MANGALDAI, Jan 12 - Preparations for the celebration of Bhogali Bihu are in full swing on the eve of Uruka today. The community feast on the night of Uruka under the bhela ghar is always considered to be of special significance. And the community Uruka feast is not complete without the local fish dishes.
At a time when fish is being imported from States like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, etc., local fishes are always at a premium, especially for the lower income groups. But there is some good news. Management committees of some community fisheries like the Suri Pukhuri Meen Mahal Committee and Lakhimpur Anchalik Meen Mahal Committee near Balipota village under the Kalaigaon Development Block in Darrang district have been contributing to the local fish varieties amid the huge demand of local fishes for Uruka. �The demand for fish produced in Suri Pukhuri Meen Mahal, covering a land area of above 20 bighas, is on the rise as most local varieties of fish like chital, rohu, bhakua, silver carp, common carp, etc., are bred under completely natural conditions without the use of chemicals,� said Gajen Sarma, president of Suri Pukhuri Meen Mahal Committee. �Moreover, we fix the rates in consideration of the purchasing power of rural consumers, which are 20 to 30 per cent less per kilogram in comparison to the prices prevailing in the retail market ahead of Uruka,� he maintained.
Sarma said that last year in the Uruka markets in Guwahati, Mangaldai, Tangla and Kharupetia, besides his native village, the Mahal supplied about 60 quintals from which they managed to earn a net profit of around Rs 10 lakh. �This year we have already sent nearly 50 quintals of fish to Guwahati and Mangaldai and expect another 20 quintals for supply on Friday morning. We hope to increase our net profit to Rs 15 lakh,� Sarma added.
Apart from Suri Pukhuri, Lakhimpur Anchalik Meen Mahal, which consists of an area covering around 100 bighas of land, is also a major supplier of local fish in the Uruka market. However, this year�s yield of the fishery in terms of size and volume has not been satisfactory after the death of nearly 40 quintals of fish due to environmental reasons some months back, a source of the fishery management committee.
Meanwhile, the Darrang District Fishery Development Department has estimated a demand of approximately 40 tons of local fish on Friday in comparison to that of 36 tons last year. Apart from these two community fisheries, the Fish Production Organisation of Dighirpar and fish farmers of Janaramchowka village are also ready to supply local fish in the Uruka market, a source added.
