Fisheries: Govt yet to take the bait
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 19
Fisheries could be the new way to Uttarakhand’s prosperity and the state can end up earning a revenue up to the tune of Rs 10 crore per annum if it succeeds in using its hydro-power reservoirs for fish farming. Bestowed with rivers, rivulets and water bodies, the state has tremendous scope for the development of fisheries.

A fish pond at Mandal valley in Chamoli district. A Tribune photograph

Uttarakhand Fish Farmers Development Agency manages 85 per cent of fisheries works in the state while the rest is done by the state Fisheries Department. The prestigious GB Pantnagar Agriculture University has also taken up a project for promotion of fisheries but at a smaller scale.

The Uttarakhand Fish Farmers Development Agency earns as much as Rs 3.5 crore annually. A total of 1,150 tonne of fish was produced last season. Emboldened by the success achieved in its reservoirs located at Udham Singh Nagar district, the agency had, some time back, written to the government with special reference to the Tehri Dam reservoir.

The agency had argued that fish production levels can soar within 4 to 5 years of the handing-over of these reservoirs for fisheries.

The agency works at Nanak Sagar, Begul, Dhaura, Bor, Haripura and Tumaria reservoirs in Udham Singh Nagar.

On the other hand, the state fisheries department looks after Bhimtal, Naukuchiyatal and adjoining water bodies in Nainital district but has little stake in promotion of fish farming.

The mammoth reservoirs of hydro-power projects like Tehri Dam, Maneri Bhali, Vishnuprayag and others are not being utilised for fish farming.

“These high-altitude reservoirs can be a boon for increasing the production level of mahseer and trout - the two most sought-after varieties of fish in the country”, claimed RS Chauhan, director, Uttarakhand Fish Farmers Development Agency.

Trout fetches as much as Rs 500 to Rs 600 per kg. The shawl fish of Uttarakhand is sold as high as Rs 200 per kg in the Siliguri market. There are 20 to 22 other small reservoirs that fall under the ambit of the state Forest Department which too are devoid of fish production.

Chamanlal Balmiki, who heads the Uttarakhand Fish Farmers Development Agency, does not rule out the possibility of promotion of fisheries in hydro-power reservoirs. “It would only be to the benefit of the state and foremost the local farmers, if fisheries are promoted in the hydro-power reservoirs”, Balmiki said.

Interestingly, there have been very few efforts on the part of state government to promote fish farming in the state. This is despite that the fingerlings rohu, katala, nain, silver carp and grass carp varieties produced by the state are high in demand in other states. Hempur Kashipur fish hatchery produces 375 crore fingerlings every year. Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh purchase these fingerlings to use in their reservoirs for fish production.

Uttar Pradesh purchased as many as 14 lakh fingerlings from Uttarakhand this year whereas neighbouring Himachal Pradesh last year had purchased as many as 90 lakh fingerlings from the state.

Apart from producing fingerlings, fish that come up in Uttarakhand’s reservoirs include jhinga, bakhur, pudding, tagon, shawl, mauya, sheleng and beed.

There are problems galore for infrastructure in the fisheries sector. The Uttarakhand Fish Farmers Development Agency that began in 2004-05 faces a shortage of employees. It has a staff of 28 employees despite being in the thick of activities for the promotion of fisheries.

To add to their woes, despite being a profit making concern and having deposited a principal amount of Rs 10 crore, its employees are yet to get the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.

The agency had purchased as many as five speed boats to check pilferage of fishes from Nanaksagar, its biggest reservoir having a periphery of 22 km. This reservoir in itself provides a major chunk of fish providing a revenue of over Rs 1 crore every year to the department. The agency also provides subsidised feed to the farmers like granules, pellets and powder. But a lot more still needs to be done. Prem Prakash, a farmer in Udham Singh Nagar, said that Uttarakhand by the virtue of being bestowed with numerous natural and man made water reservoirs can utilise this potential in a big way. He admitted that the government was still to focus on the fisheries sector.

