NGT Orders Action Against Illegal Breeding, Farming of African Catfish in UP

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has ordered action against the alleged illegal breeding and farming of the African catfish in Uttar Pradesh.

Clarias gariepinus, colloquially known as the African catfish or the Thai magur, is banned in India and its farming and breeding are not permissible.

The green body was hearing a plea claiming two people were breeding the banned fish variety in the Shahpur Nij Morta village of Ghaziabad district.

In a recent order, a bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted a 2019 order of the tribunal, according to which, "Breeding of exotic magur (catfish) is not allowed without the approval of the national committee on exotic fishes and also the state government concerned because of its potential to cause ecological damage in our country." The bench, also comprising Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member A Senthil Vel, said the matter concerning the breeding of exotic catfish or its hybrid Thai magur had been settled by the tribunal by banning it.

"We dispose of the original application, directing the director, fisheries department, to duly consider the complaint and take necessary action following the (previous) order of the tribunal. The director will get the site inspection done and will find out if the allegation of the applicant is found to be correct, then necessary action will be taken by him," the bench said. 

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