Concern over destruction of aquatic creatures in river Barak in Assam

KARIMGANJ (ASSAM): Environmentalist have expressed concern over the way aquatic creatures and their habitats are being destroyed in the upper reaches of river Barak in southern Assam.

Prominent nature conservation NGO Society for Activists for Forest and Environment (SAFE) has pointed out that "a terrible phenomenon is claiming the lives of various species in the river".

The tribals living on both banks of Barak have developed the harmful practice of blasting small gelatin sticks smuggled from Mizoram in the river to catch fish, the organisation's general secretary Jishnu Dutta claimed.

"Quite disturbing is the movement of a group of fishermen from the Son beel area of Hailakandi during September annually to camp at Narraindahar close to the area of blasting operation and stay there till April", he said.

They use huge nets with extremely narrow holes to catch the fish playing havoc with the survival of the aquatic creatures, Dutta alleged in a memorandum to the authorities.

In the process, he said thousands of fish both young and matured along with turtles, dolphins and other aquatic life organisms were becoming victim of merciless killing.

In a memorandum addressed to the Cachar District Fishery Officer with copies to the Deputy Commissioner, Conservator of Forest and other concerned officers, SAFE pointed out that a terrible phenomena was claiming the lives of various species in the river.