Many youngsters are using explosives for fishing purposes in rivers, especially in the Deukhuri area. It has become a daily routine for youngsters coming from different places to use explosives in the Rapti River. The fishing crowd is the biggest on Saturdays. [break]
Amar Chaudhary of Satbariya, Dang, lives in his house located close to the riverbanks. “The explosion is sometimes so loud that it can be heard all across the village,” he said.
Chaudhary added that Satbariya locals had recently banned fishing in the area. But the fishing crowd resorted to bombing the river at night, after which locals relaxed the ban.
“Sometimes they even use poison for fishing,” Chaudhary said, adding, “Who´d listen to us?”
Local administration said action has not been taken so far as it does not have clear information about bombing and poisoning in the river. Krishna Kumar Sharma, the chief of Lamahi Area Police Office, said action can be taken if a formal complaint is filed with police.
Sharma said locals have to take initiative to stop the practice. “If they cannot stop it then they should seek our help,” he said.
The law prohibits using explosives or poison for fishing purposes, he added.
Fishes in the river is also a source of livelihood for locals. The use of poison and explosives destroys the aquatic habitat and also kills fingerlings.
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