Guwahati, Jan 9: Ahead of Magh Bihu, a prohibitory order has been issued banning the assembly of over five persons in and around Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary for community fishing.
The order, which will remain in force till January 31, 2024, has been issued as a preventive measure to protect the wildlife and ecosystem of the wildlife sanctuary, which is Assam’s only Ramsar site.
The order issued by the deputy commissioner of police (DCP), West Guwahati Police District, came in the wake of concerns raised by the Divisional Forest Officer, Guwahati Wildlife Division, that some people from villages around and adjoining Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary such as Keotpara, Mikipara, Paspara, Azara and Teteliya, in tandem with people from various fringe parts of Guwahati are likely to venture out to organise community fishing in the wildlife sanctuary.
“Such venture (assembly of more than five persons for community fishing) is absolutely illegal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which will also cause irreparable as well as irretrievable damage to the ecosystem of the sanctuary as presented by the Divisional Forest Officer, Guwahati Wildlife Division Guwahati,” the order issued under Section 144 of CrPC, read.
Executive magistrates on duty, forest officials on duty and police personnel duty have been exempted from the prohibitory order.
“Any person aggrieved by this order is, however, at liberty to appear before me for filing a written objection, if any, for cancellation and modification of the order,” DCP, West Guwahati Police District, Padmanabh Baruah stated.
Notably, over the years, people from the fringe areas of Deepor Beel have been practicing community fishing, especially in the run-up to Magh Bihu, even as the district administration has time and again prohibited community fishing to prevent over-exploitation of the wetland located on the south-western edge of Guwahati.
