14,000 Pengba fingerlings released in Kangla ponds
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 20 2010: Around 14,000 Pengba fingerlings were released today in three ponds located inside the Kangla fort under the aegis of Department of Fishery, Government of Manipur.

Minister of Fishery, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (RD&PR) and Minority and other Backward Classes (MOBC), Md Alauddin Khan led the programme of releasing the Pengba fingerlings into the ponds, what the Fishery Department called "Pengba Liberation Programme in Kangla" .

Minister Alauddin Khan was the chief guest, Secretary, Fisheries, RK Sukumar was the president and Commissioner, Art & Culture, RK Nimai and Director, Fisheries, K Sharatkumar were the guests of honour at the function.

Minister Md Alauddin Khan pouring fingerlings

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Alauddin Khan recalled that in the history of Manipur, there was a belief that if the kings had Pengba fish before setting out for battle, they would win the war.

After returning from the battle victoriously, the kings used to consume Pengba fish.

Taking into account all such historical aspects, since he became the Minister of Fishery Department, he has been proposing for releasing Pengba, which has been officially approved as the State Fish, into the ponds of Kangla, the Minister said and expressed happiness that the proposal could be translated into reality today.

About 10,00,000 Pengba fingerlings would also be released into the Kangla moat soon, he said, and appealed to the Kangla Fort Board to convene a meeting soon to enable this proposal to be turned into actiion.

In all 14,000 Pengba fingerlings and 8,000 grass carp fingerlings were released into the Chingkhei Pukhri, Nungjeng Pukhri Achouba and inner moat (Manung Thangapat).

What could not be missed to notice that the moment Minister Alauddin Khan poured the bag of finglings along with some water into the ponds, many white fingerlings believed to be dead were seen floating on the water.

However, the officials of the Fishery Department expressed confidence that all those floating fingerlings would survive.