Influentials grab 100 govt canals, cultivate fishes at Kotalipara

GOPALGANJ, June 25: Fish cultivation in more than 100 government canals of about 50 small and big beels (water bodies) in Kotalipara Upazila of the district is going on unabated.

Though it has been creating water-logging, damaging environment, halting waterway communication, and hampering agriculture, the local administration is playing a silent role.

According to field sources, an influential section is carrying out the fish  cultivation.

Anger has been created among locals because of overlooking role of the  administration.

Fishermen who are used to live on fishing in the open water bodies, and general people demanded freeing the occupied canals in quick steps.

The grabbed canals belong to Ramnagar Beel, Rathiarparh Beel, Machhparar Beel, Kumuria Beel, Boikomtha Beel, Lokhondar Beel, Mushuriar Beel, Pirarbari Beel, Polotana Beel, Dhoral Beel, Chithliar Beel, Pahwim Digholiar Beel, Purbapara Beel, Chitrapara-Shuagram Beel, Saturiar Beel, Kandi Beel, Ashutiar Beel, Polshail Beel, Barshapara Beel, Chhatrakanda Beel, Chatkhalir Beel, Deopur Beel, Sonakhali Beel, Fulbari Beel, Konerbari Beel, Bahaltali Beel, Chatkhalir Beel, Tariail Beel, Gopalpur Beel, Chargopalpur Beel, Goutmera Beel, Machartara Beel, Gozalia Beel, Talpukuria Beel, Hijalbari Beel, Tarakandar Beel, Kunjabon Beel, and Parkona Beel.

A recent visit found reckless fish farming in these canals.

Parash Sikdar of Bahaltali Village is farming fishes in Deopur Khal (canal) at Pinjuri Union in the upazila; Union Member Layek Sheikh is farming fishes in Kumalabati Khal of Sonakhali Beel; Nirmal Majji is farming fishes in Tarial Khal of Tarail Beel; Yusuf Ali Daria is farming fishes in Fulbari Khal; Mujibur Sheikh is farming fishes in Konerbari Khal; and Bipul Baroi is farming fishes in Kunjabon Khal.

They are not allowing professional fishermen to catch fishes in these canals and water bodies. The genuine fishers are passing days in hardship.

A fisher of Gozalia Village Suresh Majji Baroi said, "Earlier we would catch fishes from canals and beels and sell in local haats and bazaars; our families would run on fishing; now we no longer catch fishes in these water bodies; we have turned workless."

President of Local Fish and Bio-diversity Protection Committee Nazrul Islam Hazra Monnu said, fish farming is taking place in over 100 small and big canals in the upazila; due to this local fishes and biodiversity are getting damaged; and boat movements are halted.

"We demand freeing these grabbed canals following maps of the beels," he   added.

When asked about grabbing the canals in the name of fishing, grabbers declined to make any comment.