Southern States - Karnataka   

Dalvoy Lake to be developed as tourist centre

By Our Staff Correspondent

Mysore May 7. The Dalvoy Lake here is set to emerge as a tourist centre with a proposal to develop it at an estimated cost of Rs.1.5 crore being submitted to the Government.

The Minister of State for Ports and Fisheries, Vasanth V. Salian, said here on Wednesday that the proposed plan was based on that of a similar centre in West Bengal. The blueprint was ready, and he had visited the lake to get firsthand information and pursue the project in earnest.

The lake, with an area of 250 acres, is one of the biggest water bodies in the city. Mr. Salian said 10 per cent of the area would be reserved for fisheries, and the rest for tourism and recreation.

Though he did not elaborate on the concept and the outline of the plan, it is said that the centre would have aqua sports facilities among others. The project may require financial support from the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and the Fisheries Department. Preliminary discussions have been held in this regard.

The minister said the project had the approval of the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, and it was pending final approval.

Commenting on the massive fish kill in the Yennehole Lake in which lakhs of fish perished two years ago, the minister said the disaster led to a loss of Rs.20 lakh to the fisheries wing. A report had been submitted to the Government and he would discuss the issue with the Chief Minster.

NCDC assistance

Commenting on the progress made in fisheries, Mr. Salian said the Government had invested nearly Rs.4.28 crore on the comprehensive development of fisheries in Mysore, Mandya, and Hassan. The National Cooperative Development Corporation had sanctioned Rs.13.1 crore for the development of fisheries in Shimoga, Haveri, Davangere, Raichur, Bellary, and Dharwad.

The project included setting up of cold storages and full-fledged fish-breeding centres. The Fisheries Department had identified 308 water bodies with a total area of 14,880 hectares for the NCDC-aided project which would given emphasise to improving infrastructure for inland fisheries in the six districts.

He said the Government would extend market support under the project, the target for which this financial year was production of 9,129 tonnes of fish. More than 3,000 families were expected to benefit from the project, he added.

The minister said the Government would construct 5,000 houses for fishermen in the State. Of the 350 houses planned in the first phase of the project in Mysore District, 296 had been completed. The remaining houses were in the final stages of completion. In the second phase, 250 houses would be constructed. The State and the Union governments are sharing the cost equally. The work on each house required Rs. 30,000.

Earlier, Mr. Salian reviewed the progress of fisheries in the district and expressed satisfaction over the developments. Mysore produced 12,000 tonnes of fish during the last financial year. Inland fisheries were concentrated in 205 major water bodies and 870 minor lakes in the district, apart from three reservoirs. Chamarajanagar produced 1,935 tonnes of fish during the period. Fishing was concentrated in 131 major water bodies and 225 minor lakes in the district.

Explaining the steps taken by his ministry for the development of fisheries in the State, Mr. Salian said an expert committee had been constituted to conceptualise a policy.

The Government completed the second stage of the Malpe fishing harbour at a revised estimated cost of Rs.21.6 crore. Similar projects had been taken up in Mangalore and Karwar also. The Government had set up inland fisheries cooperatives in Mysore, Mandya, and Hassan, and extended Rs.2.34 crore as loan. As many as 350 million fingerlings were required to meet the demand for fish. The number of fingerlings released was 140 million.

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Stories in this Section

• SARS case confirmed in state
• Loans for poor students at low interest rate
• Uncertainty for many govt. employees
• Notification on seat-sharing on May 15
• Dalvoy Lake to be developed as tourist centre
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• Govt. closes down 21 schools for rehabilitated children

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