Pugmarks In Palamau by Sangam Lahiry

Author:Sangam Lahiry [Lahiry, Sangam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789381115640
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd

AN ENCOUNTER WITH EXTREMISTS

Auranga River

Palamau, a drought-prone area, faces tremendous scarcity of water during May-June, just before the first monsoon showers. About four kilometers east of village Betla is Kamaldih Lake. It is said to have been built by Raja Medini Rai, the tribal king. It is situated in the more dense zone of Betla Compartment No.1, which is a Reserved Forest within the Sanctuary. Over the years, the forest department has strengthened the main earthen dam axis so that water can be kept impounded for a longer period – mainly for the benefit of the wild animals such as Elephant, Bison, Chital, Wild Dog, as well as some migratory birds. Due to inadequate rainfall in this region, the lake keeps drying up quickly and the beautiful, sprawling Kamal weeds which grow in the lake and are disappearing. Four years before, we had introduced about 40,000 fingerlings of various fish species such as Katla, Rohu, Mirgal, Common Cray etc., through the Fisheries Department.

Due to rapid water evaporation and some minor seepage, the water level had reduced so much that the very existence of the fish was in danger. It was at this stage that we decided that the fish, some of which weighed about 14 kgs, should be auctioned off to avoid theft and pilferage by nearby villagers. The Chief Wildlife Warden, Bihar, the competent authority, gave his concurrence to the proposal. The auction was held at the lake, after wide publicity. The lowest bidder, a local man named Maqbool Mian, was given permission to take out the fish within three days, between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., using nets. Whatever he obtained within the stipulated period would be weighed in front of the Assistant Conservator of Forests (me), and the payment would then be made to the Range Officer of Forests, Rajendra Prasad Singh, on the spot, at the rate of Rs.15 per kilo. Fish weighing less than one kilo would be released back into the lake under the supervision of the Forest Staff. All other provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, would be enforced during the operation by the Forest Staff. All these conditions were put down in black and white.

Maqbool Mian, the lowest bidder, owned a small betal shop at Betla and did not have the resources to sell large fish either at Daltonganj or Ranchi. However, he tactfully managed to get the help of a local Muslim truck owner, Md. Khurshid Alam, to keep away the other fish traders of Daltonganj from taking part in the auction, either through persuasion or coercion.

On the first day, some time was wasted in cleaning the weeds but by 2 p.m. about 240 kilos of fish was netted by professional fishermen brought specially for the purpose by Maqbool Mian. Payment was made on the spot and the Forest Guards posted nearby were instructed that nobody should enter the lake after 2 p.m. The first day’s catch was brought to Betla and a part of it was sold locally; the major part was sent on to Daltonganj in the evening to be sold at a higher price.

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