In the Bagmati River located in Chandrapur Municipality-1, fishing using electric traps (current) has increased recently. With the increase in fishing using current, the locals are concerned that the biodiversity of the river will be destroyed.

Last Monday, while going to the Bagmati and Koshi River Monitoring and Site Selection Program to release fish in the river and conduct public awareness programs, Saroj Kumar Yadav, the head of the Natural Reservoirs and Promotion and Conservation Center, Hetauda, ​​saw the use of current in the Bagmati River and went there and took pictures. At that moment, the fishing group tried to snatch Yadav's mobile phone.

'I took the picture after seeing an illegal act. Fishing using batteries and current-connected wires in the river is an environmental crime,' he said. 'When electricity is applied in this way, not only edible fish but also small fish, eggs and other aquatic animals in the river die. This must be stopped. It is necessary to conduct public awareness programs in this area. After seeing a group fishing using electric current in the river, he said that he tried to take pictures to gather evidence of the illegal activity.

This kind of behavior against government employees shows how much the morale of the 'fishing mafia' active in the river has increased. Immediately after the incident, Chief Yadav called District Police Chief SP Sitaram Rijal. After that, the police reached the spot. The fishing group fled with batteries and wires. A team including Chief Yadav chased them and seized the batteries and wires. However, the police have stated that the fishing group has absconded.

While illegal activities were taking place near the Paurai police post, the post in-charge Birendra Prasad Yadav said that he would only know about the use of electric current when someone called him. "We went to the house of the group using electricity and seized the batteries and wires," he said. "We will try to stop it as soon as we find out." According to locals, the outpost has not made any effort to stop fishing using electricity so far.

Nepal's Aquatic Life Conservation Act and local environmental protection laws completely prohibit fishing using electricity, poison, and bombs. There are provisions for fines and imprisonment for those who do so. Fishing using batteries and current-carrying wires in the Bagmati River is an environmental crime. The Aquatic Life Conservation Act, 2055, completely prohibits the use of electricity, poison, or explosives for the purpose of killing or catching aquatic life. There is a legal provision for punishing those who do so with imprisonment for up to six months or a fine of Rs. 5,000, or both. However, due to the weak presence of the local police and the apathy seen in the implementation of the law, a powerful group has been using electricity for a decade. There is a provision in the act that local authorities can impose imprisonment on those who do such things.

Chief District Officer Dinesh Sagar Bhusal said that using electric current can endanger not only fish but also biodiversity. ‘I have asked them to strictly ensure that such illegal activities should never be allowed to happen,’ he said. ‘If it is found that electric current is being used in the river, action will be taken as per the law. Such acts cannot be condoned.’

According to local residents, every morning, hordes of people carrying batteries behind those using electric current are active in the river. Locals have complained that no one has listened to them despite repeatedly informing the police about this. The illegal use of electric current (electro-fishing) in the river has led to the destruction of the Bagmati’s aquatic ecosystem.