Illegal fishing continues in Nallah Sindh, trout habitat damaged

Ganderbal, Oct 8: Illegal fishing is going on unabated in Nallah Sindh here in Ganderbal district.

The Nallah Sindh is the natural habitat of trout and various other fish.

The fish are being caught illegally in Nallah Sindh in various areas, particularly from Wayil to Sonamarg stretch, and some persons are allegedly using hazardous chemicals to kill the fish.

Sources said that the people are using bleach powder and sometimes electric current to kill the fish.

They said that the use of chemicals for killing fish was causing extensive damage to the ecology and habitat of the trout fish in Sindh.

In a recent such incident, a large number of fish died after some miscreants used bleaching powder near the Sumbal area.

“The people are also using bleach powder to kill the fish which is proving disastrous for the water bodies. The fish production in Sindh has decreased alarmingly due to the excessive use of chemicals.” a local said. “As the flow of water is comparatively less, miscreants are using bleaching powder and other means for fishing in the Nallah Sindh and the Fisheries Department is not visible anywhere.”

The locals said that the bleach powder was mostly available with the PHE Department.

However, it is surprising that these miscreants manage to get the chemical powder.

“By using these illegal means to catch the fish, the miscreants not only are violating the norms but playing with the lives of humans and animals by polluting water,” he said.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Assistant Director Fisheries, Ganderbal, Salman Rouf assured action against the miscreants involved in the illegal practice of killing fish.

“Our field staff is on the job to stop this illegal practice and I assure you that anyone found involved in this illegal practice will be dealt with under the law,” Rouf said. “We have directed our field staff to check and stop this illegal practice of fishing in Nallah Sindh or anywhere and whosoever will be found indulging in this illegal practice will be dealt with.”

About the recent incident, he said that an inquiry had been initiated and Police had been requested to trace out the miscreants involved.