Recently, the Fisheries department and district administration initiated a fantastic and welcome project of river ranching to restore the delicate aquatic life of Namchucha River, close to Namsang Village, one of the major tributaries of Chatjo River.

The majority of the rivers and streams in the Tirap district are now devoid of any fish or other aquatic life as a result of electrocution (the use of batteries to catch fish). The widespread use of batteries has had a negative impact on every body of water.

Creation of mass awareness on the destructive and harmful effect of electrocution needs to be carried out more vigorously. Villagers may constitute volunteers to keep vigil and catch the defaulters and hand over them to the Police. Some people use battery even during the breeding season.

Local people should be encouraged to practise traditional methods of fishing like Ngah chaen or Jochaen, Haptang, Longphongtuuk or Longtak etc which are eco-friendly and sustainable. During the 60s, 70s and even 80s, our rivers were teeming with fishes of all shapes and sizes. But rampant use of battery has dwindled or annihilated the fish population.

Here, more than the administration and concerned department, CBOs, NGOs, village elders, Panchayat Members and student leaders should contribute their mite to prevent the people from using destructive modes of fishing.

Stringent punishment be given to those who are found indulging in such crimes. In many other districts, the villagers themselves have banned fishing. They use only traditional methodologies of catching fish.

Fishing during breeding season must be banned. We need a pragmatic approach to save our rivers. Heavy fines may be imposed on those who use bsttery. We must understand that unlike Kameng, Lohit, Siang and Subansiri rivers which are snow-fed, our rivers are rain-fed.

They dry up during the winter and rampant extraction of boulders, gravels and sands are not helping the cause of safeguarding our rivers at all. Anyway, river ranching is a small step forward towards replenishing and enriching our rivers. But a lot remains to be done.

Even during this mating season, battery usage is rampant near Chatjo River in Tirap district. We always eagerly await the Longphongtuk (traditional mode of fishing) season, but if battery consumption keeps up its current rate, there won’t be any fish left in the Chatjo River.

Please design measures to stop this threat, youth leaders. It is possible to impose severe fines on offenders who are discovered. Before it’s too late, this problem might be treated with more attention.

(This story has not been edited by Bharat Express staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)