MARGAO: It is indeed quite ironic that the authorities are promoting hybrid varieties for farmers to rake in money even though it is proven to be detrimental to the local species of animals and plants and what is most shocking is that the Biodiversity Management Committees meant to preserve the local biodiversity, is left a mere spectator.
As the summer is fast approaching and most villages in Goa harvest fresh water fish that grows in abundance in its water bodies. However, the age old fish species that were found in these water bodies are now becoming extinct thanks to the government promoting hybrid varieties.
Gone are the days when fresh water shrimp called poting used to be found in abundance. Today poting is a delicacy very rarely found.
Various other fish is no longer found. There was a time when Tigur and Sangtam were found in abundance in the fresh water ponds and catching them was an experience in itself. Many households used to prepare Goa’s famous parra out of these fish. But alas, these fish are found very rarely nowadays.
Kadduam is another fish that has literally become extinct. Even the middle aged Goans will remember the sukhem prepared of kadduam and how delicious it used to be. Similarly the dhaddios are no longer to be found.
Pintol a variety of fish is practically extinct as it has not been seen for quite some time and so is the case of chikale another delicacy of yesteryears.
Locals claim that the depletion of the local variety of fish is primarily due to the inorganic fertilizers used in the fields, which ultimately run off into the waters and destroys the fish therein. To prove their claim, some even point out how fish is found with rash soon after fertilizers are used in the fields.
To make matters worse, government is promoting a hybrid variety of fish called Rahu Katla which is indigenous of West Bengal and is becoming very popular in Goa thanks to its capacity to grow fast and also because it attracts a higher price.
In fact at Curtorim where Mai tollem was harvested last Sunday around 800 kgs of Rahu Katla was harvested and the entire catch was sold out within a few hours as many hotels purchase this fish for their guests.
Around 500 kgs of Sea Bass which is locally called Chonak was also harvested and there were quite a few claimants for this fish but they were basically locals who wanted to bargain and haggle for more which the auction bidder found irritating.
The Biodiversity Management Committee of Curtorim which is quite active and in the process of declaring all the lakes in the village as biodiversity hot spots is a silent spectator to this destruction of the local biodiversity in the village.
The committee Chairman Santano Rodrigues pleaded helplessness on grounds that financial status rules larger as people opt to breed the hybrid variety of fish because it enables them to earn more money with less effort and in less time as these fish grow faster than the local variety.
