The Biobrio 13(1 & 2), 2026

A cross-sectional study of health, hygiene and access to government and co-operative fisheries facilities of riparian fishermen community of the River Ganga in Bhagalpur district, Bihar, India

Aryan Raj, Bharti Kumari & Dileep Kumar

ABSTRACT:

The Riverine Fishermen communities along the Ganga basin remain among the most economically marginalised occupational groups in Bihar. Yet, their Hygienic conditions and health profile are rarely documented with primary field data. This study presents a crosssectional survey of 100 fisherman households along several ghats of Bhagalpur, District, Bihar, conducted during March- April 2026, examining sanitation and health status, access to basic amenities, and availability of government fisheries welfare support. Results show that 80 % of the respondents reported skin rashes as the most common ailment, no household had government access or paid toilets, and only 11% could access free medicine or a nearby Primary Health Centre. While 95% of households held a ration card, piped water reached only 75% of homes and monthly incomes for the majority remained below 10,000. The majority of respondents operated Self-owned country boats,73% were indebted to the informer moneylenders (Mahajan's). Strikingly, very few respondent had received assistance from COFFED (a co-operative society that is involved in the welfare of fishermen communities in Bihar & Jharkhand), the Department of Fisheries, India, or any NGO & all 100 households expressed a desire for skill-based training. The survey revealed that the majority of Fishermen had limited knowledge of the different types of fishing nets and fishing gear they were using. Their selection of gears was largely based on traditional practices and immediate economic needs rather than awareness of sustainable fishing principles. A major concern observed during the survey was the widespread use of fine mesh nets (mosquito nets) for fishing. The indiscriminate use of these nets results in the capture of fish fry and fingerlings before they reach maturity. These findings indicate a persistent gap between welfare scheme design and last-mile delivery, and call for targeted intervention through credit facilitation, health outreach, and co-operative strengthening among Ganga riparian fishing communities.

Keywords:    

Riparian fishermen, Health & Sanitation, Types of fishing gears, Fishing crafts, Cooperative societies, Bhagalpur, Bihar.

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