AMPATI: The first Eco hatchery to be constructed under the Meghalaya State Aqua Culture Mission in South West Garo Hills district was inaugurated by Additional Deputy Commissioner and DRDA Project Director P K Boro at an elaborate function organized by the Fisheries department at Putimari on Tuesday.
The eco hatchery which is the first of its kind in the entire district will hatch fish seed and raise fish fry into fingerlings which will in turn be distributed to fish farmers of the region who are partnered with the government. The eco hatchery has been scientifically constructed and implemented with an estimate of 16 lakhs and has the capacity of hatching 35 to 40 lakhs fry. The hatchery will also ensure that only quality fish seed will reach the fish farmers of the region.
Boro while inaugurating the fish seed farm on behalf of South West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh informed that after Selsella in West Garo Hills, Betasing C&RD Block under which Putimari fell was the most suitable place for aqua culture in the entire state.
He said that the people should take pride in the fact and earnestly take up pisci culture as a sustainable livelihood generation activity. Boro at length spoke on the technical details of aqua culture and urged the farmers of the region to take up pisci culture alongside their other farming activities and boost their socio economic status.
Speaking on the dearth of quality fish seed he said that now farmers will not need to go to neighboring Assam to procure the commodity as they had their own hatchery.
Among others who spoke at the occasion were South West Garo Hills Superintendent of Fisheries G Momin and owner of the hatchery Haradan Mahanta.
