RPF decides to ban fish import from 2024
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 14 2022: The proscribed RPF has decided to ban import of certain varieties of fish from India with effect from October 15, 2024 .

According to a press release issued by the outfit's Publicity Deputy Secretary Roben Khuman, import of catla, mrigal, grass carp, scale carp/common carp, rohu, silver carp and tilapia (tunghanbi) from different States of India to Manipur would be banned after two years.

The main objectives of the new initiative are making Manipur self-reliant in fish production and augmentation of the State's economy, the outfit said.

The new move is also aimed at protecting public health from the risks posed by consuming chemically treated fishes which are imported from different parts of India, it claimed.

The outfit appealed to all the people who are dealing in imported fishes to continue their trade by procuring fishes from the fish farms or fish farmers of the State after October 15, 2024 .

In the past, Manipur was not only self-reliant in agricultural produces but also exported surplus products to neighbouring countries.

However, Manipur was reduced to the status of a dependent economy after it was allegedly annexed by India.

Now a handful of non-local traders have taken complete control of the State's economic dynamics, it said.

After abolishing all the production bases and capitals of Manipur, the Government of India has transformed Manipur into their captive market, it continued.

The State's economy, particularly paddy production suffered a paralysing blow after the Ithai Barrage was constructed across Manipur River as a part of the Loktak Project which submerged over 80,000 hectares of paddy fields.

After the natural course of Manipur River was blocked by Ithai Barrage, huge quantities of fish which used to migrate to Manipur from Chindwin-Irrawady river system of Myanmar stopped their seasonal migration.

As a result, around 12 varieties of fishes which were found abundantly in the State vanished and it severely affected the State's economy.

Before the establishment of Loktak Project, Manipur had abundant fish resources.

As per a survey report, there were around 500 lakes/wetlands in Manipur valley in the early part of the 20th century.

The number of wetlands/lakes declined drastically to just around 55 in the 1950s.There are now just 17 lakes and two ex-bow lakes.

Modernisation projects taken up by the Government of India were mainly responsible for the disappearance of such a large number of lakes, it said.

Saying that around Rs 300 crore is spent annually in importing fishes from outside the State, the outfit alleged that whatever money invested by India through its right hand is taken back through the left hand.

The basic idea behind the proposed ban on importing fishes is keeping the huge amount of Rs 300 crore within the State, it said.

Noting that almost all commodities of daily requirement are imported from India, the outfit maintained that the State has enough potential to produce enough fish not only for the State's consumption but also for export even though Manipur cannot be self-reliant in other commodities at present.

Apart from the fast rising number of fish farms, the 80,000 hectares of paddy fields submerged by Ithai Barrage can be converted into fish farms, it said.

As fish is a daily diet for the people of Manipur, treatment of imported fishes with formalin (formaldehyde) is a matter of grave concern.

Formaldehyde can cause different kinds of health problems, the outfit continued.

It went on to claim that the State's unemployed youth can capitalise on the ban on importing fishes to groom a healthy work culture.

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