The New Nation - Internet Edition

Abul Kalam Azad, Pabna

Fish farmers in Pabna are facing a possible financial doom as the recent flood inllicted a massive damage on their ponds and fishes in seven upazilas of the district At least 2,731 of ponds in the district were inundated during the flood, which washed away cultivated fishes of different species, fry, and fish eggs worth about Tk 490.82 crores.

Most of the affected farmers cultivated fishes in ponds with loans taken from banks and NGOs, sources said. Fish farmer Ismail Hossain of Sadirajpur under Sadar Upazila told The New Nation that he cultivated fishes of can varieties in his pond with a loan of Tk 1.5 lakh from different local NGOs, only to see his product get washed away by the flood. "Now I don't know how I will repay the loan," he said. Fish farmer Anwarul Islam of Balarampur village under Sujanagar Upazila said his cultivated fishes worth about several lakhs of Taka were washed away. "I could not save my fishes despite taking advance preparations," he said. The District Fisheries Department of Pabna estimated the total damage inflicted on the fish farming industry of the district by the flood at Tk 490.82 crore. At least 2.220 acres of breeding grounds of fish were washed away in seven upazilas here. The affected Upazilas are Pabna Sadar, Ishwardi, Chatmohar, Bera, Sujanager, Faridpur and Bhangura, said fisheries office sources. Pabna district fisheries office sources said, fish and fry of 852 ponds worth Tk 1.78 crore were washed away in Chatmohar Upazila while in Bhangura Upazila fish of 562 ponds worth Tk 81 lakh, in Faridpur upazila fish of 386 ponds worth Tk 88 lakh, in Bera Upazila, fish of 156 ponds worth Tk 46 lakh, in Sujanager upazila fish of 313 ponds worth Tk 31.31 lakh, in Ishwardi Upazila fish of 298 ponds worth Tk 42 lakh and in Pabna Sadar upazila fish of 150 ponds worth Tk 15 lakh were washed away by floodwaters. During a visit to the flood affected areas, this correspondent found that many fish farmers have become pauper after the deluge. Gopal Barman, a hatchery owner of Chatmohar Upazila, Gobinda Halder of Patulipara village in Bhangura Upazila and Abdul' Razzak in the same upazila lamented for the loss they incurred due to flood. They wanted chemical fertiliser in large quantity on subsidy to restart fish cultivation. The district fisheries office has urged the authorities concerned for a grant of Tk 2.80 lakh for rehabilitation of about 1,700 marginal fish farmers. But the authorities concerned are yet to allocate the fund, sources said. Meanwhile, fish farmers are not geting fertiliser for fish cultivation causing sufferings to fish farmers, related sources said.

At least, 2,714.78 metric tones of urea, 1,334.86 metric tones of TSP and 275 metric tones of MP fertiliser are needed for fish cultivation in the entire district, official sources informed.

But there is no official allocation for fertiliser till now, said the suffers. District fisheries office sources said when fish farmers go to collect fertiliser, they do not get it

On contact, Pabna Distl:ict fisheris officer Jawarder Mohammad Anwarul Haque told that there is no allocation for fertiliser for fish cultivation in the district till now.

'We have already sent a demand for fertiliser to the higher authorites but they are yet to reply to sanction it,' he said. The district fisheris office has sent a demand for Tk 2.80 crore for post flood rehabilitation of fish farmers, he disclosed to this correspondent