Kaziranga Administration is permitting locals to go fishing within the National Park on Monday for two hours.

Kaziranga, Jan. 13: Although it is prohibited for the public to respect local feelings on the occasion of the Magh Bihu Festival, the Kaziranga Administration is permitting locals to go fishing within the National Park on Monday for two hours.

It was decided to allow fishing between 8 and 10 am in advance of the Bhogali Bihu celebrations. Although no formal order was made, locals disclosed that public sentiment and demand were the driving forces behind the ban’s lifting.

Some people noted the long-standing conflicts between the administration and the community over fishing regulations, while many others expressed relief at the easing. Because of this restriction, we have conflicts with the government every year. Both the administration and the residents find it inconvenient. A local citizen praised the administration’s decision to permit fishing, saying, “The poor people around here are the ones who rely on fishing, and this tradition has been passed down for years.”

“Especially during Uruka, the folks who come here to fish are from Kaziranga. We’ve had trouble getting fish since the revenue beels were closed,” a resident told The Assam Tribune. The relaxation comes after locals’ complaints about the shutdown of Kaziranga’s income beels, which has made it harder for the community to get fresh, locally caught fish, grew.

On Sunday, as around 150-200 people gathered at the beels for fishing. The authorities reportedly separated the gathering and made some arrests after minor altercations. The Bokakhat co-district administration has strictly prohibited access to the protected parts of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve due to the ongoing fishing operations and the Magh Bihu celebrations. Any fishing within the park’s lakes, beels, and other bodies of water is prohibited. Only officials, forest guards, and on-duty security professionals are exempt from this rule. The surge of “business-minded” people from neighboring districts, who reportedly take advantage of community fishing for financial gain by selling fish at higher prices, has alarmed Kaziranga’s forest administration.

Only officials, forest guards, and on-duty security professionals are exempt from this rule. The surge of “business-minded” people from neighboring districts, who reportedly take advantage of community fishing for financial gain by selling fish at higher prices, has alarmed Kaziranga’s forest administration. Through local connections, these people frequently infiltrate the park with highly advanced fishing nets. To prevent possible information misuse by antisocial elements and poachers, this practice must be discontinued, according to a forest department source.