Just a few weeks back the banks of the Tuichang River in Mizoram were abuzz with activities of locals constantly keeping a vigilant eye on the river. Among those keeping watch were Blue Tigers and SC East Bengal striker Jeje Lalpekhlua.

Jeje, along with a number of youth from his village – Model Veng Hnahthial – have put their hands together to form a group that works day and night to help preserve the ecosystem of the river that flows close to their homes.

“Overfishing has greatly reduced the number of fishes in the Tuichang River over the years. It was turning out to be a big problem, even for the local fishermen, who depend on the river for their livelihoods,” Jeje said to the-aiff.com.

The local people of Model Veng thus identified a 500m stretch along the banks of the Tuichang, where the fish are believed to have their spawning ground, where they have set up a 24-hour patrol, taking different shifts, to make sure no fishing activities go on.

“Over the last year, we have all taken turns to patrol this stretch to make sure that nobody catches fish in this area. It’s very important for us to leave the fish alone, at least in the spawning areas. Just with this small step we are already seeing the results,” informed Jeje. “There are so many fish in the river now – local fishermen say that they haven’t seen so many in the river for years.”

“The guys in the village have really worked hard to ensure that this happens. They have all taken rotating shifts around the clock for 24 hours to keep an eye on the river banks. I have also been helping out whenever I’ve been in town,” he continued. “Of course, it’s not always possible during the season, when we had to spend five months in the bio-bubble in the Hero ISL.”

Jeje and the local boys have also been in constant touch with the local government authorities who have also stood by and supported their conservation act.