Sonepur, May 29: The Sonepur district administration on Saturday clamped prohibitory orders in 15 villages by river Mahanadi and river Tel to stop illegal fishing by the local residents.

The district administration issued the order after it had received complaints that fishermen were resorting to dynamite explosions and pesticides to catch fish that poses threat to the rare species of fish in the river.

Sonepur, which is known as the fishing hub of western Orissa, is under threat of losing some rare species of fish due to explosions in the river. Such illegal activities have also affected fish breeding with no substantial growth being recorded in the recent years.

Sonepur sub-collector Prabhat Bhoi said : “Villagers have alleged that the water of River Tel as well as the Mahanadi was polluted because fishermen were using explosive devices and pesticides. This has posed a serious threat to the rare species of fish and aquatic lives.

We have clamped Section 144 in 15 villages along the banks of River Mahandi and River Tel. The order will stop the fishermen from carrying out illegal fishing in the river.”

But Bhoi made it clear that the fishermen were not barred from fishing if they did it by adopting the traditional practice,” Bhoi said.

The villages where the administration clamped the curfew include Brahmani and Bhurat along the banks of Tel river and Nandanmal, Rahela, Seledi and Dharakhaman along the banks of River Mahanadi.

Sonepur is home to some rare species of fish, but in the absence a proper riverine fishery policy, some of the rare species are on the verge of extinction. The fishery department in the district has recorded the extinction of at least seven varieties of fish due to lack of conservation measures. Species like (colloquially called) muser, jalang, gajsi, khursa, chinajhuri, turu and balia are no more found in the river.