Mahakalapara: Fishermen under this block of Kendrapara district are witnessing a sharp decline in fish catch due to discharge of toxic effluents into Mahanadi and other rivers by the industrial firms in Paradip. Toxic river water has also posed threat to the survival of other aquatic creatures in the water bodies. It has severely impacted the fishermen in this block leaving them worried as they are failing to get good catch. Traditional fishermen under this block earn their living from catching indigenous varieties of fish from these rivers.
However, with the river water slowly turning toxic, they are starting to feel the pinch. This has pushed them into distress as they ponder over the uncertainty that lies ahead. Their livelihood has been severely hit due to a sharp drop in fish population. They continue to spread their nets in the rivers but fail to catch the fish of their choice. Earlier, fish varieties like Hilsa, Bhekta (Potei), Kani fish, tiger prawns and freshwater prawns were found in abundance in these rivers but their population has dwindled due to discharge of toxic effluents by the industrial firms. The effluents are snapping the lives of these aquatic creatures and hindering their growth. The local fishermen used to go in their boats and spread their nets in a 15-km stretch from Mahanadi river mouth to Chaumuhani to catch fish which were once found in abundance. This helped them earn around Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 daily to meet the expenses of their family.
However, with fish catch dwindling they are finding it difficult to get back the money they invest in catching fish from the river, some fisherman said. The fishermen are not alone. Locals are also feeling the pinch. Earlier, they used to spread nets or put up their snare to catch fish from farmlands, nullahs and rivulets but it has become a dream for them to get fish with the river water turning toxic.
Senior citizens Dinabandhu Rout, Dibakar Gochhayat and Hari Das said fishing from river and sea was their mainstay when they would face crop loss due to floods and drought. The fish used to support them and their families during such crises, they said. The local people used to catch fish by angling or by putting up snares. A Bhekta or Khanga would then weigh from 5 kg to 10 kg. However, since the industrial plants have started discharging their effluents into the rivers, fish are slowly gradually vanishing from the river, they added.