Sonepur: Hopes for the establishment of a college on pisciculture in Subarnapur district brightened after the district administration swung into action to prepare a detailed project report (DPR), sources said Friday.
As per sources, a committee formed by the district administration has asked the principal of the College of Agriculture under Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) at Chipilima in Sambalpur district to prepare a detailed project report in this regard.
Over 50-60 acre of land is required for the Fisheries College. The land will be used for the construction of an administrative block, and hostels for the students apart from ponds, both small and big, for fish farming. As a result, the district administration has launched a search for land along the Mahanadi in Binka, Ulunda, and Birmaharajpur blocks of the district. The district has a big fish farm spread over 55 acre and owned by Odisha Pisciculture Development Corporation (OPDC) at Rahila near Binka town.
Similarly, the farm of the Fisheries department in Subarnapur has small and big ponds spread over 75 acre of land. Major rivers like Mahanadi, Tel, Anga, and Suktel which flow through this western district as well as the Harijor dam will help the authorities in making temporary arrangements for the students’ learning when the college is established. The district administration sprung into action after the Principal Secretary of State Fisheries and Animal Resources Development department proposed for the establishment of a fisheries college in Subarnapur district. After receiving the report from the Subarnapur district administration, the state government will take steps towards the establishment of the college.
Sources said Subarnapur district, which was carved out of the undivided Bolangir district, lacks any major establishment either of the state government or the Centre. The district has ample facilities and opportunities for freshwater fish cultivation. Residents have been demanding for establishment of a fisheries college in the district for a long time. A Zilla Parishad (ZP) member Laba Kumar Sahu had advocated for the same at the Zilla Parishad meeting held in the month of June. The issue also cropped up when a delegation of residents met the then 5T Secretary (now Chairman) VK Pandian during his visit to the district July 4 and submitted a written memorandum demanding the establishment of a fisheries college in the area.
Similarly, the office of the Deputy Director, Planning and Statistics also forwarded a request letter through the Collector to the Principal Secretary of the Fisheries and Animal Resources department in this regard, July 21. In his reply, the Principal Secretary, of the Fisheries and Animal Resources department asked Subarnapur Collector Bimalendu Ray to submit a detailed project report highlighting the available infrastructure, plan outlay, and available land for the establishment of the college. Accordingly, a high-level committee under the chairmanship of ADM Surya Narayan Dash was formed in which the Joint Director, Planning and Coordination department, Principal of Sonepur College, and Sonepur Krushi Vigyan Kendra chief were included as members.
Later, the District Collector also formed a sub-committee under the chairmanship of the ADM, August 25. The Vice-Chancellor of Rajendra University at Bolangir, Joint Director of the Planning and Coordination department, Principal of Sonepur College, and Chief of local Krushi Vigyan Kendra were taken in as members.
