Community fishing takes place in Siju lake

TURA, Feb 21 — The famous annual community fishing at Siju took place on Tuesday in the lake of late Captain Williamson Sangma. The community fishing, locally known as Wari Bila, was organised by the Tourism Department and the Ampang Mahari of Siju as part of the Winter Festival. The day-long affair began at 7.30 am with the arrival of the public at Siju cave. This was followed with the arrival of the invited dignitaries and traditional games competition. The community fishing started from mid-day. Fish from Siju is famous throughout the North-East and beyond. The fresh water lakes of Siju are fed by the Simsang River, and throughout the year fishing is prohibited in it. Only once in a year is the community fishing permitted. The day’s catch is evenly distributed amongst the villagers and the invited guests while the rest is put up for sale.