MAWKYRWAT: Rampant killing of fish has surfaced in rivers of South West Khasi Hills as people, after Prime Minster Narendra Modi ordered 21 days of lockdown, resorted to spending time in the forests hunting innocent creatures.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, some elderly people, who wished no to be named, informed that there was mass and indiscriminate killing of fish at Rilang River from Rangthong area downstream, wherein people use poisonous chemical as well fish net and even explosives.
They also informed that many villagers from both sides of the river spend four to five days in the Rilang river engaged in killing the fishes using extreme means. “However, there are some responsible persons who spend the same number of days in the river for fishing but only use a fishing rod,” the villagers added.
The villages that are located near the Rilang river include Rangthong, Rangjadong, Mawlieh, Mawlar, Kensim Phlang and Ngunraw village on one side, while Mariem, Mawjarain, Phlangmawpra, Mawphansaw, Mawmluh and other villages on the other.
“The lockdown has become an enemy of fishes in many rivers and streams of South West Khasi Hills. If the district administration does not do anything in this regard, the population of the ‘khasaw’ (chocolate mahseer) and other fish will be threatened and a time may also come when they will be extinct,” they said, adding that the government should ban the selling of ‘tutia’ (some kind of poisonous chemical), which people can access easily.
Some people of Ranikor area also informed that there was a mass death of fish at the big Kynshi river in Ranikor area in the last week of March.
It is suspected that some unscrupulous people have poured excessive poisonous chemical in the river which killed the fishes.
Moreover, people of Umpung area also informed that in March, people from the area found many dead fishes in the Umngi river. It is believed that many are involved in illegal fishing in the river, especially using nets, from Thwei Skud upstream.
