Fish farming in several Hyderabad lakes soon: Talasani Srinivas Yadav

Hyderabad: Several lakes in the city will soon have fish farming after setting up of sewage treatment plants. They include Lotus Pond, Banjara Lake and Lake View Park.

This was announced by Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav while replying to a question on fish farming in the State. Khairatabad member Danam Nagender pointed out that there were lakes such as Lotus Pond, Banjara Lake and Lake View pond. There is opportunity to have farming as fish are seen but there is no mechanism to take them out.

Replying to this, the minister said that the government proposes to start fish farming in the Greater Hyderabad lakes, but this would be done after setting up sewage treatment plants.

The minister stated that the government was promoting fish farming in a big way in the State after formation of Telangana. Stocking of fish seeds and prawn juveniles was taken up with 100 per cent grant to increase fish production in the State and to increase livelihood of fishermen.

The government proposes to stock 93 crores of fish seeds in 28,704 water bodies and also ten crores of prawn juveniles in 200 selected water bodies in 2021-22. The fish production has gone up considerably during the last few years thanks to the water flowing into barrages under the Kaleshwaram project. Fish has become a best alternative for expensive meat and chicken; it is also prescribed by doctors, he said.

Yadav said during 2021-22 around four lakh metric tonnes of fish production was expected at an estimated cost of Rs 5,600 crore. "Some fools are mocking our efforts and saying that the government is not giving jobs. Employment does not mean providing government jobs... providing livelihood is also providing jobs," he remarked, adding unemployed were given mobile outlets.