Local vegetables becoming rare in villages; indigenous fish disappearing

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT: In an interesting situation, while the local markets in Assam continue to sell greens like dhekia (fiddlehead fern), kolmou, brahmi, 8 narsingha, madhu soleng, masandari, jilmil, bhedailota, dahikachu, among others, such forest produce has become rare in the villages. The people of Assam seem to be fast forgetting the taste of traditional pairings of local greens and fish. Nevertheless, many in Assam have bypassed the clutches of modernity and cultivate traditional greens at home in small kitchen gardens and enjoy their taste with fish.

Greens such as puroi, manimuni, madhu soleng, kolpachola, dahikachu, man kachu, ol kochu, tita bhekuri, and bahgaj, which were once commonly found in villages, are now scarce. A drastic change in dietary habits has negatively affected the health of Assamese people, contributing to the rise of previously unknown illnesses. Researchers emphasize the importance of including leafy greens and vegetables in daily meals, since they have medicinal values.

From soriyoh xaak or dhekia xaak stir-fried, bengena pora (roasted eggplant), masandari xaak with dori kona or moua maas, brahmi xaak fried in cow ghee, pudina leaves, thekera or raw mango chutneys, to light broths made with paleng (spinach) and bhedailota, and sour curries with jiya maas (live small fish) and chuwa xaak, the combinations are both therapeutic and delicious. Sour curries with dhekia xaak and fish, or kumolia mula (tender radish) with guti kachu (young taro root), and dishes made with kol dil (banana flower), new jatilao (young bottle gourd), and tomatoes paired with larger fish, are slowly fading from Assamese households.

Despite nearly 87.10% of Assam’s 30 million population residing in villages (with only 12.90% in urban areas), and a population density of 340 people per sq km (compared to the national average of 325), the traditional food practices are declining. Around 75% of the people in Assam depend on agriculture, and 69.8% of the workforce is engaged in farming. Even though the state has 9.4% of its cultivable land growing bananas, 16.3% betel nuts, 28.4% betel leaves, and 1.5% chilies, the cultivation of traditional greens is insufficient when compared to cash crops like potatoes and cabbage.

Whether the future generation will get to experience the taste of fish curries paired with madhu soleng remains a million-rupee question. However, there are still rural households that buy only salt from the market, relying otherwise on homegrown and local ingredients. Maintaining a disease-free body through household food items and greens is much more effective than relying solely on medicines from the market.

That’s why we must introduce our younger generations to these traditional dishes and ensure they taste and appreciate the flavour and health benefits of home-cooked meals. If children grow up relishing meals lovingly prepared by their mothers, then the Assamese culinary heritage can thrive through generations. These food pairings have been immortalized by literary figures like Lakshminath Bezbaroa, in works like ‘Kripabar Barua’s Will,’ passed on to us like a legacy.

Assamese people are also fast forgetting the taste of indigenous fish. Though 216 species of fish have been identified in Assam, over 50 are on the path to extinction. Fish such as chengeli, gagal, bheu, mali, garua, lachin, korti, bhedki, kankila, kekra, lalua, shingra, chakriputhi, kaniputhi, bheseli, bordowa, shelkona, bitha, jonga pithia, kholihona, gangatop, korang, and kurkuri are now rare in the state’s water bodies. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), three species of fish in Assam are critically endangered, 26 endangered, and 47 vulnerable.

The state needs at least 9,000 quintals of fish daily. Assam has 3.5 million hectares of water-covered land, including 4,820 km of rivers, 100,817 hectares of beels (wetlands), 0.10 lakh hectares of reservoirs and abandoned waters, 5,017 hectares of beels within forest areas, and 61,718 hectares of private and government ponds. However, Assam still falls short by over 100,000 tons of fish annually. To make up for this, the state treasury spends over Rs 100 crore every year to procure fish from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, and other states.

According to Assam’s Fisheries Policy of 1953, fish conservation, reproduction, and increased production in natural water bodies are mandated. The use of nets or any method of fishing is banned from April 1 to July 15, which is the breeding season. Catching egg-bearing fish is completely prohibited from May 1 to July 15. Fishing during this season is legally punishable, but in reality, such fish are openly sold in markets. There are no examples of buyers or sellers being punished under the Fisheries Act in Assam.

Fishing activities in public water bodies continue freely with little enforcement. Due to a lack of public awareness, these violations go unchecked. Though egg-bearing fish are being killed, authorities have failed to apprehend the culprits. Experts warn that if we do not act now to preserve native fish species, they may soon vanish. Rapid population growth has led people to build homes over natural fish habitats like wetlands. Simultaneously, indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture has been causing mass destruction of local fish species. The invasion of foreign fish varieties has also contributed to their extinction.

All concerned sectors expect the fisheries department to take serious and effective steps toward preserving Assam’s native fish varieties.

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