300 get licence for fishing in Kol Dam

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 20

With the stock of 30 lakh fingerlings of common carp and mahaseer fish, the 642-m high Kol Dam is set to emerge the third largest fishing pond after Gobind Sagar and Maharana Pratap Sagar dams in the state. As many as 300 fishermen have also been given licence.

Not only this, 800-MW Kol Dam on the Satluj will produce 3,054 million units of electricity every year and provide sustainable source of livelihood for 300 families, mainly the project oustees. Fishermen have already harvested 1.5 metric tonnes from three fish landing centres at Kasol, Basal and Sunni along the dam. “The trial of catching fish was successful. The size of fish is small and we need smaller net,” said Ramesh Kaundal, member of the Kol Dam fishermen’s cooperative at Kasol.

“This year, we have stocked 30 lakh fingerlings of common carp and mahaseer fish in the Kol Dam and will introduce 15 lakh each year till the reservoir is amply stocked for breeding,” said Dr Gucharan Singh, Director, Fisheries.

“We have given 300 licences to fishermen, trained them and they have harvested 1.5 mt fish from the dam on a trial run. We expect to harvest 150 kg fish per hectare,” he added.

The dams have revolutionised the local economy. The three dams along with small dams Ranjit Sagar in Kangra and Chamera in Chamba have given a new push to state economy, though the government fails to rehabilitate the oustees properly,” said fishermen.