SHANGLA: Residents have demanded of the government to make the only fish hatchery in Alpuri operational, complaining that the facility has been non-functional for the last six years.

They told reporters here that the provincial government had established a trout farm but the facility had been non-functional for six years, with the staff receiving salary at home.

Resident Waseem Murad said that a proper building with required facilities was put up on Lilownai Road in Alpuri for trout farming but it was deserted.

“Water channels for the hatchery have dried up because the fish farm hasn’t been operationalised for many years,” he said.

Niaz Khan, another resident, complained that authorities were informed about the issue many times, but to no avail.

He said that the building of the hatchery was in dilapidated condition, with some of its parts damaged by residents.

Elder Bakht Munir Khan said that residents used to buy trout from the fish farm but after flash floods damaged its water channels six years ago, the hatchery became nonfunctional.

He said that trout hatcheries established in Swat six years ago were rebuilt twice after floods destroyed them, but the Shangla administration and fisheries department weren’t interested in restoring the local fish farm, the only facility for residents.

When contacted, Alpuri assistant commissioner Mohammad Hamid Siddiqui said that he would take up the issue with the fisheries department for early resolution. He said that the fish hatchery would be restored and opened to the public.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2025