SHILLONG: There is something fishy in the fishing competitions organized in villages in Khasi-Jaintia Hills offering big prize money!
Concerned over the already poor villagers becoming poorer as they have to shell out high entry fees, the KHADC has decided to regulate such angling competitions under Hima , Raid and Village levels.
The rate is being imposed per fishing rod is Rs 1,000 for the competition. First, second and third prize winners are offered Rs 5 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh as prize money. Besides organizers dole out several consolation prizes involving thousands of rupees.
According to KHADC chief P N Syiem, very often the poor fishermen who spend huge sum of money in terms of entry fees go for fishing after getting attracted by the high prize money, but at the end, majority of them return empty handed.
“We need to regulate this so that this sort of addiction will not affect the poor families,” Syiem said.
He also added that only a few people will benefit from this sort of fishing competitions.
The KHADC chief also revealed another anomaly of leasing out rivers under Hima. Raid and Villages to certain individuals from outside, which according to him needs to be checked. “Ultimately, only certain individuals will benefit from the fish available in the ponds which have already been leased out”, Syiem added.
According to Syiem, this practice will deprive the actual beneficiaries of the benefits which would have enjoyed by them if the ponds were not leased out.
