SAVING WILDLIFE TO PROTECT PLANET

In Assam's Lakhimpur, a group of schoolchildren, inspired by conservationist Manash Pratim Dutta, vows to protect local fish and wildlife, sparking a movement that blends environmental awareness with community action

- Prasanta Mazumdar

PRIYALIN GOGOI, a Class 9 student from Dhakuakhana in Assam's Lakhimpur district, has made an unusual promise this year: he won't eat local fish until mid-July. This may sound peculiar to some, but for Priyalin, it's a small yet significant sacrifice. This is the fish breeding season and the state government has imposed a ban on fishing in designated areas to allow the fish to reproduce.

Priyalin's decision is part of a larger movement initiated by Manash Pratim Dutta, a government schoolteacher and conservationist from Dhakuakhana. Along with Haripriya Gogoi, Meghali Das, Rakhipriya Chamuah and over 100 other students from Lakhimpur and neighbouring districts, Priyalin is not alone in his vow. The goal is to protect local fish populations that play a vital role in controlling mosquito numbers by feeding on larvae.

"April to mid-July is the fish spawning season and fishing is prohibited during this period.

Yet, some people continue to fish clandestinely," says Dutta, who teaches science at Dhakuakhana Higher Secondary School. His advocacy is rooted in his belief that the declining fish population is contributing to an uptick in mosquito-borne diseases in the region.

A Growing Concern

As a local conservationist, Dutta has observed a worrying trend over the years. Many species of local fish have either disappeared or are in danger of vanishing entirely. This, in turn, has created an imbalance in the local ecosystem, particularly when it comes to controlling mosquito populations.