The great balancing act

If you do not allow nets with too fine a mesh to be used in large ponds, there will be more fish than they can eat; if axes are permitted in the forest only in the proper season, there will be more timber than they need.

Hello friends, hope you all are taking extra care of yourself and your family amidst the new wave of the pandemic. Few days ago I read the above quote in a column of the newspaper, ‘The Times of India’ and liked it so much that I decided to share it with you. If people are more careful while using the natural resources for earning their livelihoods, the balance in nature can be properly maintained.

For the blind greed of some individuals looking for earning some extra bucks seem to be hell bent on exploiting the nature, mercilessly, without giving it enough time to recuperate. One example which readily comes into my mind is the dangerously vanishing numbers of Hilsa fish in West Bengal for which the state is quite famous for. It’s considered the most prized catch because of it’s rich and unique taste, favored by Bengalis all over the world. Hilsa fish are available in the market during the rainy season when the marine fish enter the freshwaters of Ganges from the Bay of Bengal to breed.

But sadly in the recent past the numbers of Hilsa catch is dwindling every year. The main reason behind it is the rampant catching and selling of baby Hilsa by the fishermen and fishtraders respectively despite the blanket ban over it by the government. Most of the adolescent fishes, weighing 200 or 300 gms are being caught and sold without impunity, resulting in scarcity of enough adult fish to breed.

For some immediate extra money they are causing the extinction of the most beloved fish. Blamegame seems to continue for this folly but no corrective measures taken by anyone concerned.

Whereas in Bangladesh where the rules are strictly followed, catching baby hilsa fish is a punishable offence. Consequently the little fishes are allowed to grow, lay eggs and multiply. Therefore there is enough catch of bigger fishes to export also. Now Bengalis have to mostly wait for the imported large sized silver crop(Hilsa is adoringly called by the name in Bengal) to satisfy their culinary cravings.

Friends, what’s happening in our part of Bengal is like killing the goose to get the proverbial golden eggs. The topic discussed is certainly not an isolation, there are countless example of humans tinkering with the balance of nature. Thus leading our environmental balance and our well being too, towards jeopardy.

Let the corrective actions starts with the advent of a new year. It’s indeed our collective responsibility to make the environment more sustainable for us and other creatures. It’s one and only planet known to harbor life. Let us all make an effort to nurture not destroy our birthplace. It’s indeed a privilege and we must all honour that.

Wish you all health and happiness. Adieu for now.

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