Live fish centre in the offing for Sambalpur

SAMBALPUR: The neglected Government fish farm here will soon draw tourists. The Fisheries Department is planning to develop a live fish center-cum-tourist attraction center at the farm located in Kamlibazar.

Deputy Director of Fisheries (Sambalpur zone), Pabitra Kumar Behera said they have prepared a concept note for development of the centre and it would be submitted to the State Government soon. Apart from live fish sale centre, intensive fish culture tanks, Re-circulated Aquaculture System (RAS), live fish marketing tank, ornamental fish rearing and sale centre, fish angling facility, freshwater fish aquarium, fish museum, fish restaurant, pathways for morning and evening walkers, periphery drainage channel, beautification and landscaping work, watch tower and fountains will be developed under the project, he said. One can catch fish at the fish angling centre and take the catch home after paying its price.

Behera said the preliminary work including renovation of the water bodies, strengthening of embankment and boundary wall around the fish farm will be undertaken by the Fisheries Department. It entails an expenditure of `10 crore and would be undertaken on PPP mode. The proposed live fish centre will be first of its kind in the State with the availability of nutritious live fish, prawn, ornamental fish, ready to eat hygienic fish food besides an avenue for water sports activities.  

Spread over 51 acres of an area comprising 41 tanks, the fish farm was established in 1958 for production and supply of quality fingerlings to pisciculturists of the district. However, the farm, located in the heart of the city, has been lying abandoned for more than last 15 years. The tanks’ embankments have been encroached by the locals.