Rehabilitate affected fishermen around Deepor Beel

Standing committee asks Fishery Department

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Departmentally Related Standing Committee (DRSC) of the Assam Legislative Assembly has asked the Fishery Department to rehabilitate the families whose livelihood has been affected after 4.10 sq km of Deepor Beel was declared as wildlife sanctuary.

The committee submitted its report during the recently-concluded budget session of the Legislative Assembly. The committee, in its report, said that there were 14 villages (1,200 families) around Deepor Beel Wetland. Most of these families are directly or indirectly dependent on Deepor Beel for their livelihood. More than 850 economically weak families belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) are entirely dependant on fishing at Deepor Beel for their livelihood. But, due to declaration of an area of 4.10 sq km out of the total area of the Deepor Beel as Wildlife Sanctuary, it has led to conflict of interest among various government departments and due to lack of a conflict resolution mechanism, fishermen are losing their livelihood.

The committee opined that as the Assam Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd. (AFDC Ltd) was the only management authority of the Deepor Beel, the rest of the part of Deepor Beel could be handed over to the AFDC Ltd. by the government for development and management so that the Corporation could take alternative measures of rehabilitation, food and nutrition and security of the fishermen around Deepor Beel by introducing modern practices of aquaculture and development activities.

The committee also recommended the AFDC Ltd. to prepare a master plan for restoration of environment and ecology of the Deepor Beel and water retention to keep the operational area of fish, wild birds and animals along with the economic uplift of fishermen.

Deepor Beel is a freshwater lake located on the outskirts of Guwahati city. It is also listed as a Ramsar site. People living in villages near Deepor Beel mostly depend on fishing for their livelihood.

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