The Department of Fisheries, Government of Manipur in association with the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Kolkata distributed soil and water testing mobile kits to thirty fish farmers of Manipur, selected from both hill and valley districts. The programme was held at the auditorium of the Directorate of Fisheries, Manipur at Lamphelpat on Friday.
Heisnam Balkrisna Singh, director of Fisheries, Manipur, Khamsing Ahum, additional director of Fisheries, Manipur and Subhendu Adhikari, Principal Scientist of CIFA, Kolkata attended the programme as Chief Guest, President and Guest of Honour respectively.
Speaking on the occasion, the director of Fisheries, Manipur said that Manipur has vast potential for development of fisheries for self-reliance in fisheries production. The fisheries resources like lakes, rivers, water bodies and marshy land in the State is yet to be developed in order to tap its potential for enhancement of fish productionso as to meet the growing demands of the fish, he said.
He appealed the fish farmers of Manipur to strive for enhancement of production and productivity of fish by adopting scientific and latest technology. He further said that distribution of mobile soil and water testing kits to selected fish farmers of Imphal West, Bishnupur and Kamjong Districts is an initiative of the State Fisheries Department in collaboration with Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Kolkata for scientific approach towards increasing fish production. He lauded the prompt response of CIFA and progressive fish farmers of the State.
Subhendu Adhikari, Principal Scientist of CIFA, Kolkata while attending the programme conducted a hands-on training for fish farmers who are the beneficiaries on the proper and correct usage of the mobile water and soil testing methods. The test kit items distributed to the fish farmers contained kits for testing seven parameters such as alkalinity, nitrate, carbon dioxide, dissolved oxygen, hydrogen sulphide, and ammonia.
