Binka: Concerned over the depleting fish population in Mahanadi river and the livelihood crisis faced by the fishermen due to illegal blasting of explosives as well as discharge of industrial effluents, the state Fisheries department has launched a programme of releasing fish fingerlings in Mahanadi river, a report said.
The matter came to the fore during the release of fish fingerlings in Mahanadi by the officials of the department here in Subarnapur district, Saturday.
Local fishermen and other villagers have welcomed the efforts of the state Fisheries department to increase the fish population in the river. The release of the fish fingerlings has been undertaken by the state Fisheries department with assistance of the National Fish Development Board.
As a part of this programme, fingerlings of rohu, bhakur, mirkali, grass crap and kalbainsi were released in the river at Papakhayaghat in Binka town. At the outset, four lakh fingerlings will be released into the river at Binka and Sonepur, district Fisheries officer Prasanna Kumar Patnaik said.
This will help in increasing the fish population and fish catch from the river, he said. The illegal blasting of dynamites to catch fish from the river has taken a toll on the fish population in the river.
The depleting fish catch has also affected the lives and livelihood of fishermen and people living in the riparian villages. Keeping these issues in mind, the state government has launched a programme to increase the fish population in the river.
Among others, Snigdharani Kanhar, Assistant Fisheries Officer, Binka, Sudhir Kumar Pradhan of fingerlings production centre and the local fishermen were present on the occasion.
PNN