Concern over depleting population of electric eel

From a Correspondent

Boko, December 7: Electric eel is rare in Assam but in Garo-inhabited areas of Assam, one can see electric eels for sale in the village market around 3-4 times a year.

In Garo language, electric eel is famous as ‘nil’, which is found in the River Belsing, Rang Seng (Gizang) and Sree (Kalahi river in plain). It is mostly seen near Matha Phuta, Ukium and Garo hills. Though it is a delicious fish for them and also for people of other tribes, they have had some bitter experiences and there are many stories among them in which this ‘nil’ has killed women in the area and injured many others. So, they do not try to catch the electric eel in the river but when it comes out of the river to eat bamboo shoot, they lay the trap with sand, saw dust or paddy dust.

But in South Kamrup, smugglers are destroying the tural resources in the forest area due to which many species of fish and silk moth are vanishing. “Earlier in this area we could see silk moths frequently but nowadays they are rarely found.  If the government does not take steps to preserve the forest resources, they situation will become worse in the next few years,” said ture lovers.