One’s cup of joy has turned out to be another’s cup of woes.
The traffic jam caused by the fishing competition at Pamphyrnai in Ksehkohlong village of West Khasi Hills yesterday has led to the death of a newborn baby.
According to reports, a pregnant mother who was travelling to hospital to deliver her baby was stuck in the road at Nongspung for hours as the tourist taxi she was travelling could not move due to the massive traffic jam including thousands of people both anglers and spectators walking towards the fishing pond.
The mother delivered the male baby in the vehicle. However, due to the delay in reaching the hospital, the baby died on the way. The mother is currently under medical treatment at Holy Cross Hospital, Mairang.
It was also learnt that her family members had to walk from Nongspung to Pamphyrnai to request the police personnel to clear the road as she had to be rushed to hospital.
It may be mentioned that thousands of people from various part of East Khasi Hills and the three districts of West Khasi Hills thronged to reach the fishing pond to take part in the fishing competition. The pond is located close to the Shillong – Nongstoiñ highway.
The first prize offered was a Mahindra Thar while the second and third prizes were Maruti Alto cars.
Vehicles ferrying participants at the fishing competition were parked recklessly on both sides of the highway.
Due to this mad rush, hundreds of vehicles travelling from Shillong to Nongstoiñ and vice versa were caught in a traffic jam that lasted for many hours. Among those who were stuck in the traffic jam included ambulances, police vehicles and passenger vehicles.
Local people said that this is not the first time that a traffic jam occurred at Pamphyrnai due to fishing competitions organised in the village.
They also said that in several areas along the Shillong – Nongstoiñ highway fishing competitions are held from time to time resulting in traffic jams and ordeal to commuters including those in emergency.
Concerned citizens have questioned the West Khasi Hills authorities for turning a blind eye to this menace.
“Just because of the monetary benefit of the fishing pond owners and the huge prizes won by few anglers, the public cannot be made to suffer,” the citizens said.
Others suggested that such fishing competitions should be held away from public roads or highways so that vehicles can move freely without any impediment.
Many people have also demanded a ban on fishing competitions with such huge prizes since they have become another form of gambling where people with a meagre source of income had to shell out huge amounts of money as participation fee just to win attractive prizes.
It may be mentioned that fishing competitions carrying a total prize of more than Rs 1 lakh are prohibited in Eastern West Khasi Hills.
The district magistrate in an order issued on August 23, 2022 under Section 144 CrPC also prohibited collection of entry fee of more that Rs 100 per fishing rod and holding competitions more than two times in one and the same pond.
The order was issued following complaints that certain individuals used to organise fishing competitions in various fish ponds located within the district by offering high attractive prize money totalling up to Rs 15 lakh with ticket entry fee of not less than Rs 500 per fishing rod per day.
According to the district magistrate, this order was issued to prevent misinterpretation and abuse of the provisions of the Amusement Act and exploitation of the poor with meagre earning and insecure livelihood.
Recently, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has made it mandatory to take permission from it for holding fishing competitions. The notification issued by the Fishery Department of KHADC on July 16 under the United Khasi Jaintia District Fisheries Act, 1954 and also under Rule 29 of the Assam and Meghalaya Rules, 1951 also fixed different rates as fees for granting of permission for organising of fishing competitions.
