Experts and scientists from the department of fishery and animal husbandry of the Government of India and the Central Fresh Water Research Organisation jointly collected water samples from different places of the Hirakud reservoir spreading across a sprawling area of 935 sq km to study the feasibility of pisciculture here. The local officials of the fishery department here also accompanied the team.
This was done after getting allegation that Hirakud water is gradually getting misfit for pisciculture due to water pollution. The discharge of industrial effluents from different industries of Bargarh, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts and particularly due to the industrial boom in the last decade in the trio districts, the dam water was polluted heavily.
Different fish growers’ organisations led by Antaryami Pani alleged before the authorities that due to industrial pollution of the water in the Hirakud reservoir, the dam water is no more suitable for growth of fish.
At the same time, the species of fish in the reservoir have also reduced drastically for the same reason.
The fish growers’ organisations have also appealed before these bodies not to shift the fishery research centre from Hirakud as it caters to the needs of thousands of fishermen and persons depending on the particular business.
After the visit of the team, fish farmers here expect some action against the polluting industries and are hopeful of a bumper business in pisciculture here again.