SHILLONG: The East Khasi Hills district administration has decided against imposing a blanket ban on fishing competitions but will introduce stricter regulations to prevent traffic congestion and inconvenience to the public.
Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal said the administration had tightened clearance procedures, including mandatory joint inspections, police deployment plans and restrictions on the number of competitions that can be held simultaneously.
Under the revised procedure, organisers will no longer need to obtain separate no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the local dorbar and Block Development Officer (BDO). Instead, the administration will require a joint inspection by the concerned agencies using a standardised template.
“The template is quite exhaustive and takes care of everything. Only after we receive the report in that format do we proceed further,” Baranwal said.
The administration will also seek a detailed deployment plan from the police before granting permission to assess the personnel required, particularly traffic constables, to manage the additional vehicular movement.
As part of the restrictions, two fishing competitions will not be allowed to take place simultaneously. Lucky draws, which often attract additional crowds, will also be prohibited during the events.
Baranwal said one of the major challenges faced by the administration was the movement of vehicles after the competitions, as participants tend to leave the venues at the same time, resulting in traffic congestion.
The Deputy Commissioner’s office is working with the Superintendent of Police to devise a system for staggered departure of vehicles to ease traffic movement.
The administration has also made it mandatory for organisers to hold competitions away from National Highways and ensure that vehicles are not parked along highways or roads leading to the venues.
Baranwal said permissions would be granted only after inspections establish that the proposed sites have adequate space and parking facilities to accommodate the expected turnout.
He added that the restrictions would be reviewed based on the situation, with the administration prepared to introduce additional conditions if necessary.
“If there is going to be a fishing competition which is legal, we cannot outrightly ban it. But what we can do is try to ensure that public convenience is not compromised,” he said.
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