Sindh River bed community for special fishing licences

OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE - Hirrak Development working for rights of Kehal/Mor, a local community of Sindh river bed, has demanded the Punjab government to end fishing contract system and issued them special licenses for fishing in Indus for their livelihood. The demand was raised by the volunteers of Hirrak Development Zafar Lund, Rizwana and Zulfiqar in a briefing to Lahore Economic Journalist Association (LEJA) here at local hotel Wednesday. The discussion was arranged by the Actionaid a non government organization assisting the Hirrak Development for the struggle of Kehal community. They pointed out that the before partition the community was living in good condition as they were no restriction on fishing in Indus river. However, after partition, the government has introduced contract system for fishing for revenue generation. The community, comprising of almost 40,000 people, was stretched to 350 kilometer strip of Indus River raging from Tunsa barrage to Chasma barrage. The community lives on river bed which is also known as Katcha area totally dependent upon fishing for their livelihood. They said that the fishing contract system destroyed their life while the contractors were also exploits them. The contractors take labor from them for fishing in the Indus River and pay only Rs10 per kg for fishing which is sold at Rs300 and above per kg. The contractors, who are influential of the areas, also are destroying the river eco system by illegally fishing during the fish breading period of May to August with the involvement of administration, they alleged. They said that out of 40,000 people, only two people has little ability to write while rest were completely illiterate and unaware of their basic rights. However, they are skilled in fishing which was never acknowledged by any government authority. They said that some of the community people after losing hope of living in their native areas had moved to Rawalpindi slump areas.