PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The managing director of Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL), Sandeep Singhal informed that as part of the continuous efforts being made by them for environmental protection and biodiversity promotion in Uttarakhand, the Golden Mahseer Hatchery is being successfully operated in the Vyasi Hydroelectric Project area since February 2024. This project has a capacity of 120 MW on the Yamuna river in Dehradun district which has been continuously generating electricity since April, 2022.
Notably, Golden Mahseer, also known as Himalayan Mahseer, is the State fish of Uttarakhand found in the major rivers of the State like Ganga, Yamuna and Kosi. This fish is an endangered species and special efforts are being made by the State government for its conservation. This hatchery of UJVNL Limited is an important step in this direction, Singhal said.
“This hatchery has been set up under the technical guidance of the Cold Water Fisheries Research Directorate, Bhimtal, of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. So far, about 9,000 Golden Mahseer fishes have been produced in this hatchery. Out of these, 3,000 fish were released in the natural environment in Vyasi reservoir under the first hatching,” he added.
The ranching process was completed in the presence of UJVNL general manager, Indra Mohan Karasi. The divisional forest officer, Chakrata, Abhimanyu Singh hailed this initiative, saying that the Forest department would release these fishes in other suitable water bodies to ensure that aquatic biodiversity is protected. He further said that they would explore the possibilities of developing it as an angling sport by way of promoting a new form of tourism in the area.
