Threat to the existence of fish ‘Mahaseer’ due to the construction of Narmada Dam
Indore. The natural flow of its water has been interrupted after the construction of different dams in the last decades on the Narmada River, which originates from Amarkantak and falls into the Gulf of Khambhat. Due to which the threat to the existence of ‘Mahaseer’, the state fish of Madhya Pradesh is increasing. Taking note of this, the state government has announced that it is going to start a big campaign from next month to save the clean and running water fish Mahaseer.
Dr. Sriparna Saxena, a fisheries expert who has been working with the Forest Department for two decades for the conservation of this fish, said on Sunday that a survey conducted during the year 1964 showed that the Narmada was There used to be 25 mahseer out of every 100 fish, but in the last decades, due to the construction of many dams on the Narmada and its tributaries, the blockage of water flow and human intervention has affected the natural habitat, which has reduced the number of mahseer in the Narmada- The reduction has now come down to less than one percent.
Saxena told that the fishermen settled on the Narmada coast say that if they are lucky, then they hardly see a mahseer in six months. Officials said that the major dams built on the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh include the projects of Bargi, Indira Sagar, Omkareshwar and Maheshwar, while the Sardar Sarovar Dam has been built on this river in Gujarat. Different dams have also been built on the tributaries of Narmada. When asked about the crisis on the existence of Mahaseer from these dams, Kalpana Srivastava, Principal Secretary, Fishermen’s Welfare and Fisheries Development Department, said that dams are also necessary and Mahaseer is also necessary.
He said that under the Chief Minister’s Fish Development Scheme, the program to increase the family of Mahaseer in the state is going to start from next month. Srivastava expressed the hope that this program will lead to a big increase in the number of Mahaseer in the next two years. Purushottam Dhiman, Managing Director of State Fish Federation said that under this program, seeds of Mahaseer would be planted in Denwa, Tawa and other tributaries of Narmada. He said that from the point of view of biodiversity, it is very important to have Mahaseer in Narmada. Because mahseer is a fresh water fish. Therefore, the presence of this fish in a river is itself a proof that its water is pure.
Dhiman said that as part of the conservation measures of the mahseer in the state, fishermen have been warned that even if this fish gets caught in their nets, then they should release it in the water in a live condition. It is worth mentioning that Mahashir is also known as the ‘Tiger of Water’ because of his stature and the amazing courage shown to be free after being caught in the hooks of fishermen. Saxena, who is working for mahseer protection, told that we had found a five feet four inches long mahseer weighing about 17 kilograms during 2017 in Narmada in Khalghat of Dhar district. After this we have not got to see such a big fish till date. (Language)
