Whereas the environmentalists and different organisations associated with wildlife conservation and protections were busy in taking pledge to work for environment protection and creating awareness among the people in society about protection of flora and fauna on the World Environment Day on Thursday, a huge number of fish were found killed by using some ‘poisonous substance’ in the Koshi river near Koshi barrage in Ramnagar on Thursday.
The fact of the matter is that despite ban on killing of fish in the entire Corbett landscape, this anti-wildlife activity came to light and that too on the Word Environment Day. This has also come as a cause of concern here for wildlife activists.
It is worth mentioning here that apart from ban on killing of fish, photography is also restricted in this Koshi barrage along the Koshi river belt. More so, since security force also remains present to guard the Koshi barrage, yet this incident took place, said A S Rawat, Koshi Range Officer, while talking to The Pioneer.
Among others, the Koshi Range Officer informed, fish belonging to the Mahasheer variety were found killed in this incident in the Koshi river.
“It seems the anti-social elements used some poisonous substance like the bleaching powder to kill the fish. The fact of the matter is that while the bleaching power kills the fish it is not harmful to people. Therefore, the bleaching powder must have been used in killing the fish,” he added.
It is also to note that among other natural tourist attractions, a wide variety of fishes in the Koshi and Ramganga rivers in this Corbett landscape of this Terai region plays a significant role in attracting tourists. “However, we have registered a case against unknown people under the appropriate sections of the wildlife protection act and further investigation is on,” added Rawat.