Call to stop illegal fishing in Pong lake

Our Correspondent

Nurpur, May 29

The Pong Dam Fisheries Association discussed the issue of illegal fishing in the Maharana Partap Sagar lake and poor government facilities being provided to the fisherman during a meeting that it convened last evening.

The association president, Jaswant Singh, said issues related to livelihood of around 2,500 families were discussed in the meeting. The president also raised the issue of illegal fishing by locals with undersized fishing nets in the Pong lake. He said the practice was rampant and, small and under grown fish were being caught with undersized nets. The government should issue directions to the fisheries department to stop illegal fishing in the lake, he demanded.

“Illegal fishing resulted in direct loss to the association members who have been paying royalty to the state exchequer every year,” Singh said.

He also said the state government hadn’t formulated any effective policy for the benefit of fishermen. “The accidental insurance cover provided by the state government to fishermen has failed to benefit families of those who died during fishing mishaps. “The government should intervene and provide hassle-free benefits to the beneficiaries,” he said.