Forest dept to encourage pisciculture inside villages to reduce man-tiger conflict

Kolkata: In a sincere bid to reduce human-tiger conflict in the Sunderbans that have witnessed an increase during the Covid pandemic situation, the Forest department is encouraging pisciculture inside the villages of Sunderbans.

The department is hopeful that this will dissuade the fisher folks to venture in the core area of the forest for catching fishes and crabs.

State Forest minister Rajib Banerjee who will be visiting Sunderbans on Monday will distribute fingerlings among the people to encourage fish cultivation in village ponds.

"We have already started the initiative to take up fish cultivation at a number of places under Sunderban Tiger Reserve which includes 12 places under Basirhat range, 9 places under Sajnekhali range, and 5 places under the Bidya range," said a senior official of the department.

Around 520 ponds in 20 areas under Joint Forest Management Committees' (JFMC)have been made suitable for pisciculture. Fingerlings of Rohu, Katla, Mrigel and Bata variety will be released in these ponds.

The WWF has extended support to the state Forest department in conceiving this project.

"We have taken a number of initiatives to curb human tiger conflict. We have collaborated with SHER to distribute portable LPG cylinders to the license holding and law abiding fishermen," said Tapas Das, Field Director of Sunderban Tiger Reserve .

The fishermen can carry these cylinders for cooking while they go in the buffer area for fishing. This will enable them to cook in their boats without feeling the necessity to get down on forest land for collection of firewood for cooking.

There have been reports of 13 deaths in tiger attack from April till date among whom 10 persons had no legal permission to go for fishing and had illegally ventured in the creeks. As per rules only those people who have the legal permit for fishing, if killed in tiger attacks their family members are entitled to get compensation.