Waterlogging no bother, go in for fish farming

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, April 30

There is good news for local farmers who are not able to do agricultural activity due to waterlogging. The Fisheries Department will take their land on lease to carry out fish farming. The department has earmarked land for the purpose in 25 villages of the district and work on the plan will start soon.

The move is aimed at generating income from waterlogged land as well as promoting fish farming in the district by encouraging farmers to adopt fish farming for getting attractive returns from small investment. The Fisheries Department will impart special training to farmers interested in fish rearing.

Sources say Matanhel, Godhdi, Mundsa, Khapadvaas, Gwalison, Mundahera, Dhakla, Dhod, Beri, Jamalpur, Kaliavaas, Lakariya and Dighal were prominent among the 25 villages where 6,000 acres of waterlogged land had been identified for fish farming.

The state government had recently given a prize of Rs 1 lakh and an appreciation certificate to Jaipal, a fish farmer in Dawla village, during the Surajkund Crafts Fair for his exceptional performance in fish farming.

The sources say more than 4.15 lakh hectares in the state have been affected by waterlogging, due to which farmers could not engage in agricultural activity.

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Om Prakash Dhankar at a meeting with senior officials of the fisheries, irrigation, development and panchayats departments recently mooted the idea of using the land was mooted and the minister favoured executing it first in his home district as a pilot project, the sources said.

“The Fisheries Department will take the land on lease for five years at prescribed rates of the Panchayat Department. Farmers interested in giving land on lease can contact the office of the Block Development and Panchayat Officers concerned,” said Dhankar. A committee hasbeen constituted for quick execution.