By Dr Huidrom Romen
BISHNUPUR, June 24: A large number of fishes died after the over flowing water from the river resulting from incessant rainfall for two days which find their way into various fish farms became putrid in Shantipur Village under Wangoi Police Station, Imphal West.
After the damming of Naoremkhong, muddy and putrid water overflowed at Waisel Maril and found their way into the fish farms resulting in the death of numerous numbers of fishes.
According to 34 year old Thoudam Bikram from Shantipur Mayai Leikai who was the first to encounter the death of massive number of fishes, his fish farm had faced the problem three days ago.
After coming across fishes weighing 2-3 Kgs floating lifeless in the early morning, he took various precautionary measures but to no avail. Till date, almost half the fishes in his farm have perished. However, not all the fishes were killed owing to the tireless preventive measures of the villagers.
The income from his one hectare fish farm on a non-cultivable marshy area financially supports his family of seven. The rupees two lakhs he earns per year from the farm sends his children to school.
However, the fishes which were to fetch rupees 200 per Kg won’t sell for rupees 20 now as they are dead. Under the circumstances, the future looks bleak, he said.
He has appealed the Fishery Department and other concerned authorities to look into the matter and save them from their woes.
The over flowing water has resulted in the loss of 200-400 Kgs of fish per household. This has spread to other nearby villages: Kokchai in Imphal West and Wanhengkhuman and Ishok in Bishnupur.
L Suranjoy, secretary of People’s Resource Development Association and members of Shamusang Shantipur Village Committee inspected the area and shared the sufferings of the affected villagers.
Suranjoy has urged the concerned authorities to set up health camps as there were cases of water borne diseases in the area and also to take necessary measures to mitigate the problems of the people.