THOUBAL, January 18: The People for Animal (PFA), Manipur in collaboration with Keithenmabi Police outpost OC in charge, P Suraj under the supervision of Imphal west Additional SP, Ibomcha had seized 70 bags of mussels worth Rs. 48,000 in the local market from Keithenmanbi yesterday.
The mussels locally known as Kongreng were carried in a DI Tata with registered number MN 06L-5337 from Icha River of Cachar District, Assam. In a press conference held at PFA Office, Managing Trustee, L. Bishorjit has said that catching of mussels constantly will lead to water pollution as the mussels help in keeping the water clean. He added that one mussel can clean 4 litre of water in an hour.
He said that under Biological Diversity Act-2002 and Indian Forest Act-1927, fishing of mussels can lead to jail terms. One adult mussel could filter about 4 litres of water in an hour. The total number of seized mussel was about 1 lakh and those mussels could filter about 80 million litre of water a day, said the Managing Trustee.
The species of mussel has been listed as “Endangered” under red list of threatened species of IUCN.
People are appealed to stop overharvesting and masstrading of mussel from natural sources. For consumption people could breed mussel in farms like those of other Southeast Asian countries. Rescued mussels will be relocated at suitable water bodies with the advice of CWW and steps will be taken up to conserve mussel.