Hazelnut a threat to pisciculture

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 27 OCT: Hazelnut cultivation on wetland earmarked as fishery by the state government could lead to a breach in law and order situation in Chanchal sub-division in Malda district.

Wetlands leased out for fishery development to local co-operatives and fishermen are being illegally sublet to traders for hazelnut cultivation against kickbacks.

Pisci-culture and the small time fishermen who are cooperative members are being ignored in the process.

Under the circumstances, resentment is brewing and could explode any day.

The administration had to recently deploy the police to quell a clash between two groups over the right of wetlands and hazelnut cultivation in Harishchandrapur where even the people's representatives including panchayat members were involved in the trade as stakeholders. Commenting on the situation, the Chanchal SDO Mr S Mukherjee said: “The situation is under control but rear up in other areas of Harishchandrapur block where people are interested to cultivate hazelnut for more profit ignoring pisciculture.”

A number of businessmen have grabbed many government wetlands in Harishchandrapur where the common people used to use those for multiple purposes. The people are being prevented from using the wetlands for their daily chores and that is turning the situation complex.

The fisheries department is also suffering directly from the development as pisciculture has been hampered seriously.

“The department could not develop integrated fish cum hazelnut cultivation in the region to make up for the shortfall in fish production in the government controlled wetlands,” lamented a fishery department official.