July 12, 2002	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1, 1423

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CHITRAL, July 11: The people of the valley have questioned the working and output of the fisheries department as compared to the potential available in the district.

Despite the presence of a full-fledged department no fish is available to a common man in the market although the atmosphere and water is highly hospitable for the trout culture.

Those in the fisheries department know that the water of Garam Chashma is congenial for the trout culture, instead of the increase in its population, the existing number is on decline.

The department has posted watchmen to control fishing in the river the fast decaying of the species is self-explanatory about their working.

The waters of Golen and Bumburate also contain trout but similar conditions exist there. The department has set up hatcheries at four places — Garam Chashma, Bumburate, Golen and Jughoor — where trout and local species of fish are reared.

The department is supposed to put the fish on sale in the market but practically it has never happened except for a brief period many years ago.

In the rivers and streams the process of fishing continues relentlessly and the department has never bothered to take notice of.

In the city area, the water pollution is causing fast decay of local species of fish as the sewage lines and the effluents, are been thrown into the river.

When contacted by Dawn, the assistant director of fisheries declined to give his version.