Summary:
Nainital: Terming angling an ‘act of cruelty’, Uttarakhand forest department has banned the activity in all forest reserves as well as buffer zones in tiger reserves across the state. And its concept of catch and release proves that it doesn’t involve cruelty against animals.”Environmentalists, however, added that excess angling can affect the biodiversity of an area. They catch the fish but don’t release it. While those associated with the activity expressed apprehensions of losing jobs, experts lauded the move.Prashant Bisht, owner of Pancheshwar Fishing Retreat, which conducts angling in the Mahakali river, said, “This order should be limited to the forest reserves areas only. “In other areas, with permission from district magistrate, angling can continue under old procedures,” BP Gupta, chief conservator of forests said.Meanwhile, the order has received mixed responses from people in the state..