Chitrakonda: Furthering the initiative to make tribal people of Swabhiman Anchal self-sufficient, Malkangiri administration has fed second phase of fishlings into large enclosures (gheri) on waterbody near Gurupriya Setu under Badapada panchayat recently.
This was a part of the government initiative to feed fishlings worth Rs 20 crores into Chitrakonda reservoir, out of a fund of Rs 100 crore granted by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for development of the district. Notably, the first phase of fishlings worth Rs 14 lakhs was also fed into the Chitrakonda reservoir, last year.
According to sources, 60 to 80 mm long fishlings were fed into the waterbody, which was monitored by Malkangiri Collector Manish Agarwal and block development officer Lariman Kharasel.
The task of rearing fishlings till they become 100 mm long, was entrusted to Gurupriya Primary Cooperative Society, Swabhiman Primary Cooperative Society, Khadangeswar Cooperative Society and Maa Durga Cooperative Society, a report said.
Subsequently, the fishlings will be feed into Gurupriya reservoir. It is targeted, nearly 1,20,000 fishlings will be feed into different waterbodies under this initiative, during coming four years.
An orientation camp for the society members was also conducted at Gurupriya Setu site. Jeypore Deputy Director of Fisheries Suresh Chandra Behera and Divisional Forest Officer Hemant Kumar Dash, including many other senior officials attended the programme.
