Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 04 November 2025
The ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), North & Middle Andaman, in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries, Fisheries Sub-Station, Diglipur, organized a five-day training programme on “Water Quality Management in Aquaculture” from October 29 to November 2, 2025. The programme, sponsored by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), was held at the community hall of Milan Gram, under Laxmipur Gram Panchayat.
The training aimed to empower rural farmers and fishers by enhancing their knowledge of water quality management for sustainable aquaculture, thereby creating new livelihood opportunities.
The programme was inaugurated by Dr. V. Damodaran, Senior Scientist and Head, ICAR-KVK, in the presence of Mr. Ashim Mistry, PRI member of Laxmipur Gram Panchayat. In his inaugural address, Dr. Damodaran highlighted the vast potential of the aquaculture sector in the North and Middle Andaman district, particularly with Indian major carps such as Catla, Rohu, and Mrigal. He emphasized adopting scientific practices and modern technologies to improve productivity and ensure sustainability.
Mr. Mistry appreciated the initiative and commended KVK and ICAR-CIARI for organizing the training for the benefit of local farming communities. He encouraged farmers and farm women to adopt scientific fish farming practices to maximize returns.
During the technical sessions, Mr. Subham Debroy, Subject Matter Specialist (Fisheries Science), ICAR-KVK, elaborated on the critical role of water quality in aquaculture. He explained that parameters like dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and salinity directly affect fish health and growth, while hardness and alkalinity are essential for skeletal development and water stability. He also demonstrated methods for monitoring and managing these factors to maintain healthy pond conditions.
Mr. Ujjain Dhali, Assistant Fisheries Development Officer, and Dr. Vijay Prasad, Fisheries Inspector, briefed participants on sustainable aquaculture practices and the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSSY) schemes. They outlined how these initiatives support eco-friendly fish farming, enhance productivity, and improve livelihoods through technical and financial assistance.
Mr. Rakesh Dawar, Subject Matter Specialist (Agronomy), presented a session on integrated paddy-cum-fish farming systems, explaining how cultivating carps or catfishes in flooded paddy fields optimizes resource use, reduces pest pressure, and enriches soil fertility, leading to better yields.
The hands-on session led by Mr. Debroy and his team included practical demonstrations on measuring water parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, salinity, hardness, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. Participants also learned about corrective measures for maintaining optimal pond conditions.
During the valedictory session, Mr. Sujan Kumar Das, Pradhan of Laxmipur Gram Panchayat, distributed certificates to the trainees. Earlier, Dr. Vijay Prasad welcomed the gathering and presented an overview of the training programme.
The event was organized under the overall guidance of Dr. Jai Sunder, Director (Acting), ICAR-CIARI, Sri Vijaya Puram. Around 35 rural youths participated and benefitted from the training.
