these fishes, and this can be achieved only if people are made aware of the worth of nature and its resources and if there is a dedicated collaboration between policy makers, village durbars and all the stakeholders.
Yours etc.,
Bashida Massar,
Associate Professor,
Department of Zoology
St.Anthony’s College,
Shillong
Hyperloop transportation
Editor,
When I first heard of the “Hyperloop concept” in 2013, I was sceptical of its practicality. The Hyperloop concept appeared too futuristic and almost sounded like science fiction to me. But today the concept is getting wide attention in India, and is much closer to reality than people thought. We are hearing talks about deployment of this transportation system in India. Last heard, the company Hyperloop One (the company developing the Hyperloop technology) has chosen five routes for deployment of Hyperloop transport routes in india: Bengaluru – Chennai, Bengaluru – Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi – Mumbai, and Mumbai – Chennai via Bengaluru. And if the government approves, Hyper One will start its operation to build Hyperloop in India by 2021.
If we haven’t heard about it , Hyperloop is a driverless long-distance transportation system that operates by sending magnetically levitated and specially designed capsules or pods at high speed through a continuous steel tube maintained at partial vacuum (close to zero air). The concept was first floated by Elon Musk of SpaceX. It works on the basis of “electromagnetic theory”, which students are studying in their schools. Or to be precise it works on the principle of “magnetic levitation” in which magnetic field (magnetic force) keeps the pod floating in air and so without making contact with the ground, the pod is accelerated or decelerated along the tube using “induction motors”, a sort of motor that is basically the same like the one students are studying in schools. The pod has no wheels and no moving parts, and it glides in a nearly friction-free environment in a partial vacuum tube.
The Hyperloop differs from the high speed bullet train (which also works on the principle of magnetic levitation) in the existence of a near vacuum travel tube and in speed. A litany of tests showed that the Hyperloop can glide at an average speed of 970 kilometre per hour and a top speed of 1200 kilometre per hour, that is, “more than airline speed”. But is this futuristic transportation system feasible in India? Feasibility studies in India are going on and the answer should soon come forth. Nonetheless, costwise, it doesn’t appear prohibitive. It is estimated that the cost will be just a fraction of what the bullet train transportation system would cost. And on the security front, the issues are that of high speed and dependence on electric power. But to me, airline is not less insecure either. Anyway apprehensions do exist and criticisms flooding, but I believe that if approved, the Hyperloop will be a grand success in India, especially given the volume and the growth of the cash-rich businesses and business class in the mainland.
Yours etc.,
T Fightingstar L Mawlong
Via email