Despite being endowed with abundant natural aquatic resources, the Bhadrachalam Agency continues to lag behind in harnessing its vast inland fisheries potential optimally in the tribal sub-plan mandals of the district.
Taliperu Reservoir in Charla mandal, Palemvagu in Venkatapuram mandal, Kinnerasani reservoir in Palvancha mandal, and various other aquatic resources in both Bhadrachalam and Palvancha divisions hold enormous potential to provide sustainable income to tribal fishermen in the Agency areas.
Though the Fisheries Department has devised a comprehensive plan envisaging setting up of a fish seed farm at Kaliveru in Charla mandal and promote inland fisheries, the ambitious plan is yet to take off on the desired lines so far.
The ever-increasing gap between demand and supply of fish seeds has necessitated the urgent need for expanding the existing two fish seed farms situated at Kinnerasani and Wyra Reservoirs, as well as setting up new fish seed farms in the district.
The demand for fish seed in the district is estimated to be a little over 7 crore, as against the actual production of 1.40 crore.
Despite this major constraint, the Fisheries Department stocked fish seedlings in Taliperu Reservoir and several other major water bodies in the Agency areas a couple of months ago, sources added.
Fish seed farm
However, the huge deficit in fish fingerlings production has cast a shadow on the State government’s plans to give a major thrust to inland fisheries in tribal areas.
When contacted, assistant director of Fisheries Department V. Srinivas told The Hindu that a plan was on the anvil to set up a fish seed farm at Kaliveru in Charla mandal at an estimated cost of Rs. 57 lakh.
Estimates for the proposed fish seed farm have already been prepared and sent to the government for approval, he says, adding that plans were in the offing to augment the production capacity of the existing fish seed farms in Wyra and Kinnerasani reservoirs.
A plan is on the anvil to set up a fish seed farm at Kaliveru in Charla mandal.
V. SrinivasAD, Fisheries Department
