VIP 'quota' at fish fair upsets many
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 07 2010: The annual 'Fish Fair-cum-Fish crop Competition 2010, organised today in connection with the Ningol Chakkouba festival was marked by dissension among ordinary citizens after several of the fish stall owners labelled most of the attractive fishes as 'sold to VIPs'.

Even as a large number of enthusiastic buyers thronged Hapta Kangjeibung hoping to lay their hands on their choices they were shocked to learn that the tastier varieties and larger/mature ones were also booked by VIPs.

However, fish being the main menu for the grandest festival of the majority community the ordinary citizens have to grab whatever was made available to them.

Ironically, the only sizable fish variety available for the commoners was restricted to the grass carp variety while tastier ones such as Rohu, Mrigal and Pengba were already reserved for the influential section of the society.

Different facets of the Fish Fair held at Hapta Kangjeibung

While heated confrontations were widespread at the festival venue due to spat between the buyers and the stall owners, the festival was nearly reduced to a farce as a woman fish vendor raised objection to repeated insistence by two State security personnel that the stall owners hand over fish without payment.

After a brief heated argument between the men in uniform and the woman vendor the former duo disappeared from the scene.

In all a total of 19 metric tonne of fish of different varieties were put on display/sale at the festival being organised under the aegis of Directorate of Fisheries and graced by the presence of Fisheries Minister Md Alauddin Khan and MLA M Prithviraj Singh as the chief guest and president respectively.

The fishes put on display/for sale were produced by fish farmers who were provided loan by the State Bank of India.

It is informed that 2000 fish farmers were provided loans by the SBI.

Delivering the key-note address, Director (Fishery) RK Sukumar said the festival is being held since 1976 and such a fair had been able to encourage the fish farmers boost productivity.

The Director also informed that top cash award to the competition winner has been increased to Rs 50,000 while it was Rs 30,000 last year.

Moreover, similar increment had been made for second and third position winners while District Fishery Officer concerned would also be awarded cash of Rs 10,000 as incentive for maximum productivity.

In all 71 stalls, including one sponsored by the SBI were put up at the day long festival.

The SBI stall was especially put up to facilitate direct communication with the fish farmers.

In his address, Managing Director of SBI, Shillong Branch Bhopen Deka iterated that loan facilities are being extended to the fish farmers in order to encourage the State farmers increase annual productivity.

Noting that in all 2000 fish farmers of the State are in the SBI roll and that similar facilities are being extended to farmers of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, Deka opined that development of Loktak Lake as a fish crop centre would boost productivity in a significant manner.

A fish farmer from Kumbi told The Sangai Express that he had been enjoying loan from the SBI for the last 4-5 years and credited the bank for his participation in the annual fish fair.

He also advised his peers to approach SBI for loans and to repay the loan amount without failure for further assistance.

For the benefit of the fish farmers, he confided that an amount of Rs 1.70 lakhs could be procured from the SBI if one owns a farm size of one pari.

Speaking during the formal inauguration of the festival, Minister Alauddin Khan conceded that 19 metric tonne produced this year is against the expectation of 27 metric tonnes by the Department.

He also informed that the Department has started to provide loan for fish farmers under the objective of boosting the productivity.

Among others indigenous fish varieties such as Kuri, Pengba, Ngaton and locally reared prawn (large) were put on display at the festival.

The prawn variety inspite of being priced at Rs 400 per kg was available for purchase to some select individuals.