MITHI: The Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) on Tuesday claimed to have carried out a successful experiment of fish breeding with the saline water extracted from the 180 metres deep mines and vowed to go for marketable fish farming by offering the [controversial] Gorano reservoir to the local population without having any financial interests in the business.

According to a press release issued by the company, following the successful experiment of bio-saline crop cultivation, a pilot project to rear fish with the saline water had also proved successful.

A protest campaign coupled with litigation has been continuing since the Gorano reservoir was planned as its opponents, mostly villagers of the surrounding areas, believe that the brine being stored in the huge reservoir is hazardous and destructive for the ecology of the region and sources of livelihood of the local population.

Experiment of fish breeding in brine termed successful

The company, however, claimed that fish breeding on experimental basis was successfully done with the brine being extracted from the coalfield’s second and third aquifers.

Seven species of fish — morakhi, rohu, theli, kuriro, gulfam, African catfish and Dangri — were reared in a small pond at the Ansari Green Park, the company’s chief operating officer Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi said in the press release.

“The company plans to raise fish on a large scale in Gorano reservoir ... it will change the landscape of Thar when it comes to livelihood opportunities,” he said.

He claimed that water extracted from the depth of 180 metres that containing around 5,000ppm of TSD levels had been used for the test breading and fish survival rate over the past four months appeared to be at 90 per cent.

He estimated that about 200,000 kilos of fish could be produced by the Gorano reservoir.

The company did not intend to earn any profit for itself but it would train communities in fish farming to help them broaden their scope of livelihood sources, Mr Rizvi concluded.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2018