Mancherial Collector tries his hands at fishing

Mancherial: District Collector R V Karnan said the government has selected Mancherial district for a pilot project to boost fish production here by helping the fishing communities.

R V Karnan along with Special Deputy Collector Priyanka inspected fish production in Gollavagu Project in Bheemaram mandal on Thursday. He discussed with the officials concerned about the measures to be taken for uplifting fishing communities. He tried his hands at fishing by spreading net in the water.

Later, he held a meeting with fishermen cooperatives at the Collectorate here. He accepted suggestions and directions from them regarding marine wealth and fishermen development.

Karnan said plans are being prepared for increasing marine wealth in various tanks in the district along with small ponds. “The government is planning to set up a fishlings breeding centre near Yellampalli project, training centre for fishermen and a lab to diagnostic diseases of fish,” he informed.

He assured to submit a report to the government which would benefit 40 bastha and mudiraj community people by eliminating middlemen in the business.

The fishermen cooperative leaders expressed happiness over the government’s initiative. They appealed to the Collector to protect tanks and ponds that were being occupied illegally. They asked to shift tanks, which were under Panchayat Raj, to the fisheries department.

They requested for boats, ores, nets and other things needed for fishing and also asked for funds to sell fish directly. They asked for establishment of fish markets where ever necessary.

CPO Satyanarayana Reddy, district fisheries officer Satyanarayana, fishermen cooperative president Thokala Rajamallu, fishermen and others participated.