Telangana’s first murrel fish rearing project yet to take off after a year
The proposed Koramenu (murrel) rearing project at Sripada Sagar Yellampalli in Mancherial, Telangana, remains stalled a year after receiving Union government approval. Locals and food enthusiasts had hoped the initiative would bring recognition to the district and the State. However, financial constraints have delayed the project.
Mancherial: A first-of-its-kind snakehead (murrel) or Korrameenu rearing project in Telangana, proposed at the Sripada Sagar Yellampalli project, continues to remain on paper a year after it was conceived.
The pioneering project was envisaged at an estimated cost of Rs. 15 crore on 30 acres of land abutting the irrigation project near Gudipet village in Hajipur mandal. Technical support was to be provided from the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, affiliated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
The union government accorded technical approval to the project when the State submitted a proposal in October last year. Fisheries Department officials announced that the project would take off soon, raising hopes among people of the district and food lovers across the State. Locals believed the initiative would bring recognition to Mancherial district and Telangana.
However, the project has remained in the pipeline with the State government making no significant progress for over a year. Locals urged the government to take steps to expedite the project, saying it would help Telangana gain a unique identity in the country, while also making the fish available in abundance to gastronomes.
The fish, known for its distinctive taste, is often dubbed the ‘mutton of fish varieties’. Priced at around Rs 600 per kg, the species was recognised as the State Fish in 2016. The government had planned to protect the species and increase its population by establishing the dedicated project aimed at developing breeds and distributing fingerlings to fishermen.
The objective of the initiative was to meet demand within the State and to export the species to other States and abroad. The commencement of the project has been delayed, supposedly due to financial constraints.
