CIFRI Awards
Union Minister of Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the “Environmental & Aquatic Animal Health Monitoring Laboratory”, developed by ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) in Sambalpur, Odisha.
The laboratory is set to primarily assess environmental impact of cage culture operation in Hirakud reservoir, aquatic animal health surveillance in the cage culture and monitor the water and sediment quality parameters in the reservoir with an aim of protecting aquaculture operations from detriment of excessive nutrient load in water and sediments for promoting sustainable fisheries development in Odisha. The state-of-the-art laboratory is run by ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore under the Government of Odisha funded project “Environmental & aquatic animal health monitoring in Hirakud reservoir under cage culture programme”.
During the event, Hon’ble Minister emphasized the critical role of fisheries in supporting rural livelihoods and contributing to the Blue Economy. He highlighted the laboratory's importance in ensuring the diagnosis and health of aquatic animals and promoting sustainable aquaculture practices in the region. The laboratory is well equipped with advanced tools for monitoring and detecting fish diseases, assessing the impact of environmental changes on aquatic biodiversity.
The Honourable Minister also visited different laboratory sections and took a glance at the various equipment facilities especially for molecular and microbiology laboratory and analytical operation being carried out by the research personnels in the laboratory. Shri Pradhan also lauded Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore for its efforts in enhancing research and technology transfer to benefit fishers and farmers. He called for collaborative initiatives to strengthen the fisheries sector and ensure its alignment with the government's vision of sustainable development and rural empowerment.
The inaugural programme was also attended by Shri Gokula Nanda Mallik, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Government of Odisha, Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Parliamentary Affairs, and Electronic and Information Technology, Government of Odisha, Shri Rabi Narayan Naik, Minister of Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, Government of Odisha and Shri Jayanarayan Mishra, Member of Odisha Legislative Assembly from Sambalpur Assembly Constituency & Minister of Commerce & Transport, Government of Odisha and lauded the institute efforts for setting up the laboratory in Sambalpur, making it accessible for research especially in mitigating environmental health risks. Senior officials from ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore, fisheries experts, local fish farming communities, and other stakeholders were attended during the inaugural function.
