Crime

At least 14 cartoons of fish illegally imported from India have been seized and destroyed. 

The unlawfully-imported fish were seized from Rampur of Bharatpur metropolis-1 in Chitwan on Monday. 

The Ramnagar Area Police Office, Anpatari Armed Police Force, and Fish Entrepreneurs Association jointly seized the cartoons with fish from the Pokhara-bound night bus (Na 7 Kha 8822). 

Pushna Saha (30) of Birgunj sub-metropolis-25 was supplying the imported fish to Pokhara. 

Shirsh Gautam, the livestock technician of Animal Quarantine Check Post, said that of the of 560-kilogram, around 50-60 per cent of seized fish was contaminated. 

The fish were destroyed at a biological pit located in National Bird Laboratory in the presence of stakeholders on Monday. 

Chairperson of Fisheries Association of Nepal Ambika Prasad Adhikari said that they were supporting the State agencies in their bid to seize and destroy the illegally-imported fish. 

He complained that the domestic fish products are receiving less market space with the domination of illegally-imported sub-standard fish. 

The association has claimed around 50 tons of fish were imported into the country through several checkpoints.

According to the association, they have generated the data after carrying out monitoring in different checkpoints of the country. 

Every year, Chitwan produces 6,500 tons of fish.

Almost 65 per cent of the fisheries are supplied within the district, the District Chair of the Association, Khagenda Subedi, said, adding that the remaining quantity is being supplied in Kathmandu and Pokhara. - RSS