Newmai News Network
Shillong | September 29
The Wah Rilang Fishing Association (WRFA) has become a godsend to the people residing in areas close to the Rilang River in South West Khasi (SWKH) district.
In spite of having done a lot to revive aquatic life in this river, the WRFA admitted that it needs the active cooperation from one and all to ensure that it is able to carry on with its work.
“If we don’t have the cooperation of all the villagers, we will not be able to control the destructive forces and the people with ill intent who want to destroy aquatic life for their own benefit,” the Advisor of the WRFA, YG Lyngdoh said during an awareness program on September 28.
Highlighting the efforts of the WRFA to revive aquatic life in the river and also preserve it, Lyngdoh said that without these efforts, the people would have been hard pressed to find even small fish in the river today. “Now we can once again see big fish in this river,” he added.
Stating that there are many people with ulterior motives who are hell bent against the work of the WRFA, Lyngdoh said, “The cooperation of the people from villages near the Rilang river will result in our children learning the value of the life in this river which will in turn help in spreading awareness about the necessity to value the gifts of nature.”
This gains greater significance when taking into account that the Rilang river sees a significant tourist footfall.
The myntri of Mawranglang village meanwhile explained that the WRFA was formed with the intention of preserving aquatic life all along the Rilang river. “I urge all the people in the villages along the river to join hands with the WRFA and help it in preventing people from destroying this lifeline of the area by using chemicals for fishing activities,” he said.
The event culminated in a fishing competition which was won by PK Sohphoh.
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