Hyderabad: The Rangareddy District administration is finding positives from the overflowing lakes and water bodies in its limits, with officials joining hands with the State Fisheries department to augment the fish population in the district, all with an eye on helping the fishermen’s community.
The bountiful rains that lashed the State during the recent monsoon triggered the move, with the district administration carrying out fish seed stocking extensively since a majority of minor and medium water bodies across the district were filled to the brim. In coordination with the Fisheries department, the administration has so far released one crore fish seeds into 600 water bodies in the district since August. Three varieties of fish seeds, Catla, Rohu and the Common Carp, procured from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh were released into the lakes, District Fisheries Officer A Sukeerthi said.
The fishermen community can reap the benefits of the initiative taken up by the State government by April next year after harvesting. Scientifically, the procedure to complete the harvesting is eight months and more than 3,000 tons of fish could be generated by April. Each fish could be sold for Rs 110 a kg in the wholesale market. The stocking of fish seed began in August under the Integrated Fisheries Development Scheme, Sukeerthi said.
“Our initiative is aimed at benefiting over 20,000 families from the fishermen community in the district,” she said, adding there were 107 registered societies of fishermen comprising 6,000 members.
As the water bodies were naturally developed, the fish would utilise food available naturally in the lakes. “There is no need for us to supply food for them separately,” Sukeerthi said. The department procured the seeds after placing an indent after completing the tender process online only.
“The process to procure seeds as per the price fixed by the government was conducted online to ensure transparency,” the official added.
A few days ago, over four lakh fish seed were released in Peddacheruvu in Ravirala, Rayakuntacheruvu at Mankal, Suramcheruvu at Tukkuguda, Bhurankhancheruvu in Badangpet and Peddacheruvu in Balapur among other lakes on the city suburbs.
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