Meghalaya: The East Khasi Hills district administration has officially ruled out a blanket ban on Meghalaya’s highly popular, big-prize fishing competitions. Instead, the administration has introduced a strict, streamlined clearance process to prevent the severe traffic gridlocks and public nuisance that have recently plagued major transit routes.
The regulatory overhaul comes in the wake of public outrage following a chaotic angling event at Mawryngkneng. The massive gathering triggered a total shutdown of the National Highway, trapping commuters and emergency services for hours. In response, the administration served show-cause notices and registered police FIRs against the organizers for violating public safety terms.
Under the revised guidelines, organizers must now bypass the old practice of gathering separate No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the local Dorbar Shnong and the Block Development Officer (BDO). This has been replaced by a mandatory, comprehensive joint inspection conducted by a team of representatives from the police, civil administration, the Fisheries department, and local headmen, using a standardized template.
Furthermore, permissions will be denied if two events overlap in the same area. To curb extreme overcrowding and prevent the events from turning into gambling hubs, simultaneous "lucky draws" have been explicitly banned. Venues must also be positioned far from National Highways, with organizers held fully responsible for providing dedicated parking zones.
Explaining the rationale behind the strict rules, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal stated, “If there is going to be a fishing competition which is legal, we cannot outrightly ban it. But what we can do is try to ensure that public convenience is not compromised.”
The administration noted that the police are currently developing a system to stagger vehicular exits post-event, and warned that these safeguards will be continuously revised based on ground feedback.