Uttarakhand has only one fish ‘mandi’ located in Kichcha in Terai belt while fish are also taken to Delhi, Lucknow, Gorakhpur and Siliguri ‘mandis’ for sale. While fish from Uttarakhand are favourite among buyers but little attention has been paid to fish promotion.

Fisheries have also opened up another vista in eco-tourism. Sports like angling can also be promoted.

There is no denial to the fact that a nutritious food product like fish can not only help people in eradicating malnutrition, but can also create employment opportunities.

Prem turns a new leaf
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 19
A few years ago, Hatal village of Tuni Tehsil was like any other village of the state where farmers only grew corn and coarse grains but for the last four years fortunes of farmers have dramatically altered. The transformation came when they took to horticulture in a big way.

Today there are several progressive farmers who are setting new trends in hill farming. And leading the group is Prem Chand Sharma, who has done the impossible. He is growing pomegranates and is aiming high. In the future he wants to use the Internet to find a market for his produce to directly liaison with the buyers and plant 1,000 pomegranates in the coming five years.

But for now he is content narrating his tale of toil and struggle. “In my area no one had tried growing pomegranate fruit trees, we discovered the virtues of this fruit by chance. On one occasion my father had sprinkled seeds on the land near our house, soon these seedlings blossomed into saplings but despite our best effort they failed to bear fruits. Later, I learnt from horticulture department officers that it was a better option to go for plant cuttings.

Then on my visit to Kullu in 2005, I procured pomegranate plant saplings from for Rs 40,” said Sharma.

Today Kandhari, Bhagwa, Sinduri and Mirdula pomegranate varieties dot his 30-bigha-farm land. And he is a proud owner of 700 trees, of which 400 are bearing fruits.

“My experiments in horticulture, though still in the early stages, have begun to bear fruits. In the last season, I earned Rs 1 lakh after the sale of fruits and I am happy and content,” Prem Chand added.

In fact, the income that he earns through the sale of fruits is the mainstay of his farming activity. Not content with the sale of fruits, he then hit upon the idea of utilisation of the empty spaces around the trees by growing vegetables. “I am growing pumpkin, gourd, cucumber and other seasonal vegetables, which is bringing in extra money. I think all farmers should adopt this strategy,” he said.

His biggest problem is of being unable to market off-season vegetable of western origin like parsley, basil, cherry tomatoes and red cabbages that he, along with other farmers, is growing. “I have been able to off load the common variety of tomatoes in the Delhi market and most of us earn between Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000 in one season. However I am working on having a tie up the Delhi traders who sell the produce at several up market fresh vegetable stores,” said Sharma. 

’em up
MC to re-plant trees in Gandhi Park
Raju William
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 19For the first time, Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) will go for re-plantation of trees presently standing in an asymmetrical manner in Gandhi Park as part of the plan to beautify this largest public park in the city.

“Since we have completed digital survey of all tress in the park, the process of re-planting the ones coming in way of their proper lining will start soon. For this, we have empanelled an expert presently working for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation,” said Vinod Chamoli here yesterday.

The DMC had got the digital survey done by a private company, which suggested rearrangement of the trees to give them a symmetrical look to enhance beauty of the park.

It was not immediately known how many trees would be re-planted. This, along with repair of the footpath running through the park, will be done in the first phase of the beautification drive. Under this, a water channel or a fountain may be created in front of the statue of Mahatama Gandhi.

It may be recalled that upkeep of the park had become a major issue for the large number of Doonites, including morning walkers visiting it daily.

It was fast losing its green cover due to lack of any watering facility. “We have also sanctioned Rs 6.80 lakh for installing a tube well for the purpose. Taking note of the public concern, we have decided to handover its maintenance to the Ex-servicemen Cooperative Society, which will be intimated about this in a day or two,” said Chamoli.

The DMC has approved a total Rs.25 lakh for the park’s renovation from its infrastructure fund. “If required, we are ready to spend even Rs 1 crore for the purpose because this park is an important landmark of the city,” he said, adding that plan to develop an exclusive kids zone on private-public partnership basis inside the park was also under consideration.