Arunachal: Fishing in Siang river around DEWS by electrocution intercepted
wrong doer threatens wildlife staff
Pasighat ( By- Maksam Tayeng ) The patrolling team of Borguli Wildlife Range under D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary ( DEWS ) here had intercepted a group of villagers carrying out illegal fishing in the Siang river around the sanctuary by electrocution (using inverter and battery) from Seram village under Mebo Sub-Division on Tuesday evening and the seized items were handed over to the Gaon Burah of Seram village.
As per departmental sources, there were three groups of people in three separate country boats fishing around in the Siang river in and around the Sanctuary by using banned means of fishing method of electrocution, by using inverter and battery.
While one party which was away from the sanctuary was let off with a warning not to repeat, but among the other two parties one group slipped off from the staff but another group was intercepted and their inverter and battery were seized.
However, the Range Officer Borguli Wildlife Range handed over the seized items to the Gaon Burah of Seram village for action as per village rule instead of taking action from department’s side or by handing over the matter to the police.
Hence sensing the soft approach of the department, one of the person involved in the illegal means of fishing threatened one of the staff of dire consequences.
“One of the person called me at night on Tuesday itself and warned me of dire consequences for acting strong against the illegal fishers in seizing their inverter and battery though no tough actions were initiated against them so far”, said Apuram Sisam one of the dedicated staff of DEWS who was instrumental in unmasking and arresting of one of the departmental staff who had been having connivance with hunters and doing hunting inside the sanctuary.
Though an undertaking was taken from the one who threatened the staff not to repeat the illegalities and apologized for the threat call, he is said to have revenge in personal level, added Sisam seemingly very sad who called on to DFO Wildlife Tasang Taga today along with his wife to narrate the sad tales and sought for his transfer from the range.
Staffs like Sisam and others who are serious in duties are appealing the Divisional Forest Officer, DEWS including PCCF Wildlife cum Chief Wildlife Warden, Itanagar to back up and stand with the performing ground patrolling staffs as performing serious duties these days in the lines of duty to protect flora & fauna of the Sanctuary have now become a curse for them.
Due to soft approach and non support of senior staff, many field staffs are also morally getting discouraged as most of the departmental officials and staffs are preferring not to commit to duties where more enemies are likely to be created and rather they prefer to just carry out normal soft duties and wait for salaries.
