Source: Hueiyen News Service / Dr Romen
Bishnupur, December 05 2009:
Even though the Wild Life Protection Act 1972 is in force in the state too banning hunting and catching of wild animals and wild fowls, still people residing in the surrounding areas of the Loktak Lake are catching migratory birth arriving in the lake with the onset of winters without any restriction.
When, this Hueiyen Lanpao correspondent visited some villages around the Loktak Lake- Oinam, Naorem, Toubul, Khoijuman etc.- many villagers were found catching migratory birds from the lake areas with traps and other means.
With the onset of winters as usual many migratory birds started flocking in the lake.
According to a villager who engaged in catching and selling these wild birds started arriving in the lake since the early part of November.
Birds which are locally known as Lam Nganu, Urok, Eshing Poromchaibi, Nganu Surit, Umu etc.
arrived in groups with the onset of winter like every year this season too.
Villagers caught them in night time as well as in the day time using traps and other catching equipments.
But they are easy in catching at the night time, according to the villager.
They can earn more than Rs 1000 per day by selling the birds.
As they could get easy income from the activities, most of the villagers were found attracting in the work.
The villager said that he himself had earned around Rs 10,000 by selling birds since the beginning of catching from November first week.
He sold Rs 50 to Rs 300 per bird which the rate per bird fixed by the size of the fowl.
Among the wild fowls, Nganu Sarit and Eshing Porom have more demand as they were most delicious.
Ministers and government officers were also among most demanded group of buyers of these two fowls.
Hotels at Moirang Bazar and liquor venders also demanded these fowls.