APALIT – In a bid to protect the Pampanga River and the species in it, Mayor Peter Nucom of this town recently announced the revival of the group tasked to monitor activities conducted around the tributary.

Nucom said that the “Bantay-Katubigan” group is composed of at least a dozen fish wardens who will man the vicinity of the river around the town’s jurisdiction.

“Sila yung magmomonitor ng mga iligal na ginagawa sa ating ilog katulad ng dynamite fishing, yung mga nagtatapon ng basura o nagdi-discharge ng liquid waste na nakakalason sa mga isda,” he stressed.

Nucom said that the role of fish wardens in their town is critical as most of the residents here are still dependent on fishery as their main livelihood.

He added that the Pampanga River must really be protected and cared for as part of the measures to bring back its old glory.

To symbolize the official revival of the “Bantay-Katubigan,” Nucom, together with Municipal Agriculturist Victoria Caylao, awarded a motorized boat which they can use for their patrolling.

He stressed that 10-meter-long by 17-centimeter-wide boat was given to the Apalit fish wardens who will monitor the Pampanga River particularly the areas passing along the town.

The “Bantay-Katubigan” group in this town was institutionalized during the early 2000 as part of the environmental protection and preservation program of the local government before it became inactive.